Every time I go to Shanghai I am blown away. I had gone to present at SIAL one of Asia’s leading exhibitions on food, wine and spirits. This city never fails to impress and I have written numerous stories on my trips in the past.

Travelling at upwards of 300 km per hour on the Maglev gives you an idea of what to expect when you leave the airport in Shanghai. Whether you are walking around with your head pulled backwards gazing at twisted structures in Pudong or walking along the colonial structures of the Bund, sipping drinks at Xintiandi watching the tourists go by or walking around the French Concession, Shanghai will dazzle you with its mix of Asian energy and global lifestyle.

I flew Business class on my Singapore Airlines flight to Shanghai and I got to say the legendary service of Singapore Airlines is truly flawless. Everything from the seats to the food and wine or tea and coffee list for that matter is exemplary. Drinking Charles Heidsick Champagne followed by a selection of wines like Selbach Riesling, Joseph Drouhin Rully and Chateau Peybaron to go along with a five course gourmet dinner up in the air is an experience that I will not mind going back to again and again on this airline.

Each time in Shanghai I have to go to Mr.& Mrs. Bund, no trip to the city feels complete without it. The food, selection of wine and the view of the Bund will win you over immediately. The Bund overlooks the River Huangpu and the district of Pudong with its sky kissing futuristic space age like glass buildings including the Oriental Pearl TV Tower and the Jin Mao Tower.

In doing my research for this trip I discovered The House of Roosevelt on an Anthony Bourdain show I had seen. I had to visit to see this place for myself. The House of Roosevelt is a majestic colonial style building on the Bund which houses one of the best wine centric restaurants I have ever been to. The Roosevelt family is none other than the family that had two United States Presidents – President Franklin Roosevelt and President Theodore Rooservelt.

This restaurant/wine bar is enormous with private dining spaces and wine cellars on every wall glistening with bottles of wine from every corner of the world. Luckily I walked in on a Wednesday evening where they host their weekly wine tastings. The audience is a mix of expats and local wine enthusiasts and like any wine event the group was friendly. The old world architecture of the room, excellent wine, candles and a view of Pudong made this tasting quite remarkable.

I met by chance Mr. Tse who is Chairman of Roosevelt China Investment Corporation and he invited me to a hidden private cellar that could be accessed only by punching in a code behind a book on a shelf, very James Bond like. The private cellar contains back dated vintages of the some for the most iconic wines from all over the world covering practically every corner of the world. On another floor they have a private members lounge and on the terrace they have an open air bar and serve the entire gamut of wines they serve downstairs.  If you’re into wine don’t miss this place.

This huge thriving, energetic city has lots to offer and whether you like architecture, drink, food, tradition or shopping, Shanghai truly has it all and this time like every time I discovered something new.

By Sommelier Nikhil Agarwal