The week in pictures: Hong Kong

Some of the drinks industry’s heavyweights descended on Hong Kong this week to bring the city’s wine lovers their latest offerings, including Angelo Gaja from Piedmont, Bollinger’s export area manager and Australia’s famed Langmeil estate with its ‘The Freedom 1843 Shiraz’. In addition, Karl Heinz Hauptmann, owner of China’s Château Nine Peaks in eastern Shandong province showcased his Chardonnays and Cabernets alongside barrel samples of the 2016 vintage. Don’t miss Le FrenchMay’s weekend market from Friday to Sunday at Central Harbourfront. Click through the images to see the highlights.

Angelo Gaja, the pillar behind Italy’s illustrious Gaja in Piedmont, was in Hong Kong on Monday to host a media lunch with Altaya Wines. The vintner talked anything but his wines, however. There were lengthy conversations on how climate change is affecting vines and grapes, and his relentless exploration of vineyard biodiversity and resilience. Between drinks, he was inquisitive about wine markets in Asia, and quizzed guests about what he called the “invasion of western wine critics” in Hong Kong and China, and even LVMH’s premium Ao Yun in Yunnan province.

Bollinger’s export area manager, Bastien Mariani, was in town on Tuesday to host a media lunch at Grissini restaurant at Grand Hyatt, unveiling Bollinger’s latest 2007 vintage of ‘La Grande Année’. In an interview with dbHK prior to lunch, the confessed that China still remains the most difficult market for the prestigious Champagne house.

Tom Warner of Mirabeau in Provence was at Hong Kong importer Continental’s annual portfolio tasting this Thursday at Club Lusitano, showcasing Mirabeau’s range of rosés. Its ‘Pure Mirabeau’ rosé won a Gold medal at our Global Rosé Masters 2016 competition, and was recently voted one of the 10 best rosés in the world.

Gary Mills of Jamsheed in Australia’s Yarra Valley was also at the Continental tasting, presenting his wines including a few single-vineyard Shiraz wines and a pure Cabernet Franc.

James Lindner, family proprietor of Barossa’s Langmeil, was also spotted at the Continental tasting. The vintner showcased a diverse range of wings from Eden Valley Chardonnay to their most renowned ‘The Freedom 1843 Shiraz’, which is believed to have been planted by vigneron Christian Auricht in 1843, making it the one of oldest surviving and continuially producing vinyards in the world.

Kronenbourg 1664, one of the world’s best-selling French beer brands and Le French May Arts Festival will host a weekend market from 18 to 21 May at Central Harbourfront. Kronenbourg will debut its latest Kronenbourg 1664 ‘Blanc Fruits Rouges’ wheat beer for the first time in Hong Kong. 

Karl Heinz Hauptmann, an investment banker-turned vintner, founded a winery in China’s eastern Shandong province in 2008 called Château Nine Peaks named after the region’s famous eponymous mountain range. The wines are carried by East Meets West Fine Wines.