Flying Winemaker takes on English sparkler

Hong Kong’s Eddie McDougall and team have added IWC’s gold medal winner, Hart of Gold produced by Justin Howard-Sneyd MW to their portfolio.

English sparkling wine has traditionally struggled to capture Hong Kong wine lovers’ attention in a market where Champagne is rife and very affordable but McDougall’s move could herald the beginning of Brit bubbles becoming commonplace as more is exported outside of the UK.

Hart of Gold is the golden result of a collaboration between former Direct Wines director, Justin Howard-Sneyd MW and the Roberts family at Sussex’s Ridgeview; a 50% Chardonnay, 30% Pinot Noir and 20% Pinot Meunier blend which impressed the judges at the recent International Wine Challenge and scooped a gold medal.

Inspired by England’s “rich history of viticulture, especially in the Middle Ages,” Hart of Gold’s name draws on the legend of the white stag with golden horns which fascinated King Richard II who commissioned the famous Wilton Diptych in London’s National Gallery.

Howard-Sneyd commented, “2016 seems to be the year of English sparkling wine. Up till now, there hasn’t been enough to go around, and so almost none has made it outside the UK. But now the word is spreading, the reputation is growing, and the production is increasing.

“Hong Kong is one of the world’s most cosmopolitan and competitive markets, with a huge range of wines being sold in a small territory – we are delighted to be among the first English sparkling wines to be sold in Asia, although we have very little stock, especially after we won the only gold medal awarded to an English sparkling in the IWC last autumn.

“Hong Kong people are always on the lookout for the next big thing, and know a good thing when they see it, so we are very excited to see how our wine goes down in the fragrant harbour!”

Alongside Hart of Gold, McDougall will also stock Howard-Sneyd’s other wines, the Grenache/Carignan blend of Domaine of the Bee and Grenache Gris/Grenache Blanc-driven Field of the Bee which all hail from Cathar country in Roussillon.

2010 Hart of Gold retails for $400, 2013 and 2011 Domaine of the Bee for $380 and Field of the Bee for HK$230.