Bottleshock to host first HK tasting

Headed up by former Roberson Wine business development director Adam Green, Hong Kong’s newest wine merchants Bottleshock is to hold its first tasting next month.

Adam Green – brother of ex-Atherton chef Nathan Green – is a new arrival to Hong Kong shores, having moved over from London to start his own wine company, Bottleshock after 10 years in the UK wine industry.

“We’re looking to promote what I’d term artisan wineries; smaller producers who either own their land or work closely with the growers and who look to make wines that reflect the individuality of where they are from,” he said.

Happening at Rhoda, Nathan’s ever-popular restaurant in Sai Ying Pun on 7 November, Bottleshock’s tasting will shine a light on 26 exclusive producers, hailing from Spain, USA and South Africa as well as key French wine producing regions such as the Rhone Valley.

The brothers Green: Nathan and Adam

Green directly imports from the wineries and handpicks those who have already been a hit with the established markets of London, New York and Tokyo with wholesale prices starting from between HK$100-HK$300 for the majority of his portfolio. His wines have already been a big hit with Rhoda’s customers.

Producers to look out for include Domaine D’Ourea from the southern Rhone, Kutch Wines from Sonoma and Vina Zorzal from Navarra.

“In terms of winemaking style, I always value freshness and balance over power – we’re definitely not looking at traditional points chasing or what I’d call conventional ‘luxury’ wines – big ripeness and extraction, lots of new oak, heavy bottles, etc,” said Green.

Comparing the differences between London’s and Hong Kong’s wine markets, Green offered: “It’s pretty early for me to start pontificating, but I have always felt as a visitor to Hong Kong over a number of years that wine lists here tend to be a bit two paced, they are often either fairly succinct exercises in box ticking – Prosecco, Pinot Grigio, Malbec – or whopping great bibles with every great wine under the sun.

“I would say that in London there are more and more ‘everyday’ restaurants and bars putting together carefully crafted lists that offer really great value in that £40-£80 per bottle sweet spot – this is what we’ve tried to do with Rhoda and it’s been reaping rewards.”

Bottleshock’s trade tasting is set for Monday, 7 November from 2-6pm at Rhoda, Ground floor, Upton 345 Des Voeux Rd West, Sai Ying Pun.

RSVP directly to Adam here.