On the lifestyle front here again, I had a rare treat on Saturday evening-a tasting of wines from around the world in Beijing of all places, not southern France or Napa Valley. Chinese have not been known as big wine drinkers but as consumers increasingly developing a taste for all kinds of goodies, finely aged wine is one of them. Sommelier Peter Teng at the just-opened Hilton close to the Forbidden City took me on a tour of what has to be one of the best wine cellars in town, some 10,000 bottles and 500 labels. That's him shown in the photo with me.
And get this! Not only are the wines paired with the foods here but the hotel's Macanese restaurant Vasco's has a water sommelier who matches up bottled wines with appetizers, entrees and desserts. Now that's something I haven't seen in Manhattan yet!
