We’ve been busy co-organizing this event all month long – and the Vinitaly Wine Affair turned out to be the (wine) love affair Hong Kong has been waiting for.

Held last night at Zelo in Pacific Place Mall, we used it a sneak preview for Vinitaly to show off their wines before today’s big trade event the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair – brought out all over 100 wines to taste from Italy’s biggest wine producers and taste not only the best cheeses and hams but amazing food prepared by the top Michelin-starred chefs Luca Collami, Pietro Rongoni, Marco Sacco and Sergio Vineis.

Check out our photo gallery below:

Vinitaly, the largest wine fair organizers in the world, is bringing the largest number of Italian wine producers to the Hong Kong Wine & Spirits Fair. Italy is also the country partner of the Fair this year, so expect to see lots of Italian producers there this year. This is a rare opportunity to taste over 100 wines from top Italian producers like Allegrini, Casa Vinicola Antonutti, Casa Vinicola Sartori, Casa Vinicola Zonin, Castello Banfi, Castello D’Albola, Conte D’Attimis Manigo, Ferrari, Santa Margherita, Marchesi di Barolo, Medici Ermete e Figli, Santa Margherita, Tenuta Santa Maria Alla Pieve, Tenute Grandi & Gabbana, Terredora, Toblar, Villa Rubini and lots more.

If you’re coming to the HKIWSF this week - click here to check out the exciting Vinitaly events as the head country this year brings Italian wine into the main spotlight.

We’ve just finished Day One at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair at the HKCEC and its definitely a bigger show than last year.

Here is a quick photo gallery of what to expect. The human traffic was a bit light today, but its a perfect time to get in to try the best wines with little wait.

Remember to follow us on Twitter @winebuzzhk as we’re sending out updates and photos all throughout the day. Now we’re off to the gala dinner and awards ceremony so we’ll see you bright and early tomorrow.

Australia is taking up a huge space as lead country this year, but Spain and Italy have big pavilions inside the massive Hall 3 with a new hall opened to house another huge pavilion for France, South Africa, Argentina and even a good showing from India!

The public had its fun last weekend at the Wine and Dine Festival and now it’s time to bring all the international wineries together for business at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair that begins today at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Center.

While Australia is the partner country this year, Italy is making some waves by bringing their internationally successful Vinitaly Tour to Hong Kong, having just finished off their US tour in New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.

Alongside a huge pavillion inside the main exhibition hall featuring some of Italy’s best wineries, Vinitaly is bringing the true experience of Italian wine to the table. Expect food pairing events throughout the 3 days with Michelin star chefs cooking up Italian dishes and even adding some element of entertainment with an ‘acrobatic high quality pizza show’! There are a few key events to bring to your attention – least of which is the unveiling of a very special bottle of wine on Friday to celebrate 150 years of Italian unification.

Thursday, November 4th

11:00 am- 1pm – Unione Italiana Vini (UIV) presents the Next Quality Experience in an introductory Italian wine seminar and Italian wine tasting session.

Friday, November 5th

11:00 am – The big inauguration of Vinitaly China including the debut of Italy’s 150th Anniversary bottle concept.

11.30am-1pm -There is also a presentation from four of Italy’s most important wineries  – Antinori, Frescobaldi, Masi and Santa Margherita.

Saturday, November 6th

11:00am – Italian Olive Oil demonstrations and tastings – this is the day the Fair is open to the public.

You can download the full list of events here. If you’re in the trade press and need special arrangements, please feel free to contact Vinitaly by email here. See the Vinitaly booth in 3D here.

Photos from the Vinitaly Tour in New York last week:

The 2009 Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair kicked off to a grand start yesterday at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wan Chai.

As we’ve reported, over 500 booths opened their doors and uncorked their wines for a 3-day tour de force and we were very impressed with the quality of the exhibitors and the number of attendees who showed up for the first day.

With France as the show’s Partner Country, you can try numerous quality and premium French wines from different regions including Burgundy, St. Emilion, Alsace, Bordeaux and Lyon.

Also enhancing the international flavour of the show are exhibitors from Argentina, Australia, Chile, the Chinese mainland, Hungary, India, Italy, Japan, Korea, Moldova, New Zealand, Portugal, Slovenia, South Africa, Spain, Thailand, the United States, Uruguay and more.

Even the special Seminar Room and Tasting Rooms set up on the 3rd floor of the HKCEC were packed to the brim with eager attendees wanting to learn the latest on wine investing, logistics and education.

The excitement continues today with more seminars and tastings, the Asia Top Sommelier Summit, a seminar on Hong Kong’s Role in Greater China Wine Market and a masterclass on Old/New World vs Asian Wine. But the real fun begins for the rest of Hong Kong tomorrow when it opens to the public.

