2012 is going to get to a bright start for wine collectors in Hong Kong with Zachys first auction of the year on the 7th January selling off some highly collectable Bordeaux and Rhone wines among others.

Dr Joseph S Weinstock‘s enviable collection will be unlocked especially with 700 lots on offer including three bottles of Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin Chateau Beaucastel 1990 (est. HK$9,500-14,000) and three bottles of Cote Rotie La Mouline Guigal 1985 (est. HK$16,000-26,000).

The day time auction is expected to draw in bidders in person as well as an international following of online bidders.

Since more and more people start their adventures in wine, wine equipment becomes more essential in everyone’s apartment.

For candlelight dinners, wine tasting events, birthday parties, or even a causal gathering of friends; a decent and appropriate glass can definitely make that night more unforgettable. Can you imagine a beautiful girl drinking champagne with a huge red wine glass or a stylish man having red wine in a champagne flute? That’s really horrible.

Then what is a decent & appropriate glass?

My answer is: a glass can match your wine.

There are many different shapes of the wine glass, and they also make your wines taste differently and on your nose different too. In the market, we can always find many kinds of glasses for Burgundy, Bordeaux, Champagne etc. However are there any rules that can help us choose the right glass?

When you are having a young Bordeaux wine; a huge Bordeaux glass should be selected. Since it has a straight body glass allowing the wine to pour into the back part of your tongue aiming to reduce the harsh tannin feeling and big body of Bordeaux glass enhances the power of wine. But for older Bordeaux, we can use a smaller glass to reduce the aeration and make the mild elegant nose easier to sense.

A Burgundy glass is a magic rod to make pinot noir and oaked Chardonnay more delicious. With a good width of glass body, it makes the aroma and taste of the wine more fruity. It also directs the wine pouring to the 2 sides of the tongue letting us appreciate the wonderful acidity of the wines.

Slim shaped Champagne flutes shows off the beautiful bubbles of sparkling wine, and at the same time keeping the wine cold effectively. However aged champagne, with its intensity of aroma and taste will be upgraded by a bigger body champagne glass with a wider mouth.

There is a dilemma for choosing appearance or taste; for me, taste is always top priority. Keep this in mind when pairing your next wine with glassware.

Jordi Chan is currently working as Wine Gallery Manager at ASC Fine Wines and was Sommelier of The Peninsula’s legendary restaurant “Gaddis” and Head Sommelier at The Mira Hong Kong . He has won awards including the Grand Prize of Hong Kong Best Sommelier Competition 2010 and “Best Performance in Blind Tasting” in Hong Kong Best Sommelier Competition 2009. He also serves as contributing journalist for magazines in Hong Kong, Macau and PRC. Find him on Facebook here.

Sopexa Hong Kong put on their annual French Wines Trade Show 2011 earlier this month at The Langham Place hotel that put a spotlight on some new boutique wineries from France looking to break into the Hong Kong and China markets.

Winebuzz.hk was there with our video cameras and we talked to some of the winemakers and export managers from Clos Monicord, Alliance Alsace and Champagne Charpentier to learn more about what their wines are all about and what they think of the local market.

During the summer, enjoying a glass of white wine with fresh oysters on the beach with a cool sea breeze coming in off the ocean is a dream only some Hong Kongers will get to enjoy as they sit moping in their air-conditioned offices!

Chablis is on most wine connoisseurs minds when talking about pairing with oysters, but it’s not unusual to choose a crisp Chardonnay in every oyster gathering. However, Jordi recommends Muscadet from the Loire Valley and Entre-deux-Mers from Bordeaux which are two great alternative offerings that will give you a new experience in your oyster and wine pairing adventure.

Muscadet wine from the western Loire Valley is the only grape variety permitted in the AOC Muscadet Melon de Bourgogne which was widely grown in Burgundy a long time ago, but is now prohibited there. Muscadet is light bodied and always dry with moderated alcohol levels that can easily pair with food without overwhelming the flavour. The light, crisp acidity can enhance oyster richness & creaminess with a fresh aftertaste.

Sur lie on the wine label: The wine spends full winters in contact with the lees and aims to enhance body and complexity of the wine.

