DISQUS

Dylan · 1 year ago

Thanks for the link on the opposite house. They have quite the establishment based on the photos. As for this post, I can relate to the difficulty involved with passing along knowledge. It's why I think teachers should be paid more. The truth, as I believe it, is that everyone is a willing learner, or receptive to learning, but only at the appropriate times. And, I do not refer to times of day as much as times of experience. Usually, the "further along" someone is in their studies compared to the rest of their social circle, their confidence will hit new highs. Depending on the level of confidence, they may project themselves more expert than is the reality, and in some cases oppose conflicting information. The best you can do is try in those cases.

Edward Ragg · 1 year ago

Thanks, Dylan. I fully agree. I take these kind of things on the chin. I taught at Cambridge for 5 years (essentially one-on-one or very small classes) and more recently have taught at Tsinghua, one of China's top universities here in Beijing. Again, I have very bright students, but English is obviously their second language; so I've had to change my teaching style a lot whilst dealing with much larger class sizes, of course (as well as giving lectures to several hundred). In our wine classes this has actually really helped in learning how to explain things where English is again often the second language (I never use idioms, metaphors, other tropes or turns of phrase). At the same time, outside the likes of Tsinghua, Cambridge and other such illustrious schools, I'm really seeing how people learn in different ways (if this is true of super-bright students too, at least, as a teacher, you usually don't have to focus on how they learn). With a wide range of Chinese wine lovers/private clients, wine business people and other enthusiasts taking our courses, we now use the whole gamut of learning aids (PPTs, DVDs, some great stuff off YouTube for things like remuage etc., pronunciation tools etc.). All in all, it's been an education for us too! (Especially for me - at least Fongyee can break out into Mandarin when she needs to explain something in a different way...).

Thank again.

Edward

Leo Baduria · 7 months ago

Hi Edward,

This episode of Malbec in an ice bucket reminded me of a conversation I had with a fairly wine savvy waiter in Hong Kong. This server admitted that he's had to bear and grin it when his customers ask for ice buckets to chill their red wines. His dilemma has to do with a cultural taboo which he explained simply that, as a wait staff, one does not make a comment to correct a situation as it is considered an major insult and loss of face to the customer. Unable to offer the right way to enjoy wine, he feels really frustrated when faced with this issue, especially if the customer is a much older person. Let me know if you have encountered similar situations in Beijing.

Cheers,
Leo Baduria

Edward Ragg · 7 months ago

Thanks, Leo. From a sommelier perspective, the customer is always right, of course. Say, for example, a customer thinks a wine is corked (even if it isn't), the wine should be replaced immediately. The restaurant can still use the rejected bottle, either as wine by the glass or for training or even for the kitchen (if wine is used there). With chilling heavy reds, there's not much that a sommelier can do. After all, if the customer wants it, the sommelier must be accommodating. I have not seen widespread chilling of heavy reds in Beijing, however, and the above post details an isolated incident. In the Beijing summer, it might well make sense to lightly chill Pinot Noirs, Gamays and, say, Loire Cabernet Francs or Valpolicella, particularly for an outdoor tasting or other event. Your Hong Kong sommelier will have to grin and bear it in all likelihood - although, in the high humidity of a Hong Kong summer (as you know well) some light chilling of certain reds might be advisable, though perhaps not in an air-conditioned environment.