Great Grapes

Everwines Beijing

Everwines is on a mission to take over China – with wine appreciation, that is. Following its motto to introduce ‘wines for everyone’, Everwines’ parent and wine distributor Torres China has since 2009 been opening branches around the nation, creating havens for the complete novice and the ardent oenophile alike. June saw the doors to the first Beijing outpost thrown open, where inside, true to the Everwines formula, was a jewel of a wine bar: zero pretension, friendly atmosphere, and knowledgeable staff, the latter a sad rarity in these parts.

A covetable space with sidewalk seating to the front and patio at the back, the interior is divided into two, with a private event area and the main wine shop and bar. The focus is on bottles from family-owned vineyards, including two notable names from the Mainland, Silver Heights from Ningxia and Grace Vineyard from Zhejiang. You can buy bottles to go, or if you’d prefer to drink in-house at the small wooden bar, you can do so for an extra 50RMB service charge. If you need a bottle on short notice and can’t get to the shop, Everwines delivers in 36 hours. And if you’re really serious about your wine, consider joining the Everwines Club for perks like regular discounts, wine courses and tastings.