Wine and Sunshine – With Thinkers’ Group and Qwinze Direct
What better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than basking in the Fall sunshine and enjoying some of the finest wines on offer in Beijing. Last weekend individuals from all over Beijing convened at Solana’s fabulous Pacific Blue restaurant to sample fine wines, network and spend time savoring the view out over the lake and drinking in the all too rare clear blue skies. As always conversation was in full flow from the outset and there was plenty of opportunity to get to know everyone. Saturday’s event was the perfect opportunity to allow attendees to get to know each other and enjoy the offerings of our partner Qwinze Direct.
Qwinze Direct are well versed in not only providing excellent taste but also helping individuals learn about what they are drinking. They laid on a dazzling array of wines from several continents and provided informational materials to help attendees navigate around the subtle hues and aromas of the world of wine. The story of Qwinze Direct is something of an adventure in itself. Since their arrival in Beijing seven years ago, the company has seen interest grow year on year as word has spread about the variety on offer. Harking from Melbourne, Australia founder Danny Wu has demonstrated not only first rate knowledge of wine but also a canny ability to present wine to a younger audience. No longer is it the preserve of only the rich. Qwinze Direct have shown that wine can be enjoyed by a wider swathe of the Expat population. Now in the process of opening their second store in the city, Qwinze are looking forward to a continuation of their introduction of new world wines in the Beijing market. Judging from Saturday’s offering, they have arrived at a great formula which is sure to both educate and inspire. But amidst the heritage there’s still room for some experimentation. A number of liquors and spirits were on offer. The Sichuan style peppery spirit proved to be a hit as well as a number of fruity liquors and crèmes.
Of course, there is nothing like a drop of wine to ease conversation and Saturday was no exception. With such a range of industries and backgrounds represented there was plenty to talk about and pointed enthusiasm about the topic and speaker for the next T Group event. If success in China is truly your goal and you enjoy meeting interesting people then there is really no reason not to clear your diary for the third Saturday afternoon of every month. Details for the next Thinkers’ Group event will be posted shortly on the group’s website. Be sure to register to avoid disappointment as admittance will be allocated on a first come first serve basis.
Benjamin Tait
TheThinkerGroup
