This grand Event did have a rocky evolution. Poor Big Si The Wine Guy was down to host but had to pass the baton onto me (tough life), and then 24 hours before Frederic Engerer (the genius behind Latour’s incredible run in the modern era) had to urgently fly back to Bordeaux as well. I had a feeling the event was cursed and all the bottles would end up corked! Fortunately we had the perfect replacements in Jean Garandeau (Ch. Latour’s Sales and Marketing Director) and Jeremy Quievre (Latour’s Asia Representative) – who were both at Amber hours before decanting and fine tuning the evening with more detail and tactical acumen than Sir Alex.

Now in truth I have not tasted much Latour – certainly not mature Latour. Most of my experience has come at en primeur tastings where I have annually awarded Latour wine of the vintage – YET have not been able to really understand what these immature beasts will mature into. Well the stars were aligned and together with 16 Berrys’ customers, it was my night to find out! To kick things off – the pre-match warm up – was the 2003 and 2000 Forts de Latour. Pre-match warm up is VERY harsh as these are stunning wines in their own right and certainly at Second Growth level. What shone through here was the contrast in vintages. 2003 (16.5pts) all bells and whistles and little bit tarty – and I was not sure about the life expectancy. For me the 2000 (17pts) had the edge – cooler more structured and with a self assured certainty to it. Jean described the contrast perfectly, comparing 2003 to Marilyn Monroe and 2000 to Audrey Hepburn. I described the contrast as Katie Price to Angelina Jolie… I think that says a little more about me than the wines.

It was then time to fasten the seat belt and go through a flight of the Grand Vin. Starting at the 2001 and finishing at 1966 – stopping off at the legends that are 1996, 1990, 1982 and an under the radar vintage that is 1970. The 2001 (18pts) was a great way to start “a proper vintage” as a guest next to me suggested. It certainly had a cool menthol feel to it, that is in contrast to some of the more flamboyant vintages we have experienced recently. Although it was showing well this still has a very long life ahead to it. 1996 (19.99pts!) is pretty much as good as claret gets for me – still so young, with just a hint of some tertiary aromas starting to come through. A brooding monster that is in perfect harmony. Jean described the 1996 as a perfectly balanced orchestra – he is bang on the money. For me, this is a more polished version of 1982. Simply stunning and a privilege to drink. Anyone that has a case should lock it up for another twenty years and then brace themselves for utopia!

The 1996 was a tough act to follow, however the 1990 (18.5pts) did this with great style. Far more giving than many 1990’s I have encountered of late and this was a real crowd pleaser on the night. It perhaps lacks the backbone of 1996 or 1982 but hey that is being very picky on a stunning wine. The 1996 is your Franz Beckenbaur vs. The 1990 being the Johan Cruyff perhaps. We then came to the 1982 (19.99pts)… oh the 82…. WHAT A WINE. The nose and palate attacked my senses like no other on the night. Mesmerising. Still so youthful, still so much vigour. I read a tasting note from Neal Martin later that night that summed the wine up perfectly – a magnificent monster. The textured layers of fruit kept on enveloping out, it just went on and on. I still believe the 1996 might, just might, better this, but again this is clutching at straws and in truth who cares. This is like Denman vs. Kauto Star, Federer vs. Nadal – just marvel at the beauty of both. For the record 1982 must simply Pele!

After I went to the washroom for a gentle sob and to thank the man upstairs – it was time for the 1970 (17.5pts) and reading a certain Mr Parker’s reviews, one might have been a little underwhelmed by this – particularly after what preceded. Well not a bit. This was gorgeous – not like the blockbusters beforehand but a wine that just seemed perfectly comfortable to reveal all and not pretending to be anything it is not. Lighter secondary aromas with gorgeous tobacco and truffled notes. This reminded more of your favourite most trusted comfy old chair – it may not look that good but you cannot help but love it. Finally after 3hrs and 45 min we hit the final wine of the evening the 1966 (18pts) – a wine with a huge reputation. Well it did not disappoint – more rustic than the 1982, 1990 and 1996 but far more aggressive and deeper than the 1970. So much power to this wine still and a touch of wild about the tannins. What a way to finish what was one of the greatest nights of my life. Thanks so much to Richard Ekkebus and the team at Amber – although I mention nothing of the food – it was stunning and balanced perfectly against the wines. If you have not been to Amber – make a point to get a reservation as it is up there as Hong Kong’s best.

