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HKTDC International Wine & Spirits Fair returns for 11th edition
The Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair will return from 8 to 10 November at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre for its 11th edition, with 1,075 exhibitors from 32 countries and regions showcasing a plethora of wines, spirits and beers.
HKTDC hosted a press conference this week about the upcoming Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair
The three-day trade fair at the Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) will take place at a time when Hong Kong further consolidates its role as a wine trading hub in Asia, with wine imports growing at a double-digit pace.
According to HKTDC, acting executive director Benjamin Chou, the city’s wine imports – mainly from France, Australia and the UK – reached HK$8.35 billion, a year-on-year increase of 10.5% in the first eight months of the year. Imports from the UK and France recorded growth of 30.2% and 17.9%, respectively. Hong Kong’s wine exports amounted to HK$2.66 billion during the period, with the Chinese mainland and Macau being the largest export markets, followed by Singapore and Taiwan.
Global wines on show
This year’s HKTDC Wine & Spirits fair will feature 27 group pavilions from wine-producing regions, trade and governmental organisations around the world.
There will be new pavilions from the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade Sichuan Council, the mainland’s Department of Commerce of Zhejiang Province, the Czech Grape and Wine Producer Association, Gifu Prefecture and the Niigata Sake Brewers’ Association from Japan, and the Trade Commission of Peru in Hong Kong. The fair will also launch the World of Olive Oil at the Vinitaly pavilion to promote various kinds of premium olive oils.
The fair will also feature a liquor and beverage products zone, a whisky and spirits zone, and a beer zone, together with zones that promote the industry’s all-round development, including wine education, wine accessories, equipment, services and wine investment. Food-pairing products will be showcased in the ‘friends of wine’ zone.
Asia Wine Academy returns
Following a successful debut in 2017, the Asia Wine Academy, co-organised by the HKTDC and the Hong Kong Polytechnic University School of Hotel and Tourism Management, will return for the second edition this year. On the theme of “Seeking Greatness: Decoding Wine Quality”, Jeannie Cho Lee MW and Sarah Heller MW will share their insights into Italian and French wines, exploring how wine style, regions and production methods will affect wine quality. Participants who complete the courses will be awarded a certificate.
About 70 events will be launched during the fair, including more than 10 tastings and industry-exchange events – including a wine industry conference, thematic seminars, masterclasses, educational talks, a cocktail reception and a gala dinner.
This year’s Wine Industry Conference on the first day will unite Debra Meiburg MW, Sarah Heller MW, Wainwright Advisors’ director David Wainwright and Wines of South Africa Asia market manager Marcus Ford to share their insights on the prospects and trends for the wine industry in the Asian market.
Meanwhile, the 10th Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition Award Ceremony will be held during the cocktail reception on the first evening of the fair, with more than 60 awards being handed out.
The last day of the Wine & Spirits Fair (10 November) will be open to members of the public aged 18 or above, offering a series of wine tastings, cocktail demonstrations, and masterclasses.
With comprehensive wine-related services such as auctions, retailing, catering, warehousing and logistics, the trade fair will serve as a launch pad for wineries, producers and merchants to expand their business into Asia and the mainland.
Click through to see the full event schedule including an in-depth masterclass on Japanese wine hosted by drinks business editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MW and The Drinks Business Asian Awards, both on 9 November.
8/11/2018 (Thursday)
Opening Ceremony
Time: 9.30am – 10.20am
Venue: Expo Drive Entrance
Asia Wine Academy: Seeking Greatness – Decoding Wine Quality I
Time: 11.30am – 1pm
Venue: Grand Tasting Room, Hall 3D Concourse
Lecturer: Sarah Heller MW
The Spirits of Scotland – Whisky & Gin
Time: 11am – 12pm
Venue: Wine Gallery, Hall 3D
Speaker: Ron Taylor, WSET Certified Educator
Emerging Trends in Global Whisky Market
Time: 11am – 12pm
Venue: Seminar Room, Hall 3E Concourse
Wine Industry Conference: Driving Growth: The Flourishing Asia Wine Market
Time: 2pm – 5pm
Venue: Seminar Room, Hall 3E Concourse
Programme Advisor: Debra Meiburg MW
Language: English
Graves, Sauternes, Pessac-Léognan, Barsac, the Origin of All the Greatest Bordeaux Wines
Time: 1.30pm – 2.30pm
Venue: Wine Tasting Room B, Hall 3F
Speaker: Rebecca Leung, wine journalist and educator
WineLuxe x Hong Kong Wine Journey Top 10 Food and Wine Pairing Restaurant Awards
Time: 2.30pm – 4pm
Venue: Wine Gallery, Hall 3D
9/11/2018 (Friday)
Mauritius Dicover Premium Rum of Mauritius
Time: 11am – 12.30pm
Venue: Wine Tasting Room A, Hall 3C
Japanese wine masterclass
Time: 10am -12noon
Venue: Boardroom 6, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel
Speaker: drinks business editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt MW
Admission: invite only, please contact sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com
Asia Wine Academy: Seeking Greatness – Decoding Wine Quality II
Time: 2.30pm – 4pm
Venue: Grand Tasting Room, Hall 3D Concourse
Lecturer: Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Drinks business Asian Awards 2018
Time: 1pm-3pm
Venue: Boardroom 6, Renaissance Harbour View Hotel
Admission: invite only, please contact sophie@thedrinksbusiness.com
Think Like an Insider: Secrets of Wine Sourcing
Time: 2pm – 3pm
Venue: Wine Gallery, Hall 3C
The Best Match – ICI X CCI Food Pairing Classes
Time: 2pm – 3pm
Venue: Seminar Room, Hall 3E Concourse
Speaker: Charles Chu, official sherry educator of Consejo Regulador de Jerez
Riesling – One Grape, Endless Possibilities
Time: 2.30pm – 4pm
Venue: Wine Tasting Room B, Hall 3F
Speaker: Rebecca Leung, wine journalist and educator
Taste and Find Big data of Pinot Negro
Time: 4.30pm – 6pm
Speaker: Fabio Mondini
Venue: Wine Tasting Room B, Hall 3F
Go beyond 42 Customs District: Leap on the Wine Express to Mainland Market
Time: 5.30pm-6.30pm
Venue: Wine Tasting Room A, Hall 3C
10/11/2018 (Saturday)
Asia Wine Academy: Seeking Greatness – Decoding Wine Quality I
Time: 11am-12.30pm
Venue: Grand Tasting Room, Hall 3D Concourse
Lecturer: Sarah Heller MW
An Introduction to Key Sake Styles
Time: 11am – 12pm
Venue: Wine Gallery, Hall 3C
Asia Wine Academy: Seeking Greatness – Decoding Wine Quality II
Time: 4pm – 5.30pm
Venue: Grand Tasting Room, Hall 3D Concourse
Lecturer: Jeannie Cho Lee MW
Wine Clinic
Time: 1pm – 2pm
Venue: Wine Gallery, Hall 3C
Speaker: Sammy Leung
Hong Kong Young Sommelier Challenge
Time: 4pm – 6pm
Venue: Wine Tasting Room B, Hall 3F
Hong Kong Wine Competition
Time: 4pm – 5.30pm
Venue: Seminar Room, Hall 3E Concourse
Shiga’s Sake is Amazing: Three Reasons
Time: 4.30pm – 5.30pm
Venue: Wine Tasting Room A, Hall 3C