The opening night of Longrain’s new wine society, and it does not ease anyone in: six Chinese wines, poured in small measures across five brackets, set against southern Thai food.

Hamish Williams of Periphery hosts and does the talking, which is the point — Chinese wine is an unknown quantity for nearly everyone who will be at the table, and the producer stories are doing as much work as the glass. The kitchen sends fresh aromatic seafood and spice-heavy pork and duck. One shared table.

Two practical notes: the menu is gluten-free but no other dietaries are handled, and the ticket is prepaid in full.