Tipple Talk

Wine club

Beijing's Conrad Hotel is the latest to jump into the wine club game. If you're quick you may be in time for the first of what will be limited-seating monthly events. On May 23, "yes" RSVPs will sip eight bubblies and learn the differences among Cava, Prosecco, Champagne and more, for a mere 150 yuan per person. A future tasting, we hear, will focus on trendy blush wines.

Whiskey Bridge bar, Conrad Beijing, 29 North Dongsanhuan Road, Chaoyang district, Beijing. 010-6584-6300.

Salud, Argentina!

Fans of Argentina's best-known grape gathered for wine-tastings and tipples earlier this month in Beijing, Shanghai, Wenzhou of Zhejiang province, Fuzhou and Hong Kong as the Latin American country celebrated World Malbec Day. Malbec was one of five Bordeaux varieties once popular with French wineries, until it was virtually wiped out by disease in the late 19th century in its French homeland.

In the meantime, it had been brought over by immigrants, and the grape adapted beautifully to Argentina's soil and sunny climate.

Ambassador Gustavo Martino says that 99.5 percent of the malbec sold worldwide come from Argentina, declaring it "a privilege and a flagship wine" of the country. At the embassy tasting in Beijing, there was plenty to savor from more than 30 wines presented by about a dozen wineries from Argentina - including some elegant Catena Zapata vintages.

Also on show: Circus Malbec is an eminently drinkable table wine still available for less than 100 yuan. Find it at www.buywine.cn.