Sometimes I find blogs just a little self indulgent – its more about the writer than the content. I hope – just hope that I have done a little bit of justice to these simply stunning wines from this magnificent Chateau. Anyone that owns a case of young Ch. Latour (or Forts for that matter) from any of the recent string of great vintages – rest assured, you will also have the just to feel closer to god!

By gee what a year it has been. Needless to say it has gone quicker than Liverpool’s title ambitions and this is by no means down to the quite incredible year we have seen in the wine trade. In truth, Hong Kong is a fairly easy place to settle in, everything as at your doorstep and there is every kind of Western amenity for the unadventurous… oh, and there is more live Premier League football on than back in Blighty! So I was settled in quick as a flash and that was a good thing.

As 2009 Bordeaux en primeur kicked off, it set the thermostat on high and the temperature just got higher and higher… mainly due to the thirst of the Asian market for the finest wines in the world. Now this was not an organic thing that just grew itself by some miracle, there were a lot of protagonists throwing in the ‘bio-grow’ – just look at the chest pumping you see every week from certain auction houses! One even has bouncers with white suits and head pieces manning the door – yes it’s bigger than the Oscars. However there are some trying to cut this thirst and interest down as quickly as possible, just look at the negative comments we read in the press so often. Then, on the whole, there are those who are taking out the weeds and pruning things correctly – looking to grow this market for the long term and make sure we treat it correctly so it can grow and flourish in the future.

I probably bang on about this subject a little, but when you are on the front line you do see everything that is happening in this incredible place. A lot has been written and said about the events and continued demand from Hong Kong and China. The demand is still there for the top wines, no doubt, but we certainly see diversity and demand for the greatest wines from anywhere. At the end of the day if you have the money and you can afford the best, there is a strong argument to say “why don’t I just drink that?”! As wine lovers we know better than that and it is the trade’s job to educate this ever-growing market so they can experience the full spectrum of wine. Education is key! Just look at the rapid growth and knowledge we see in Hong Kong nowadays, there is a plethora of great wine on the market here, and this has actually evolved very rapidly.

We have seen some crazy prices for certain wines (particularly at auction), but if the money is there, some people are willing to pay top bill. This is only a very small percentage of this potential market. Given the limited amount that some of these great wines produce and the increased demand we are seeing globally for these top wines, you don’t have to be Einstein to see what will happen. Whether the ‘Lafite bubble’ will burst in 2011 is doubtful but I think we all hope it does stop inflating at such a rate. Then there is the huge speculation as to “what is the next Lafite?” I don’t think there will be another single wine that runs clear Roger Bannister Esq but what we might see is many of the top wines shift and the market become a little more in sync. Certainly wines like Haut-Brion and Grand Puy Lacoste look like great value compared to Lafite and Lynch Bages!

But the truth is, who really knows? It is a fascinating time to be in the wine trade in Asia, seeing this burgeoning and huge interest in something we love and cherish so much. The beauty is that most consumers here are desperate to learn, and learn quickly! As I type we are in the midst of our 2009 Burgundy campaign and we are experiencing unprecedented sales, far greater than any Burgundy campaign before… and not just the Grand Crus I might add. Oh, and not a Romanée-Conti in sight. Now that is exactly what I am talking about: diversity and a healthy demand.

Right, now I have been here for 12 months I thought it was an apt time to jot down a few memories of the last 12 months:

My 30th – It sounds a bit corny but drinking a range of wines from 1980 at Café Grey overlooking the Hong Kong skyline was incredible (above, right). 1980 was not the best year but there were a few surprises!

09 EP – Never again do I need to do so many 1am finishes and 7am starts! I am not Michael Douglas in Wall Street. I hope the Bordelaise take it easy on us next year…

Restaurants – Not one in particular but the local cuisine in HK is incredible. Whether it be going for Dim Sum, a hole in the wall or Private Kitchen. This is where the best food and value is.

Hiking – Some of the best hiking in the world is at my doorstep. Well, a twenty minute cab ride!

