On the Vine: Where Seasoned Wine Lovers Indulge in Beijing

Handcrafted cocktails and local brews are big in Beijing bars, but wine is still as popular as ever. Here’s our pick of venues for kicking your inner sommelier into full gear and at a variety of prices to suit all budgets. These restaurants range from casual to upscale, cozy to sprawling, local to internationally focused, so they should appeal to just about anyone who has a lust for vino. Prepare yourself to sip and swirl with some of the best wine lists in town.

Temple Restaurant Beijing (TRB)

A prime example of what Beijing’s wine scene has become in recent years can be experienced at this legendary establishment. TRB is known for not only their elegant food but also their more than ample wine list, voted Beijing’s best wine list in the 2015 Beijinger Reader Restaurant Awards. With a constantly growing cellar of over 700 different bottles, they are essentially ground zero for finding whatever you are looking for. Their complete list is also on the web, so via TRB-wine.com, you can order and have your favorite wines delivered to you in 90 minutes or less anywhere within the Fifth Ring Road. We like to see them going the extra mile (or kilometer) to make all of your wine fantasies come true.

Daily 11:30am-2:30pm, 6-10pm. 23 Songzhusi Temple, Shatan Beijie, Dongcheng District (8400 2232) 东城区沙滩北街嵩祝寺23号

Capital M

Their long list of wines and one of Beijing’s most scenic locations the south side of Tiananmen Square, make this a destination for any wine lover. Take advantage of Capital M’s abridged list to take the stress out of searching through their novella-length menu of selections from around the world. For those of you into organic and sustainably farmed brands, there is also plenty for you to imbibe. There’s a slight emphasis on Australian vineyards at Capital M given the restaurant’s ownership, but there are also plenty of French classics available by the glass or carafe.

Mon-Fri 11am-2.30pm, 6-10.30pm, Sat-Sun 11.30am-5pm, 6-10.30pm. 3/F, 2 Qianmen Pedestrian Street, Chongwen District (5722 3061) 崇文区前门步行街2号3层

Mei

A decent-sized wine bar with an impeccable menu made up of both Old and New World labels, including Dom Pérignon P3 1971, which can’t be found anywhere else in Beijing. The Rosewood brand received the Wine Spectator Award in August of 2014 and to celebrate, Mei have created a series of weekly themed tastings for amis du vin, which included a Sideways week where they featured a handful of hard to find California Pinot Noirs, and a Red Obsession week where they showcased their collection of Bordeaux. This kind of creativity from a hotel bar is something we would like to see more of.

Mon-Wed 6pm-2am, Thur-Sat 6pm-3am, Sun 5pm-midnight. 5/F, Rosewood Beijing, Jing Guang Centre, Hujialou, Chaoyang District (6536 0083) 朝阳区呼家楼京广中心北京瑰丽酒店5层

Yolanda’s Secret

This personal favorite is an unpretentious place to enjoy some nicely-priced selections mainly from independent and small batch vineyards from around the world. Most of their selections are either organic or likely imported to China for the first time through the bar’s proprietor, so expect something a little different and more casual than other more formal establishments on this list. Make sure to check them out for their very generous happy hour as well where they feature four glasses of their house wine for RMB 100. That’s a beautiful, and slightly dangerous, deal if you ask us.

Tue-Sun 2pm-late, closed Mondays. 1-101, 38 Sanlitun Nan, Chaoyang District (131 4653 0019) 朝阳区三里屯南38号楼1-101

Grill 79

As one of the top (literally) international hotel restaurants in Beijing, sitting on the 79th floor of the China World Trade Center, this jewel hovering above the Beijing skyline offers over 600 wine options, along with 14 wines by the glass. Their selection has a focus on premium new world wines, but there is a heck of a lot to choose from, including a pair of wines (a Chardonnay and a Cabernet) from China’s Grace Vineyard, if you want to get a taste of China’s wine industry. All of the wines available here are also available at neighboring bar Atmosphere, along with an even lengthier wine list and delicious cocktails to match.

Mon-Fri 2pm-2am, Sat-Sun noon-2am. 79/F, China World Summit Wing, China World Trade Center Phase 3, 1 Jianguomenwai Dajie, Chaoyang District (6505 2299 ext 6424) 朝阳区建国门外大街1号国贸大酒店79楼

Brasserie FLO

As one of Beijing’s top French restaurants (they received both “Outstanding” in the Best French Fine Dining and Best Wine List categories in the 2015 Beijinger Reader Restaurant Awards), you might not be surprised to hear that Brasserie FLO has an excellent wine list. It covers a wide range of French regions, including some from lesser-known appellations like Jura, Midi, and those of southwest France. Top Bordeaux wines are available, along with many affordable bottles at the other end of the list. Brasserie FLO’s annual appearance in the Best Wine List category shows that for many in China, French is still “best,” and in this case we feel it is justified.

Daily 11am-3pm, 5.30-11pm. 18 Xiaoyun Lu, Chaoyang District (6595 5135) 北京福楼餐厅：朝阳区 霄云路18号

photos: Courtesy of Brasserie FLO, Grill 79, TRB, Uni