Score a RMB 1,500 Bottle of Wine for a Mere RMB 100 at This Sunday's Mystery Wine Party
Maovember is an annual charity campaign that sees Beijing's bars, restaurants, and customers come together to raise awareness and money for charities through events and special F&B deals. You can read more about the campaign here.
If you constantly gripe that Beijing lacks good-value wine events, you can stop right now, because a group of boutique distributors are teaming up Sunday to offer some prices not even hotels and restaurants get. Even better, the money goes to charity.
The third annual Mystery Wine Party will feature 45 wines from 10 nations, that retail for RMB 150 to RMB 1,500 per bottle but will be sold for a mere RMB 100. That's it: RMB 100 lets you pick one of the gift-wrapped bottles and discover what's inside. It's like a boozy Christmas morning. Except it's on Sunday afternoon (Nov 26) at Q Bar.
Along with wine, the party includes pizzas from Gung Ho!, brownies from Bread of Life, a screening of wine-related videos, music by DJ Peter Stone, and prizes like Champagne and corkscrews in the Beanbag Ice Bucket Challenge. Plus, if past years are any indication, you'll end up sharing wine with fellow imbibers and making a bunch of friends.
Sound good? Use the QR code in the poster above to register, pay, and reserve your bottle. (Note: The organizers can't guarantee bottles for walk-ins. To ensure you get one, it's best to register beforehand.)
And what wines can you expect? Every importer will supply five wines worth at least RMB 150 per bottle. Here are a few examples:
Hélène Ponty of Le Ponty is donating "Chateau Grand Renouil 2007." It's a 100-percent Merlot from the smallest AOC in Bordeaux. Made by Hélène's father from 80-year-old vines, with only 8,000 bottles per year, it was chosen for the celebration party of French president Emmanuel Macron in Bordeaux. (Retail: RMB 528)
Mike Signorelli of Signature Wine Club is donating "Bull's Blood" from Hungary. It's the most popular wine with his subscribers, he says, and named for its deep ruby color. It has black cherry, cassis, and plum characteristics as well as complex aromas from its extended oak aging. (Retail: RMB 575)
Edouard Simon of Seina Grower Champagne is donating five bottles, including a unique Bloody Rosé Champagne that you can't get anywhere else in Beijing. (To be frank, you can't get any Champagne anywhere for RMB 100.)
There will also be bottles from Le Sommelier, La Cava de Laoma, The Wine Republic, Le Wine, and 1421.
My blog Grape Wall of China will also source a few top Chinese wines, including "Pretty Pony" Cabernet-Merlot from Fang "Crazy" Wang at Kanaan in Ningxia. It's fresh, rich and fruity, and has received accolades from critics here and abroad. Giddy up! (Retail: RMB 300)
All revenue from the wine, food, and games will go to Maovember and this year's charity partners, Bread of Life and The Library Project (read more about those here). Fundraising events have been (and will continue to be) going on all month, including tonight's Schnapps Tasting at Groovy Schillers, tomorrow's Beijing International Ice Hockey Party at the Irish Volunteer, and Sunday's Mystery Wine Party at QBar.
To register for the Mystery Wine Party, use the QR Code on the poster. For more info, email nihao@maovember.com.
Images: Maovember