Vin Expo – Not the actual exhibition but the event we put on for the producers, sailing round the harbour. I was A-list for a night!

Roger the Tailor – For not much more than a Marks and Sparks suit I no longer need to look like Rodney Trotter.

High Point… Winning a fortune at Happy Valley Race Course (top left)
Low Point… Losing fortune at Sha Tin Race Course

There it is, an incredible first year. Here’s to the year of the rabbit!

I have to admit to being just a touch concerned about the logistics of this little jaunt to Europe. Fly to Turin via Paris, drive to Piedmont, train from Turin to Chambery, drive to Beaune with a few stops on the way. What could go wrong with twelve staff, two cars, Nick “Schumacher” Pegna driving one and Adam “I’m dodgy on the left, let alone the right” driving the other? Oh and I forgot to mention the MOUNTAIN of luggage our females colleagues were carrying with them (I have never seen Chanel wellington boots before!)

As we arrived in Turin, the welcome face of David Berry Green (who, since his time in Italy, is by far and away the coolest man at BBR) greeted us at the airport with, low and behold, the legend and queen of Barolo that is Maria-Teresa Mascarello. Ding dong, what a start to the trip.  I was a little star struck as I LOVE the Barolo from Mascarello-Bartolo, however, as usual, the HK team were being their usual charming selves and sharing fashion tips with Maria-Teresa whilst walking the cobbled streets of Turin (above), on a quick tour before we got down to business.

Given the often negative mumbo jumbo on Nebbiolo when young, often appearing nothing more than water-like, before knocking you for six with its racy acid and monstrous tannins, I felt David was going to have his work cut out convincing the whole team that this was a myth of yesteryear. Well, I was 100% categorically wrong. There was never any doubt, it was easy, David just had to introduce us to this beautiful landscape, the history of the region and most importantly the wines and the people that make them. Today’s crop of wines from the likes of Giovanni Rosso, Chiara Boschis (right)and Mario Fontana (to name but a few!) are crafting riper, more balanced and downright drinkable wines from an earlier age.  Starting with Cascina delle Rose, with their fragrant and accessible Barbaresco, it was clear to see that Nebbiolo is at home and at its zenith in the rolling hills of Piedmont  and it is the perfect tool to show the varied climates, soils and nuances that this stunning region has to offer. I felt like I was in burgundy three days too early!

For me personally (being a bit of Burgundy train spotter), tasting and visually seeing the difference sites and styles between each village was where the real excitement came. Comparing the power of Serralunga to the Chambolle elegance of Castigliogne Falletto… and let’s not get in to each individual Cru vineyard as well… OMG I was in heaven! As a team we were all encapsulated by the region and the wines. Every single producer we met was unbelievably hospitable, whether it be Giovanni Rosso’s Italian charm and style to the absolute passion of Chiara Boschis, each had story to tell and an absolute love for what they do… This most definitely showed in the wines.

For a wine sales team based in HK, this was a far cry from the envisaged ‘Bordeaux or bust’ mentality that many believe this market to be. I am not saying Barolo or Nebbiolo itself is the future of the market (though I am sure it will play its part), but by gee, variety and passion for what is IN the bottle and not what is ON the label IS the key to a healthy market. For me personally the highlight of the three days was our last visit to Cantina Mascarello Bartolo and being shown around this humble yet iconic Cantina. Maria-Teresa’s father, Bartolo Macarello, was a legend of Barolo and his daughter is cut from the same cloth! Sat down at the table, for the final tasting of the trip, the team was tasting and discussing the merits of her young and muscular 2006 Barolo (a legend for the cellar), when lo and behold, up pops a magnum of the 86 (a good but underappreciated year… apparently!); jackpot – what a way to finish!!! For The next 30 mins there was pretty much a serene silence in the room…  We just sat back and experienced a seriously special and beguiling bottle of wine. Evolving and changing in front of us, there were no flashing signs, neon lights here – Maria-Teresa (with me, left)needed to say nothing, the wine spoke for her. It was grandeur in a glass and completely at ease with what it had become. OK, I am not saying this was greatest Barolo I have ever tasted but it was up there though.