Entre-deux-mers (in English: between two seas which represents the location inbetween 2 famous rivers: the Garonne and Dordogne) is a dry white wine made in a very famous wine region that every fan of Winebuzz.hk knows: Bordeaux. However, Entre-deux-mers is much less well known than Bordeaux red wine and is mainly produced as Sauvignon Blanc, and can be blended with Semillon and Muscadelle. Entre-deux-mers is a high mineral, medium bodied wine with good citrus fruit notes that pairs well with the oysters’ mineral character and makes their freshness stand out even more.

Both wines are perfectly matched for oysters and both represent great value. So, when you’re hosting an oyster dinner later on this summer, all your friends will be very pleasantly surprised by your pairing completely different white wines than what most people are used to. And, trust me, your friends will ask you for their names before the night is over!

Happy Pairing!!

Jordi Chan is currently working as Wine Gallery Manager at ASC Fine Wines and was Sommelier of The Peninsula’s legendary restaurant “Gaddis” and Head Sommelier at The Mira Hong Kong . He has won awards including the Grand Prize of Hong Kong Best Sommelier Competition 2010 and “Best Performance in Blind Tasting” in Hong Kong Best Sommelier Competition 2009. He also serves as contributing journalist for magazines in Hong Kong, Macau and PRC. Find him on Facebook here.

We turned our HOFEX 2011 booth into a Winebuzz TV studio and invited the movers and shakers in the Hong Kong wine scene to talk about how they see the current status of wine culture in Hong Kong and what the future looks like.

Christian Pillsbury is the Managing Director of Applied Wine – a very interesting company in Hong Kong, basically they help arm restaurants with the best wines from around the world – not just from France – like an outsourced sommelier. A great concept for the exploding wine scene with too much choice by restaurants and bars. Christian talks about how his company works and how he wants to expand Hong Kong wine lists past Bordeaux.

More video interviews from HOFEX 2011 here.

‘How long should I cellar this wine?’ is one of the most asked questions when one is selecting, buying, cellaring and drinking wine. We found this article from Snooth, written by Gegory Dal Piaz that provides a great guide about cellaring wines from France, their characteristics, how long you should cellar them, and their average price range.

Bordeaux: The world’s most famous wines, based primarily on Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Cellar from 3-40 years, US$10-$1000.

White Burgundy: White burgundy is primary a Chardonnay-based wine. Certainly many age-worthy whites are produced, though stylistic changes may make them less durable than in the past. 3-30 years, US$25-$1000.

Red Burgundy: is Pinot Noir and is usually a fickle wine, stubbornly resistant to falling into a rhythm; in particular when any one bottle might be open or closed for business. 3-50 years, US$25-$1000

Wines of Southern Rhone: Mostly Chateauneuf du Pape and Grenache-based. Not only has the style of many wines changed from somewhat rustic, if complex, to super-clean and packed with fruit and alcohol, but prices have sky-rocketed. 3-25 years, US$25-$600.

Beaujolais: has really grown into a respectable region over the past two decades. In the past, the yoke of crappy Beaujolais Nouveau had kept interest here at a minimum but small producers have created some ageworthy Cru Beaujolais masterpieces. 3-20 years, US$12-$50.

Champagne: Champagne is a cellarable wine! In fact, few wines benefit from cellaring as much as Champagne. Most non-vintage blends are rushed to market and improve with a few years in the cellar, gaining depth, complexity and a bit of creaminess. 3-35 years, US$25-$1000.

Read more

Listed as one of the top 10 places to run a marathon by the Lonely Planet Guide, the “Marathon du Médoc” in Bordeaux will be held this year on 11 September. Organized in the spirit of “health, sport, conviviality and fun,” it literally becomes a celebration fully embracing the culture of the Médoc. A marathon unlike any other, there’s gourmet food and wine, live bands, fancy dress marathon runners and fireworks to top it all off.

Held annually every September since 1985, the race was dreamed up by five Bordeaux runners, four of them doctors who wanted to celebrate pleasure, not pain. The Medoc Marathon is 42,195 km and the circuit winds its way across the beautiful wine country of Pauillac in South of France and crosses over 50 of the most famous vineyards in France.

The marathon kicks off at 9.30am with a concert and participants are encouraged to dress up in fancy costumes. There are 22 points of “refreshments” stops for runners to fill up while on the run, mostly of the gourmet kind with stands serving oysters, foie gras, entrecote, steak and other delicacies and of course wine!

So popular is this marathon that there are already 8,500 runners confirmed this year and the organizers have received applications from 15,000 people from all over the world!

