dbHK’s HITT wines in pictures

We present the 12 competition wines from the drinks business HK’s Saturday event – the Hong Kong International Top Tasters – and some of the guesses ventured by the teams.

Last Saturday’s inaugural HITT blind tasting event was a great success for the drinks business HK team, in collaboration with Madison Wine, with HK$153,000 raised for charity partner, the Autism Partnership Foundation.  There were also some stunning wines that exemplified their region of origin and grape variety(-ies) but left some of the teams stumped…

Here are the 12 wines in question…

1. NV Boschendal  Brut Rosé Méthode Cap Classique

Many of the teams thought this Boschendal beauty was Champagne and very few guessed its correct grapes of Pinotage, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The average retail price is a bargain at HK$210, but some marked it up to HK$750!

2. 2012 Château de Chamirey Mercurey 1er Cru La Mission Monopole

This was a lovely premier cru Chardonnay from Mercurey with hints of dried fruit, eucalyptus and the tell-tale white pepper on the nose. Most teams got this right, however two surprising answers put forward were Semillion and Chenin Blanc!

3. 2013 Domäne Wachau Riesling Smaragd Achleiten

Answers for this ranged from Sauvignon, Semillon, Pinot Gris and Gruner Veltliner. Everything else sadly, apart from its actual grape: Riesling!

4. 2014 Petaluma Hanlin Hill Riesling

With tropical fruit, orange peel as trademark aromas, the Petaluma Riesling was almost unanimously classified as a Riesling by the teams (apart from an erroneous guess of a Semillon) and the majority correctly declared it as being from Australia – well done!

5. 2012 Sarment Terroirs Syrah

Some teams hazarded a guess that this lovely, soft fruit-forward Syrah was a Gamay, and there was even an eclectic mention of a Dolcetto ventured by one team. Fortunately, most guessed correctly that it was a Syrah from the Northern Rhône.

6. 2013 Stonier Pinot Noir

Mornington Peninsula’s Stonier Pinot Noir stumped most of the teams who, although guessed it was a Pinot Noir, ventured that it came from pretty much every other Pinot Noir producing region – apart from poor old Mornington Peninsula in Victoria, Australia.

7. 2012 Altano Quinta do Ataíde Reserva

This 100% Touriga Nacional from Portugal left all teams flummoxed. Was it a Malbec? A Tempranillo? Sadly not – best our HITT teams organise a reconnaissance trip to the Symington family’s Quinta do Ataide vineyard in the Villarica Valley!

8. 2009 Banfi Brunello di Montalcino 

At least Hong Kong’s wine enthusiasts do know their Sangiovese. Most correctly guessed Banfi’s delicious Brunello di Montalcino as being from Tuscany – with some bright sparks even naming Montalcino as the correct region. Nil points unfortunately to the team who put ‘Left Bank Bordeaux’.

9. 2009 Iberica Bruno Prats ALFYnal 

Malbec, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon… – so many guesses other than the correct one which is Monastrell. Bonus points to the team who invented a new grape varietal called Xinfandel, however….

10. 2013 Bellingham The Bernard Series Bush Vine Pinotage 

Pinot Noir, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Malbec, Cabernet Sauvignon… close but no cigar for all of the teams who did not guess the lovely Pinotage from Bellingham. Due to a certain percentage of the guessers hailing from South Africa, this was a surprise!

11. 2002 Château Guiraud

Despite some baffling answers of Riesling and Muscadet, most teams guessed the 2002 Château Guiraud as a Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend from Sauternes from its delicious nose of almond, white flowers, orange and pear.

12. 2007 Holdvölgy Culture 

Finally, Holdvölgy’s Furmint and Harslevelu blend which makes up its gorgeous 2007 Culture flummoxed every team – apart from one who cautiously guessed Furmint as the grape variety. There was Muscat, Semillon, Riesling (again!) but sadly, this Tokaji Aszu 6 Puttonyos was an undiscovered star in the tasting portfolio.