In hindsight it did remind me (as so many great mature wines have done in the past) of Stephens’ description of the Great British landscape Kazuo Ishiguro’s stunning book The Remains of the Day…: “The English landscape at its finest – such as I saw this morning – possesses a quality that the landscapes of other nations, however more superficially dramatic, inevitably fail to possess. It is, I believe, a quality that will mark out the English landscape to any objective observer as the most deeply satisfying in the world, and this quality is probably best summed up by the term ‘greatness.’…And yet what precisely is this greatness?…I would say that it is the very lack of obvious drama or spectacle that sets the beauty of our land apart. What is pertinent is the calmness of that beauty, its sense of restraint. It is as though the land knows of its own beauty, of its own greatness, and feels no need to shout it.”

I know it sounds a little lovey-dovey and romantic, but for me the greatest wines (particularly from Burgundy and Piedmont), when fully mature, share this calmness and greatness. A great way to finish off the three days and first part of BBR HK Sales Team on Tour – ‘Europe Watch out!’. Thanks so much to David and all the producers we visited for their incredible hospitality. We will do the same in HK!

Next stop Burgundy and Jasper… if we can get to Turin Train Station by 8am with no TomTom in the car…

Take a look at Berrys’ latest Italian fine wine offer.
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Most weeks here start with a blank canvas; on a Sunday night you are looking at your outlook diary and thinking… ‘I might just have a quiet relaxing week this time round!’ Well last Sunday I was in that position, with only one blot on the copy book – a rather swanky dinner with a client on Tuesday night.

Well Monday was the usual, head down, hard grafting and a very quiet night, readying myself for the hedonistic pleasures of the next night. So it was on Tuesday evening that Nick and I (my boss and MD of BBR HK) set off in a cab to Petrus (above), a two Michelin starred restaurant at the top of the Island Shangri La Hotel. Now to call this evening a blot on the copy, or even to say that this is just “swanky”, is putting the whole evening down, as the view and whole experience at Petrus is really something very special. Our host for the evening’s generosity with wine is legendary, so we were armed with a bottle ‘95 Richebourg from Domaine Romanée-Conti (I was struggling to contain myself in the cab!), a ‘98 La Mission (one of Nick’s go-to wines) and a cheeky bottle Batard Montrachet  from Ch. de Puligny-Montrachet. Upon arrival, I passed the wines to the sommelier with a triumphant look of a man that had just received 3 aces at the poker table, however there was a look in this man’s eye that suggested he knew another man round the table had that royal flush… and so, as I sat down, there was… 1 x ‘00 Dom Perignon, 1 x ‘02 Meursault-Genevrieres, Lafon, 1 x ‘03 Ausone…. oh and 1 x ‘86 Mouton-Rothschild. UNBELIEVABLE, our host had trumped us again (not that I was complaining!). As I picked myself up from the floor the Dom Perignon was poured.  Slightly greener and leafier than the greatest vintages of DP but still sublime and vintage I am really starting to love.

Now the beauty of Petrus is not the theatrical service or quality of food (which is both exemplary) but it does offer  arguably the finest view in Hong Kong. It just makes for evenings that dreams are made of. Now this is not a blog about “look at me and all these great wines, aren’t I great”, this does not happen very often (well not for me, perhaps the boss!), but I wanted to share my thoughts on these special wines.

I would actually say the weakest wine of the night was the ‘02 Lafon, perhaps it needed more air than our thirst was willing to give it, but it just seemed a touch angular and unwilling to flesh out on the palate, nevertheless still very serious and perhaps wanting a little more time. Next to come was the ‘95 Richebourg from DRC (we missed the Batard as we had more than enough wine for four). This was pure sleek and oh-so-fine, it had that perfect combination of the sappy puppy fat of youth and the texture and bouquet of maturity (something I am starting to find in a lot of good ‘95s). Tried once before, I always thought of this as being a touch reserved, but tonight the coat was off and it was starting to reveal itself. A stunning bouquet with waves of fruit and texture on the palate. In 2-3 years’ time this could be a bobby dazzler.

