Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing hosts an unprecedented weekend of food, wine and culture at the inaugural 2009 Beijing Wine Classic.

The Classic is an annual event which will focus on different wine regions around the globe. This year's showcase features California's most notable producers in a three-day festival marked by extensive panel discussions hosted by winemakers, tastings, dinners and a silent auction. Guests can choose from a menu of ticket offerings ranging from a three-night stay at the resort and full festival participation to day passes for attendance at specific events. This is an extraordinary opportunity to meet and mingle with renowned winemakers while enjoying the luxurious setting of Aman's resort located on the fringes of Beijing's iconic Summer Palace.

The Classic begins on Friday, 13 November with a welcome reception followed by a Gala Opening Ceremony and Dinner featuring many of California's finest sparkling and still wines. The evening is capped by a whisky tasting and cigars in the Bar. The following day, guests may participate in an early morning tai chi class followed by a breakfast buffet. The first lecture covers "Anything but Chardonnay" and will explore the other white grape varietals grown in California. A dim sum lunch with distinctive wine pairings will be followed by an afternoon of lectures including “California Chardonnay - Napa vs. Sonoma," "Pinot Extravaganza - Napa vs. Sonoma" and "Imperial Culture Workshop (served with "afternoon wines")." Late afternoon leaves ample room for a relaxing spa treatment in the resort's extensive spa and recreational facilities. Dinner this evening will highlight Kobe beef and cult Cabernets. Day Three features an early tai chi class, followed by breakfast and two lectures on "Quirky Reds & Whites" and "Charbay Vodka & Whisky Cocktails." An early afternoon brunch precedes a live auction and closing ceremony.

Tastings during each of the seminars include single vineyard and regional offerings as well as varietal comparisons and are hosted by the winemakers themselves in casual, interactive panel-style discussions.

Participating wineries include Harlan Estate, Bond Estates, Chateau Montelena, Staglin Family Vineyard, Flowers Vineyard & Winery, Honig Vineyard & Winery, Calera Wine Company, Fisher Vineyards, Howell Mountain Vineyards, Gargiulo Vineyards, Claudia Springs Winery, Schramsberg, Peay Vineyards, Lail Vineyards, Patz & Hall and Rudd Winery and Vineyards along with Charbay spirits.

The 2009 Beijing Wine Classic is the first event of its kind under the umbrella of Amanresorts' new wine and spirits programme launched just last year. The programme sees Aman partnering with handpicked family and boutique producers from every corner of the globe to make available some of the world's most coveted wines and spirits at select Amanresorts properties worldwide. Exclusively for Amanresorts, a select group of producers have developed reserves and single-vineyard bottlings of their finest vintages. Others producers in the programme have made their previously 'off-limits' caves, private reserves and personal library selections available to Amanresorts.

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing is housed in a series of pavilions, some of which are over one hundred years old. This tranquil retreat adjacent to the East Gate of the Summer Palace is an ideal base from which to discover the multi-faceted city of Beijing.

The resort offers a variety of accommodation which pays homage to traditional Chinese architecture and celebrates the courtyard style of Imperial China. Guests can enjoy an expansive Spa and recreational facility which include a state-of-the-art gym, a dedicated Pilates and yoga studio, an on-site juice bar serving freshly-squeezed juices and smoothies, two squash courts and a 25-metre indoor lap pool graced by a wide deck with reclining daybeds. The Aman Spa features nine self-contained double treatment rooms offering a variety of wellness and beauty treatments and a hair studio by celebrated stylist Kim Robinson. Other facilities include three restaurants serving Chinese, French kaiseki and Western cuisine, a lounge for relaxation and wine tastings, a bar, library, 37-seat cinema and boutique.