Details:

To find out more, go to Marathondumedoc.com

Story submitted by JC Vien, a professionally qualified wine educator and holder of the prestigous Diploma Level 4, WSET and Bordeaux Wine School Educator who will also be running in this year’s Medoc Marathon.

Starting this month, we will feature Expert Wine Picks to help you, wine lovers discover great wines to enjoy in Hong Kong.

Anthony Petit, wine educator and Faculty Master picks a Bordeaux wine: Chateau de Saye.  This bottle of wine is made from carefully selected and hand-picked grapes by winemaker Alain Laubie in his 30 year old vineyard near St Ciers d’Abzac, 15 km north of Libourne on the Bordeaux right bank.

It is sometimes difficult to find good value Bordeaux wines in Hong Kong, Chateau de Saye provides balance and complexity at a reasonable price, says Mr.Petit. With its pale and bright ruby core and its dark pink rim, this wine is a blissful attack on the senses with its interesting aromas of cedarwood and roasted coffee beans. There are also fruity notes of plum and blackcurrant with just a hint of vanilla.

This medium bodied Chateau de Saye 2006 is well balanced and has a strong backbone and fearless intensity, although the finish is a bit short.  The ripe tannins need a few more years to soften and would benefit from being kept in a cellar for another two to three years.

This wine would perfectly pair with a good steak or any roasted meat and, although not outstanding, is great value for money for the enjoyment it brings thanks to the complexity of its notes and its balanced characteristics.

Wine Expert Rating: 4 stars

5 star= outstanding, 4 stars =worthy, 3 stars = satisfactory, 2 stars = drinkable, 1 star = avoid

Wine Stats:

• Name + year:  Chateau de  Saye 2006
• Appellation: Bordeaux Supérieur
• Type of wine/ varietal: 90% Merlot/ 10% Cabernet Franc
• Alcohol content: 13%
• Price: HK$128
• Where to buy: Marks & Spencers stores

If you attended the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair last year, you know the event enjoyed a very successful debut, attracting 240 exhibitors and more than 8,700 trade visitors. Not surprisingly, the fair is coming back for a second round, which will take place from November 4 – 6 with France as the Partner Country. And its almost doubled in size from last year with an estimated 450 exhibitors from 30 countries and regions will be attending, so you should have more than enough to keep you busy!

Organized by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council and hosted at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center, the fair will showcase exhibits of wine, spirits, and beer, as well as many products, equipment, and services associated with wine production. A French pavilion showcasing many different wines – such as Burgundy, St. Emilion, Alsace, Bordeaux, and Lyon – will be featured at the fair, and group pavilions many countries from all over the world will also be featured.

In addition, the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition will be introduced in partnership with the International Wine and Spirit Competition based in London. “Best Wine” awards will be given for countries such as China, Japan, India, and Thailand.

If you are an international or local buyer, if you register online before October 29th you can gain free entry to the entire show. For more information about the fair, exhibitors, and registration, you can visit their website at http://hkwinefair.hktdc.com and have a look at the photo gallery and video from last years event. Winebuzz.hk will be bringing you more insight into the show as we lead up to the big event.

Import duties have been abolished and the UK has officially overtaken France as the biggest wine exporter to Hong Kong. This news has surprised a few, but that doesn’t mean Hong Kong has lost its signature taste for fine French wines.

The twist? London is actually a major hub of fine French Wine – and no one would deny Hong Kong’s appetite for Bordeaux. So, despite the fact that the UK is not a major wine-producing region, Hong Kong imports from Britain showed a huge annual increase during the first seven months of 2009:

Imports from Britain showed an annual 146% increase during the first seven months of 2009 to almost US$80 million from Jan-Jul 2009, which was around US 69.5 million for the whole of 2008. UK has increased its share of this wine market from 20% to 33%, while France’s has slipped from over 35% to 31.6% at around US $72 million for the comparable period. The fine, expensive French wines are exported from the UK, explaining the phenomenal increase in dollar value.

Australia, in third place this year, has an 8.7% share totalling US$ 21 million followed by the US, Chile, Switzerland and Italy.

What’s responsible for the steep increase? Abolishing import duties made the fine of course, expensive French wines we love so much coming to Hong Kong duty-free. We call that cause for celebration: let’s make a toast with our favorite Bordeaux – to fatter wallets!