Bordeaux sweetens up Hong Kong and China

Under the name of “Sweet Bordeaux”, 10 Bordeaux appellations have focused on Hong Kong and China this year as key areas of growth.

In conjunction with the French Trade Commission – Business France HK, the Union des Grands Vins Liquoreux de Bordeaux has planned a series of masterclasses, tastings and food pairings across Hong Kong and China for the remainder of October – with more planned for later in the year.

Ten appellations of Bordeaux, including Sauternes and its Crus Classés, Barsac, Sainte-Croix-du-Mont, Loupiac, Cadillac, Premières Côtes de Bordeaux, Graves Superior, Côtes de Bordeaux Saint-Macaire, Cérons, and Bordeaux Supérieur have united to “bring a wide range of high quality wines accessible to everyone” under the umbrella title of “Sweet Bordeaux”.

Having already exhibited at Hong Kong’s Wine & Dine Festival last week, the organization plans to host a masterclass with food pairing on 29 October at Cave East in Beijing and another wine and food pairing event at the Bordeaux and Aquitaine Wine Festival in the Shangri-La in Wuhan, Hubei Province.

According to the French Trade Commission in Hong Kong, export figures for sweet Bordeaux white wines increased by 9% in volume between 2012-2013 to China, Belgium and Canada though they were not officially permitted to be exported to China until 2010.

Antoine Meunier, senior trade advisor at the French Trade Commission in Hong Kong commented that China is the main export market for Bordeaux wines and that “the fascination with French sweet white wine is growing steadily every year.”

He went on to say, “Hong Kong, primarily as a duty-free wine port since 2008, serves as an ideal wine trading and distribution centre under the framework of Closer Economic Partnership Arrangement (CEPA). Such enhanced customs facilitation measures makes Hong Kong the golden gateway to the Chinese market.”