By Jim Boyce

The Shuang Jing branch of Carrefour in Beijing launched its 2008 April Wine Fair last Thursday. The event drew a sizable crowd as the opening day included at least a 20 percent discount on all wine.

I arrived around 9 PM, unaware of the scale of the fair or that many distributors would be on hand with samples of their wines.

A mix of locals and foreigners toured more than a dozen tasting stations. Most wines were entry-level, or slightly above, and it was a good opportunity to “try before you buy.” Many shoppers had carts loaded with individual bottles or cases. I ended up going for the “two bottles of Domaine Ste. Michelle and one bottle of Columbia Crest Two Vines for RMB282” deal.

Here are a few photos from the event. Apologies for the quality – while my K-Touch B922 phone offers good features, an excellent built-in camera is not among them.

Wine guy Badr (left) tastes some wine with Torres China’s Hugo (right).

These guys are stocking up, with a full few carts behind them…

… and one in front.

Even at 9:30 PM, there were plenty of wine lovers.

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