The week in pictures: Hong Kong

Bourgogne Week 2018 kicked-off on 26 February in Hong Kong headlined by ‘One Day for Bourgogne Wines’ annual wine tasting, with 25 importers showcasing 155 different bottles including the newly released 2016 vintage as well as some back vintages from 75 different Domaines and Negociants. This year, the event also shone a light on 20 lesser-known appellations such as Saint-Bris, the only white wine village to be produced with Sauvignon, Coteaux Bourguignons, the newly created AOC appellation in 2011, underpinning the breath and depth of Bourgogne wines.

Speaking of the limited 2016 vintage, Amaury Devillard, spokesperson and board member of the BIVB, believes the quality turned out to be a surprise despite the challenges. “The people of Bourgogne like a story with a happy ending and the quality of 2016 vintage has granted this wish, with a vintage of quality that was quite unexpected given the difficult start to the year,” he said. 

Hong Kong’s trade tasted a wide array of newly releases and back vintages at the tasting. This year, BIVB showcased some of the famous regions, but more importantly, lesser known and undiscovered regions as consumers’ taste for Bourgogne wines diversify. Two new AOCs were welcomed to the Bourgogne family: Bourgogne Côte d’Or and Vézelay. Those two new appellations will debut on the Hong Kong market in early 2019, becoming part of 84 Bourgogne appellations represented by seven Régionale AOCs, 44 Village AOCs and 33 Grand Cru AOC.

Hong Kong’s biggest wine retailer Watson’s Wine recently organised a masterclass hosted by 4th generation owner, Brice de la Morandière, from Burgundy’s famous Domaine Leflaive, the family-owned estate since 1717. The estate covers 44 hectares of vineyards in Burgundy and has been a pioneer of Biodynamic winemaking since 1996.

Brice de la Morandière showcased five wines from the 2014 vintage (shown above) including (from left to right:) Domaine Leflaive Batard-Montrachet Grand Cru, Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Les Pucelles 1er Cru, Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet Clavoill, Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Domaine Leflaive Bourgogne. The wines are available at Watson’s Wine. 

Following a successful launch last October, Hong Kong’s premier artisanal wine festival, VINsurrection, returns for a bigger and bolder edition on 28 February at Preset Event Space in Central. The festival aims to celebrate the sheer diversity found in the world of wine, especially in the realm of the vibrant Hong Kong scene. It is jointly organised by seven independent Hong Kong-based wine importers, who share one common belief: well-made wines can come in many forms and should be enjoyed accessibly without pretence. They hope the event will help consumers discover and appreciate wines that are made by lesser-known producers including organic, biodynamic and natural wineries.

Absolut Elyx has launched a new series of cocktails served in copper drinking vessel in Hong Kong. Available at bars such as Potato Head, VEA, Le Boudoir, Fish Bar, Red Sugar and Vibes, the cocktails are presented on engraved coasters designed by local artist Jason Tommy.

Bruno Pepin, Commercial Director from Louis Latour, hosted a ‘Links by Night’ tasting at its Hong Kong importer Links Concept’s newly designed wine tasting room on Wednesday, highlighting the domaine’s newly-released 2016 vintages.

Eddie McDougall, the Flying Winemaker, hosted a tasting recently highlighting all the top scoring Asian wines included in the latest Asian Wine Review 2018 at Watson’s wine bar in Central.