Check out the Fair Daily for the latest happenings and promotions from the HKTDC.

Enjoy our photo gallery below, and do follow us on Twitter for photos and happenings from the show floor:

Winebuzz.hk is showcasing at the event. Our booth is at 3KC12, right next to the Buyer Registration area, come by say “Hi” and get a free Winebuzz.hk mousepad.

As much as we love sampling, the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair 2009 has more on offer than just your regular exhibitor booths. Here are a few interesting side events to add to your schedules. Enjoy, we know we will:

• Wine Production Seminar – from noon to 1pm on November 4, listen to an informative (and free) seminar on the production of Chinese, Thai and Japanese wines.

• Asia Top Sommelier Summit – from 10:30am – 12:30pm on November 5, hear four speakers talk about the art of being a world-class sommelier

• Master Sommelier – then, from 3pm – 5pm on November 5, attend a free course on how to become a master sommelier yourself. Of course, you’ll probably need more than just a two-hour class if you’re serious about becoming a master, but this is a good start!

• Wine-Buying Tips – on November 6 from 11am – 12:30pm, don’t miss the seminar entitled, “How and Why to Buy at Wine Auctions: Trends, Buying Tips & Challenges,” with four guest speakers giving you their top tips and insider advice about making wise purchases at wine auctions.

• Wine Tasting Sessions – every day from 11am – 6pm, wine tasting sessions will be held. Oh, and did we mention they’re free?!

Other scheduled events include networking sessions, pairings, master classes and award receptions. Visit their website for scheduling and more information.

We discovered this interesting wine named after the most powerful man in Macau: Stanley Ho. You’ll be able to taste it for yourself at this week’s Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair starting on Wednesday.

It’s either very new or a very special secret because there isn’t much written about it online but we met the distributor in Macau and they will be showcasing the wine for sale and for tasting in Hong Kong this week, so make sure you stop by the Nextvector booth to see it for yourself.

The Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair 2009 is almost here! Slated to include around 450 exhibitors from 30 different countries and regions who will display fine wines, spirits, and beers, as well as many associated products and services, you’ll find a wealth of information as well as plenty of display booths to keep you busy. In case you’re wondering what to expect, here’s a list with just a few of the bigger exhibitors:

• ASC Fine Wines – one of China’s leading wine importers, ASC Fine Wines serves as a distributor to top hotels, restaurants, and retail outlets all throughout China.

• Boutique Wines – wine importer and supplier Boutique Wines focuses especially on high-quality Australian and New Zealand winemakers, also boasting the largest selection of Grand Cru and Premier Cru Champagnes in Hong Kong.

• Jebsen Fine Wines – originally a Danish business, Jebson Fine Wines is now established as a leading distributor of fine wine and other spirits in the Hong Kong area.

• Kedington Wines – an importer of fine wines and champagnes, Kedington Wines has operated in Hong Kong for over ten years.

• La Cascina (Bel Vino) – this exhibitor specializes in importing and wholesaling fine Italian wines in Hong Kong.

Besides all the wine and spirits exhibits, you will also notice booths displaying wine investment information, bottling and packaging, glasses and glassware, as well as many other related products and services. For more information, you can visit their website for the full list of exhibitors so you can schedule your visits accordingly.

Take a journey of pure discovery at the New Zealand pavilion at the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair coming up 4-6 November 2010. There is no need for you to visit New Zealand when over 200 wines from 36 wineries from all over New Zealand descend onto Hong Kong and meet the winemakers in person!

Taste wines from: Abbey Cellars, Ager Sectus Wine Estates, Alpha Domus, Amisfield, Ara Wines, Askerne Winery, Awatere River Wines, Babich Wines, Bayview Estate, Bouldevines Wines, Bridge Pa Vineyard, Chard Farm , Coopers Creek, Desert Heart , Domain Road Vineyard, Felton Road, Gladstone Vineyard, Grasshopper Rock , Haythornthwaite Wines, Invivo Wines, Kaimira Wines, Konrad Wines, Lowburn Ferry, Man O’ War Vineyards, Mt Beautiful Wines, Ngatarawa Wines, Olssens, Pisa Range, Quartz Reef, Rock Ferry Wines, Rockburn, Schubert Wines, Soljans Estate Winery, Staete Landt Vineyard, Summerhouse, Te Mara Estate, Three Miners, Tohu Wines, Two Gates Vineyard, Two Rivers of Marlborough, Vinoptima Estate, Vynfields, Waipara Downs Wines, Waitiri Creek Wines , West Brook Winery, Wooing Tree and  Zepelin Wines – whew!

For more information about New Zealand Wine visit their comprehensive new website created just for us: www.nzwineevents.hk

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.