Uncorked: Wallace Lo

Wallace Lo has always professed a love of food and wine and has been reading about the culinary arts since secondary school. He studied Hotel Management at Hong Kong’s Institute for Vocational Education (IVE) for three years and afterwards, cut his teeth at upscale French restaurant, The French Window under the mentorship of Alan Liu where he also studied for his WSET Level 3.  He speaks to dbHK about his first memorable bottle of wine and the best advice he received from his father. 

What vintage are you? 

1989.

What bottle sparked your love of wine?

I think it would be a bottle of Weingut Max Ferd. Richter Brauneberger Juffer Sonnenuhr Riesling Spatlese that I bought to go with my takeaway BBQ pork glazed with honey (cha siu). They went so well together as one of my first food and wine pairing experiences and confirmed my decision to be a sommelier rather than other roles in the wine industry. There is no better job than this if you like good food and good wine.

What would you be as a wine?

Maybe Valpolicella but not Amarone, as I will say I am quite an easy-going person and soft with not many hard angles! Nothing really aggressive and nothing fancy. Valpolicella for the most part is quite rustic – not really a wine for ‘suit and tie’ occasions and is never a very loud or intense wine, like me…because actually I don’t talk much.

Where are you happiest?

Opening some weird bottles with my fellow somm friends, or reading (not studying) about wine (topics that I want to read) with a good glass of fresh wine…. especially after a long day of service.

What’s your greatest vice?

An ice-cold Asahi after work.

Best advice you ever got?

“Opportunities are only for those who are prepared,” from my Dad.

Most overused word?

A lot of the time my guests (perhaps around 80% of them) will ask for a “dry, red wine” or  a “full-bodied wine”. But most of the time they don’t really know what that means. Maybe these two terms make wine sound fancier!

Your cellar’s underwater, which bottle would you dive in and save?

My little bottle of Disznoko Tokaji Eszencia that I bought it from my last visit in Hungary. I will keep it for a very special occasion.

What’s the best and worst thing about the wine business?

Best: This is a great way to discover the world and there is unlimited knowledge to discover. It is something that I could spend the rest of my life doing. The worst? Sommeliers don’t really sleep!

What’s on your wine bucket list?

Old Colares from Portugal (so far I’ve never seen one in Hong Kong) or a Weingut Keller G-Max Riesling…. there’s too many.

Who would you invite to your dream dinner party?

All the wine lovers that I have met in these years: friends, work partners, chefs, and of course all my sommelier buddies.

Personal satisfaction (Parker points – out of 100)

49, I am never really satisfied.

Which wine would you like served at your funeral?

Krug! It’s one of my favourite Champagnes!