The week in pictures: Hong Kong

dbHK rounds up this week’s Hong Kong highlights from a Penfolds re-corking clinic to a Georgian wine tour by Debra Meiburg MW, as well as a workshop by Port producer Symington Family Estates.

Speaking to media about the purpose of Penfolds’ re-corking clinic, Peter Gago, chief winemaker at Penfolds, explained its goal is to perform a health check-up on aged wines as well as to stamp out suspicious bottles circulating in the market. At the event in Hong Kong, more than 400 rare bottles were examined by Penfolds’ winemaking team.

Peter Gago showed the audience that an aged bottle should have some traces of age on its label as well, otherwise it could invite questions about its authenticity.

While demonstrating the re-corking process to members of the media at Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Peter Gago showed a cork to the audience, stressing that visually examining the cork’s condition could give a hint at how well the wine is preserved. If a cork is completely dry, the chances of a wine being spoiled are high.

Some rare Penfolds bottles made an appearance at the Re-corking Clinic including Bin 333, the first vintage release of Magill Estate Shiraz, Bin 747 Claret, Bin 90A Coonawarra Cabernet Barossa Valley Shiraz shown here in the picture.

Hong Kong movie star Jacky Chan’s collection of Penfolds Grange consisting of more than 60 bottles were also examined and re-corked at the re-corking clinic.

Debra Meiburg MW was in Guangdong hosting a Georgian wine tour recently. The ancient winemaking country’s wine exports to China are gaining traction with 3.8 million bottles shipped to China last year, representing a 104% increase. The two countries have recently signed a Free Trade Agreement, which is expected to further boost its wine exports to China.

A Georgian Wine Tour was held in late July in China’s Guangdong province with producers from the country pouring some of their best wines made from local grape varieties to a crowd of Chinese wine consumers.

A wine dinner organised by fellow winos in Hong Kong looked beyond off-dry Rieslings to look for alternative options to pair with spicy Sichuanese food. A range of curious selections including a Gruner Veltliner from Santa Barbara, a Japanese saké, a Spanish Godello, a South African Riesling as well as a Gewürztraminer from Marlborough and a Nerello Mascalese from Sicily, to name a few, seemed to fit the bill.

Jorge Nunes, winemaker and Asia Pacific manager of Symington Family Estates recently held a workshop at MWM Wine School, exploring the Douro region, winemaking, styles of port wine and sales tactics in the local market. Among all styles, Tawny port is the most successful in the Hong Kong market, according to Nunes, especially the 20-year-old Tawny. During the past five years, Nunes has witnessed 50% sales growth of Tawny port in the local market.

Local importer Sino Vantage recently organised a Massolino masterclass at Aberdeen Marina Club with the famed Italian winery’s winemaker, Giovanni Angeli. The winemaker introduced the winery’s Barolo DOCG 2011, its 2007 vintages of Parafada and Margheria, its Barolo Vigna Rionda Riserva Dieci 2000 and a Moscato d’Asti.