The week in pictures: Hong Kong

Quaffing Phelan Segur, Leflaive and Don Melchor, Pernod Ricard’s end of year bash and Hong Kong’s seasons’s greetings in neon – it can only be the week in pictures.

The week started with a wonderful lunch at Philippe Orrico’s ON Dining with Phelan-Segur’s owner, Thierry Gardinier and director, Veronique Dausse. “After 30 years of wine making, we are the peak,” declared Gardinier as he introduced classic vintages of the Saint-Estèphe estate, including the table’s favourites of 1990 and 2005.

Next up was more gluttonous feasting, this time at Pierre at the Mandarin Oriental with Jean Soubeyrand, CEO of highly respected Olivier Leflaive in Puligny. Speaking of the unique partnership with Hong Kong agent, Corney & Barrow, Soubeyrand, reflected on the evolving nature of Hong Kong’s wine market, since the emergence of premium Burgundy onto the Asia scene.

Executive sous chef, Guillaume Gaillot of Macua’s two-Michelin starred restaurant The Tasting Room and Bruno Ménard of Tokyo’s L’Osier share a glass of Don Melchor in the latest in Concha y Toro’s Asia culinary challenge.

Possibly one of the most ingenious pairings ever experienced: pan roasted foie gras with ginger confit and almond ‘candy’ with cocoa vinegar served with a magnum of 2007 Don Melchor. A heavenly combination of the coffee and chocolate notes of the 2007 matched with the cocoa and decadent flavours of the foie gras.

Christmas in neon: Spotted on the way home from the drinks business HK office, an entire side of two high rises is given over to festive greetings including a snazzy Santa Claus climbing up the ‘POAD’ building.

You could be in the Cotswolds with this cosy display of, er, authentic Christmas decorations discovered in a Stanley gift shop. 

Toasting the end of a successful year – including the launch of Chivas Regal’s most prestigious expression, ‘The Icon’ to the Asia market – Pernod Ricard’s managing director Franz Hotton held a media lunch at Brasserie on the Eighth on the Conrad.

The drinks business HK‘s first turkey of the season! Courtesy of Pernod Ricard and washed down with a plentiful supply of Perrier-Jouet and 12-year-old Glenlivet.

AWSEC, Hong Kong’s WSET education centre hosted its annual dinner at the Cordis Hotel in Mong Kok. Throughout the evening, founders Jennie and Stephen Mack congratulated the year’s students, including those who achieved a double distinction in both parts of WSET L3 Award in Wine and Spirits.

More festive fun for AWSEC’s COO Corinne Mui and co-founder Jennie Mack pose at at AWSEC’s Santa’s grotto.