2003 Ausone is an epic, monster of a wine, make no mistake. Think Arnold Schwarzenegger in his pomp. However, even monsters can be beautiful and refined and the key to Ausone is the attention to detail, with incredible precision and complexity. One thing that did not come through was the heat of the vintage, surprising to most at the table. This opened up over the evening and it certainly wasn’t my choice of wine of the night but, by gee, it has so much potential. I can see why Mr P from Baltimore gave it the big 100. Now, to say that the 1986 Mouton was the perfect follow-up would be an understatement. From the young stallion that is ‘03 Ausone to a wine that was probably moulded in a similar fashion in its youth, but is now in its absolute prime. There is no point banging on about the different nuances that this wine brings. For me it just offered the ultimate Mouton experience of classic Pauillac style with that slightly flamboyant twist. A monumental wine that brought the table to silence and a finish that is longer than one of my blogs (yes that long!). Given the price of younger vintages I personally think this represents a bit more of a bargain. Well I can’t talk much about the food; with that view and those wines, my mind was far, far away in a world of its own. A very special night and I was very privileged to be able to experience these treasures. One should not do it too often or we might take them for granted.

Well, as I said earlier, this is about the week… so after a very tough day at the office on Wednesday (I’ll admit it, I was a little dusty), it was 9pm kick off for footie at Kings Park in deepest darkest Kowloon. I LOVE getting the MTR (underground) and wandering to the ground, it gives you a glimpse of real Hong Kong and puts Island life into perspective. Kings Park has a stunning view of the city as its backdrop, however with 98% humidity and ‘86 Mouton seeping out of me, this was not on my mind tonight. A sharp contrast to the night before, but that is what is so ace about Hong Kong.

The footie did me good (an easy win, with ‘safe hands Bilbey’ only letting in the one goal), I was in fine fettle on Thursday morning and looking forward to a quiet few days. Well that was until 10.30am when my colleague Mark Arrowsmith propositioned me with the night of nights, the party of the year in HK… oh yes, the annual CLSA Party. To be honest I had never heard of this do before, but I soon gathered that this was not to be missed and I was VERY lucky to have wangled a golden ticket (Lord knows how my colleague Mark was invited in the first place!). Well it was 8pm and myself (suited and booted in a rather punchy sky blue seersucker suit) and colleagues Rufus, Mark and Cellina flying through the streets of Kowloon on our way to Shaw Studios (the setting for tonight’s drama). It wasn’t until we arrived that I realised just how epic these events are and something so grand and lavish that you get nowhere else.  A huge film set, dressed up to the nines with all manner of decoration.  I was in heaven! The night went like a flash, when suddenly the live entertainment for the night pops on stage… Rihanna! CRIKEY! I didn’t think this night was going to get any better but we had just hit 6th gear. I’ll be honest, I’m not the biggest fan of her music but, she is pretty damn good live and I think I am now in love. Several times I tried getting her attention across the room but she seemed not to take note of the Rodney Trotter lookalike with a Graham Norton-like jazzy suit (as my colleagues told me!). Oh well.

Before I knew it my film star-like night was over and a quick sharpener in Wanchai to reminisce was in order…. Only in Hong Kong. I knew that the next day was going to be the toughest of the week and the morning’s tasting was not my finest effort for the team! I couldn’t wait for 6.30pm to roll on so I could go home to bed…or so I’d hoped…well, it is Hong Kong and it was a Friday night.

Most would believe that my holiday was to relax after this busy period of trade. Well if only that was true. Unfortunately the events of one Saturday afternoon in August were a far greater reason for needing to relax and lower the heart rate…..

As we walked across a bridge over a main road to start stage 5 of the Wilson Trail, it was a joy to behold: Mother and child monkey sat on the end railing in a loving embrace…a picture moment. As I wandered across with my colleagues James and Geordie, looking forward to a great hike, nothing could prepare us the terror that lay ahead. The memories are still hazy and there is a tear in my even recounting the sorry tale, but we got to a few metres away from this loving embrace, about to turn the corner and say goodbye… when boom… in steps daddy. To say that this little monkey was not happy to see us was an understatement – I have seen less howling at a Portsmouth match. From then on we should have followed the books and walked gently back quietly. Unfortunately this did not happen. If memory serves me right I think it was Geordie who was first to scream, James to stare straight at daddy monkey and me to turn and peg it! I have NEVER been so scared in all my life as when this little 3 ft monkey came chasing after us, with his mates jumping up on the other side of the bridge… yes, we were cornered and trapped. Daddy monkey was nearing for the kill, hurtling towards us like Usain Bolt, and we were contemplating taking in the 40ft drop – what’s a few broken legs and being hit by a car compared this?!!!! Fortunately we did the wise thing, slowly and surely we creped back with our heads low in shame and prayed that all the other monkeys were not as aggressive and would take pity on these delicate flowers… they did. Finally, we turned down to the steps and RAN… just as we thought we were home and dry I heard a thud behind me and, oh yes, MAN DOWN! James had taken a dive worse than Christian Ronaldo… and now daddy monkey was at the top of the stairs eyeing this wounded gazelle… James was in pain and Geordie and I looked at each other…  should we do the right thing? How would we explain this to his parents?!  Well, before we knew it our mind was made up… daddy was coming for us down the stairs and James, with a bruised arm, decided that enough was enough and joined us as we ran off into the sunset.

