Two of the greatest pleasures in life are: good food and great wine. This weekend’s wine festival organized by ILOVELKF.hk, will celebrate one of the tastiest relationships in the world – perfectly pairing gourmet dishes with fine wine.

The festival will be in the heart of party neighbourhood Lan Kwai Fong where ten top notch restaurants will open their doors to visitors to enjoy specially paired dishes and wines to nibble and swirl their way through the afternoon.

On hand wine experts will also be there to answer any burning wine questions and give more pairing tips. If you love any of the combinations, or can’t make it on Saturday, the participating restaurants will also have a special three course wine and food pairing menu for two weeks.

How much?

Cost: HK$350 (in advance), HK$400 (on the day). Each ticket includes 8 complimentary food and wine pairing tokens.

Details

• Date: Saturday, 24 September 2011
• Time: 2 – 7pm
• Venue: Across 10 restaurants in Casa Lisboa, DiVino, Goccia, Indochine, Habibi Restaurant, Ista, La Perouse, Post 97, Rana Raj and Robata Zawazawa. Starting point is 1 Lan Kwai Fong or Robata Zawazawa.
• Where to buy tickets: www.festivalofwine.hk

This December, Bacchus & Century has promised to make available at least one bottle of each vintage from 1900 to 2000 in its new shop opening for the festive season.

For casual drinking or table wines, Hong Kongers have plenty of shops to choose from but when it comes to celebrating a special event, paying respect to a person or investing into the next Lafite Rothschild, there is a gap in Hong Kong that Bacchus & Century intends to bridge by individualizing their service. Whether it’s a vintage or iconic wine you’re looking for, or the prestige champagne corner, Bacchus & Century promises to differ itself from existing wine retailers, importers and distributors by specializing into core-offerings :

• The 20th century of only French vintage wine (no spirits) without any missing year is not an easy task to complete. It requires time, passion and perseverance especially when one thinks about the 1st or 2nd World War years or specific years like 46 , 51 , 54  where wine productions were extremely limited.

• The price will be also a unique point, as most of the bottles from Bordeaux, Burgundy and other areas in France will be available at an affordable starting price of HK$1,000 which will translate into a wide range of vintages and bottle selection…

• Iconic French wines: Those mythical bottles will have their own section in the shop for the discerning buyers undeterred by the substantially higher prices. For them, the vintage choice is not enough. They also want access to the “crème de la crème”, the finest and rarest ever.

• Focus on prestige cuvee. As a general rule, the brand does not offer non-vintage wine, so even excellent cuvees like Krug Grande Cuvee will not be sold. Vintage Clos du Mesnil or Clos d’Ambonnay will be the preferred replacement candidates as far as Krug is concerned.

Visit this new type of wine shop at Shop 3 , G/F , 32 Wyndham Street, Central, Hong Kong for a new dedication to French wine in Hong Kong!

Heitz Wine Cellar, one of the premiere symbol of fine wines will be holding a special evening event on September 22nd at  Union J (part of the Elite Concepts family) where a combination of fine Heitz wines paired with dishes specially created by Chefs Eric Johnson and Jason Casey. The menu looks tantalizing and out-of-this-world. Pop rocks with wine? Really? We wish they would send some over to us!

Heitz Wine Cellar is located in the eastern hills of St. Helena in a beautiful oasis named Spring Valley. The 160-acre ranch was acquired in 1964 by Joe and Alice Heitz to fulfill their family business needs. Heitz is most known for Martha’s Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, which has been a collector’s favorite for well over 40 years, further proved by it’s selection in Wine Spectator’s Top 12 wines of the 20th Century. They’re also widely known for Chardonnay, Grignolino, Zifandel and Port.

The dinner is HK$548 per person (subject to a 10% service charge). Union J reservations can be made at 2537 2368 or by emailing.

The menu below:

• Hamachi marinated • grapefruit ice • mint
  Heitz, Sauvignon Blanc, Napa Valley, 2007

• Tiger prawns • pineapple • coconut yogurt
  Heitz, Chardonnay, Napa Valley, 2007

• Braised chanterelle mushrooms • tiny peas • smoked ham broth
  Heitz, Cabernet Sauvignon, Bella Oaks, 2002

• Zinfandel braised short ribs • celeriac purée • crunchy salad
  Heitz, Zinfandel, Napa Valley, 2005

• 70% chocolate cake & sorbet • toffee • pop rocks
  Heitz, Ink Grade Port, Napa Valley

If you put one event on your calendar this year it must be the Hong Kong Wine and Dine Festival which runs from October 30 until November 1. Featuring a three-day food and wine celebration at the West Kowloon Waterfront Promenade as well as ‘Wine and Dine Carnivals’ in Lan Kwai Fong and Soho on Hong Kong Island.

Visitors can also attend wine appreciation classes conducted by local professionals, as well as wine tours and walks, while at the same time explore Hong Kong’s fascinating living culture.

During the event period, there will be many wine promotions and special offers. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council will be hosting the Hong Kong International Wine and Spirits Fair 2009 from November 4-6, providing wine lovers in the region with an opportunity to sample the world of wine and spirits.

So put this in your calendar now and follow our live coverage as we tweet, blog and photo/video cover the biggest and most exciting event in Hong Kong for wine.