Like South Africa, Shanghai is also currently on the global stage - us for one month and a day hosting the 2010 FIFA Soccer World Cup, the Chinese city for much longer with Shanghai 2010 World Expo. Ahead of these extravaganzas, a great deal of money has been spent on what is termed 'beautification' which, in Shanghai's case, involves lighting up its impressive skyline at night.

Enchanted by the night-time fairyland while travelling by taxi to dinner one night, I strategised a visit to the Shanghai World Financial Centre at sunset on my final evening to stock up on electric visual memories. Of course, that this skyscraper is home to the Park Hyatt Shanghai (79th-93rd floors) and the world's highest wine bar (floor 91) had some influence on my plan.

The skyscraper is located in the centre of the relatively newly developed Lujiazui district of Pudong on the east bank of the Huangpu River. The re-development converted mudflats, warehouses and farms into one of the world's most identifiable skylines with distinctive architecture in not just the Shanghai World Financial Centre but also the Jin Mao Tower and the Oriental Pearl Tower.

Completed in 2008, cited at 100 Century Avenue, and with 101 floors and soaring to a height of 492m, Shanghai World Financial Centre has been described as an exclamation point; it is tall and sleek with a trapezoidal opening at the top. This was originally to be circle until government officials objected saying it would remind citizens of a rising sun, the Japanese national symbol, over the city that Japan bombed and occupied during World War II.

While there is a fairly hefty charge levied on tourists who want to view Shanghai from its observation decks, the elevator ride to the 91st floor is free. The drinks, however, are anything but. While Shanghai had proven to be an inexpensive night out food-wise, alcoholic beverage prices were a little dear, even for unassuming or modest wines. The 2008 riesling from the Pfalz, from Dr Bürklin-Wolf, I bought for fellow judge and Shanghai explorer, Michael Schaefer, and I to sip was on the wine list at close to R600; so too was Warwick's Professor Black, and both Bein's and Meerlust's, the only South African wines I saw on the list.

One of the top-ranking estates in the Pfalz, this estate was established in 1597 and remains under family control to this day. I'm not familiar with the property, but the wine was recommended by Michael as a good choice, and I was told it owns vines planted in top sites such as Forster Jesuitgarten and Ungeheuer, Ruppertsberger Reiterpfad and Nußbien and Wachenheimer Rechbächer and Gerümpel. Riesling dominates the plantings, and our trocken version was pleasant enough, dry and refreshing, but in no way competed with the view for our attention.