We decided not to hike that day. We took a cab back to Hong Kong Island and went for a few drinks in the Globe (our local), to calm the nerves and recount this horrific tale to all that would hear it (with James proudly showing off his cuts and bruises). To our amazement people have laughed at this tale, particularly those in the office! I post this blog in hope that somebody somewhere can understand the terror we went through. In hindsight we are three strapping young men and it was 3 ft monkey… perhaps we were a little, well… gutless!

We were wondering for days what had provoked this attack, reading hiking guides and trying to understand just what had gone wrong, but it wasn’t until Geordie revealed the contents of his rucksack that the picture became clear…

1 x bunch of bananas
4 x snickers
1 x packet of sweets

Nice work Geordie…

As well as a holiday, there have been a few wine dinners to lift the spirits. A cracker was held on Saturday with colleagues (at the Drawing Room in Causeway Bay – left) with a great line up of wines from around the world. However one wine really stood out, the grand old lady that is 1982 Ch. Grand Puy Lacoste. This is pure and utter class, showing what restraint, subtlety and refinement is all about. If recent great vintages of GPL turn out like this…well, I think GPL is a hugely undervalued chateau at present!

Clockwise from front: me, Jenny Wee, Chef Roland, Catherine Yau, Debbie Yeung, James Owen, Geordie Willis, Amanda  Parker.

1.       We were amazed by the prices (however we did expect this) and allocations were as small as we had feared.

2.       Unlike reports from others we had great success from top to bottom with the wines. Demand was as huge for the likes of Batailley as it was those wines beginning with the letter L. The record sales we experienced were largely driven by our strong HK customer base, in addition to the burgeoning interest from Mainland China.

3.       As Simon (Staples) says, it was near on impossible to predict what would work and what would not this En Primeur. For example, a certain second growth that caused a bit of a commotion in 2009 sold out within 15 mi – it was pandemonium and unexpected.

4.       The Bordelaise took the fun out of EP in 09! I always remember this being an exciting and fun time of year with enthusiasm and love of Bordeaux palpable in the air. This year was different; decisions had to be made at a million miles an hour and if you didn’t make it quick enough… no stock. Again, allocations were the biggest issue BY A MILE. Selling wine was not the concern but managing expectations proved a considerable challenge. Telling customers that they can’t always get what they want is not fun!

5.       All in all though, we saw far greater sales and interest than we have ever seen before in Hong Kong and Asia as a whole, now that is good. The ’09 bandwagon has corralled a huge amount of interest in Bordeaux and wine in general into Asia. There are many more people interested in wine now… thanks to 09 En Primeur. 

6.       Ch. Batailley was the best value wine of the vintage… by gee it was a while ago since that was released!

To all of you that bought ’09, well done (I was one of them). It wasn’t cheap but hey, neither is watching Man Utd play football or buying a Group One winning colt. You have to pay for the best (just ask Real Madrid). Sometimes money isn’t everything and when you are sipping back that piece of history in twenty years time you will be glad you made that purchase back in 2010. To those that did not I understand why, there is value in Bordeaux, still, just not in 2009.

To those that are making a massive inverstment on the vintage hoping to make a fortune, be sure to crack open at least one case in 20 years time. You’ll get to see that you don’t simply have a commodity but something very special that can move people and drive them into spending millions on it (I would if I could, I’m sure!). Can you imagine buying Monet’s Bordighera and not being able to sit down to look in wonder at what you just purchased!

Oh and a few more key points!

7.       I definitely need to join a gym now. Too much eating fast food at the desk!

8.       Living in Hong Kong with En Primeur, The World Cup, French Open, Wimbledon, US Open Golf, Royal Ascot and the Tour de France (forgetting my penchant for the AFL in Australia), causes serious sleep deprivation and can  almost send a young man loopy.

Over and out.  Bali here I come!

Now, I don’t know how much business actually gets done at this event, and given the hustle, bustle and bruises I have on my arm from being barged to and fro, I would think not much can get done at all! However this is not the point. This event is all about networking, talking and finding out about what is going on in the wine world at present. For the Bordelaise this was a particularly important week (certainly judging by the amount of negociants present), as this was their chance to gauge whether the Asian market is a strong and as healthy as being touted by every man and his dog. The good news for them (and the bad news for us), is that they will go home with very large grins. The buzz words for the week were ‘2009’ and ‘En Primeur’, and the huge attendance at the 2007 UGC (Union des Grand Cru) Tasting  will no doubt confirm what was being hoped for in Bordeaux. Demand will far outstrip the quantity that will be drip fed from the Medoc. PRICES WILL BE HIGH HIGH HIGH!

For Berrys’ part we tried to give proprietors and friends some welcome solace from the cauldron of Vinexpo and offered some lunch in the beautiful and serene setting of the Royal Hong Kong Yacht Club on a daily basis (right). Much more relaxed chat was involved here, where talking about the politics of 2009 was not on the agenda. In fact, one of my highlights of the week was being sat next to the genial Alsace winemaker André Ostertag and listening to his passionate views on wine growing.

After these lunches was when the hard work was done for me, walking the ‘Bordeaux strip’ at the Exhibition Centre with my colleague Max (Bordeaux Buyer, who was in HK for his first time…. he won’t forget it!), chatting, listening and shaking hands with the right people. On the Thursday afternoon in particular Max was in his element, with myself on one side and my colleague Rufus on the other (both 6ft blondes so to speak – see top left), it looked like he had a couple of Russian bodyguards looking after him (granted I’m built like Rodney Trotter not Arnie). It was almost like walking through the Wet Market in Wanchai, a blast to the senses where you need to take in a lot of information in a short amount of time.

Well, what was needed after all this was a nice cruise on the harbour… and BBR delivered! Come Thursday night the aptly named ‘Grand Cru’ sailed out into the open sea with a plethora of the movers and shakers in the wine world (Bordeaux orientated, I’ll be honest!), for an evening cruise (see me above with Max and Laurent Delassus from Mähler-Besse). Champagne was flowing and it was exactly what everyone needed after three days on their feet. Sporting my new pinstripe suit from Roger the Tailor, I don’t think I’ll ever feel so much like James Bond again (above left – think the comical Roger Moore rather than the suave Mr. Connery).

As I write this and after a detoxifying weekend, Vinexpo seems a long time ago already. The dust has settled; however I am strapping myself in for an even bigger hurricane which is about hit. I have a feeling that in the next few days, the Bordelaise may get the party started and En Primeur will shift gear. All I know is that after last week, they know there is a queue round the corner to get into the 2009 party and by gee they will make sure the entrance fee isn’t cheap!

It was an incredibly serene week’s tasting, with the Médoc like a ghost town after the carnival atmosphere of weeks before, perfect for dissecting the fact from fiction! A lot has been written about the 2009s already (not least from Simon Staples), so there is no point going over old ground, in short Médoc is where the action is and there are some absolute legends. Hype is being generated on two fronts this year; there is the expected interested in what is undoubtedly an incredible vintage, however, there is also considerable hype about the demand coming from Asia, and China in particular. Now as I have been here for little over four months I am not an old pro in this neck of the woods, however I can give my honest observations based on the feedback our sales team are getting to see whether this hype is overblown – and the Bordelais spin doctors are at work (they make Alastair Campbell look soft!).

Interest is huge, there is no doubt about this, with awareness of what Bordeaux and en-primeur is all about far greater than previous campaigns (so says my boss Nick Pegna). We have had more wish-lists sent from Asian-based clients than ever before, with far more coming from the mainland (no doubt aided by our translation on the website). The key is what these wish-lists consist of….is it just Lafite??? Well the answer is no. For sure we have many that ask for purely the top wines, but hey, I got that back in the UK as well! However what I have seen is that there is far more depth to wish-lists and interest in lesser châteaux than I was expecting. I would say that Pontet, Lynch and the Leovilles have appeared on these lists as much as any of the Lafite brands (granted these wines are certainly not lesser in my mind!). So this is a good thing, yes, and so far these wish-lists have been backed up by great sales on recent releases such as d’Angludet and our Liquid Gold Mixed case.

So all is good and the hype is true. However there may be some grey clouds on the horizon if we are not careful and a few key factors that we need to take care of. Firstly the pricing on the 09s – well we know they are going to be punchy don’t we (as Sauternes releases have shown us!). After the perceived deals of 2008 (which are still out there), the Bordealais know they have something special and Mr Parker has added diesel onto what is already an inferno (not his fault I add-he gives his honest view of a vintage). However with Europe in meltdown (such mighty Empires good old blighty and Greece once were), it would not be wise for the proprietors to be short-sighted. I have no doubt that the Asian market will buy 2009 … in a big way! But in the long run it would not be wise to get to carried away pricing up the wines, as one thing I have definitely learnt in Hong Kong is that consumers like to feel that they get value for money and will pay top price accordingly to what they perceive as quality (like everywhere really). Yes the market is willing to pay top bill for things IF it is quality they are buying and, if in the scheme of things, it is a fair price. Come when the wines are physically in Asia, if all and sundry have bought 09s at very high opening prices and perhaps the price hasn’t moved much, there will be many-a-client in these waters asking why they outlaid all their money two years ago, when they could have left it in the bank (perhaps not UK banks), earned some interest and bought the same wines at a comparable price. Suddenly buying en-primeur does not look so enticing to the Asian market! In truth I believe that prices will be high and unfortunately the top wines will then escalate in price until they are comparable to ‘05 and ‘00.

My second worry is more with the way the wine scene will evolve in Hong Kong and China. As I’ve mentioned, knowledge and awareness is increasing at a rapid rate, however there is still (despite wishlists!) this “Lafite effect”. Demand for the über brands is sky high and I’ll be honest, you don’t have to be an experienced wine merchant to sell Lafite. Every merchant and their dog has moved to HK in the last five years with their telescopes firmly set North, salivating at what China has to offer. Some might be so bold as to call it the Wild East of the wine trade, everyone wants to hit gold-cowboy country! Now, if we continue to harvest the Lafite effect, it will be no good for anyone. In the short-term prices will continue to rocket and the bubble will expand until eventually it pops! However, as established, trustworthy winemerchants/brokers from the UK we should be the ones helping to expand, evolve and sow the seed for this burgeoning interest in wine. We can harvest from the same field but eventually that field will run bare. If we do things right, the Asian market will continue to expand and will be even stronger and more powerful in years to come. If we lose the market’s trust then who knows…

Well back to 09, for what it is worth, this is what I will be buying if pricing is sensible and I can find another interest free credit card…

Latour…. if I sell a kidney. my golf clubs and the wine I already have I may be able afford it, but then there will be the trouble of finding a case! The greatest wine of this vintage for me. There was a tear running down my eye tasting. A monolithic beauty of epic proportions.

Leoville Las-Cases… If I sell another body part. The most electrifying and brooding Las-Cases I have tasted EP.

Haut-Bailly… Perhaps better than 05. Very pure.

Grand-Puy-Lacoste: Understated, pure class.

Haut-Bages Libéral… Could be the value of 09.

Ch. Batailley… Just got sexy!

Les Forts de Latour… More realistic purchase then the Grand Vin… just!

Les Pagodes de Cos… tastes more like Cos than Cos.

Croix de Beaucaillou… A real surprise. The Grand Vin was very stylish.

Brane-Cantenac…. Best I have tasted EP here.

Conseillante… Ooh lah lah. A Pomerol for Burgundy lovers. Smoother than George Clooney.

Figeac… Stunning, best I have tasted.

Pavillon Rouge… More cabernet than usual and an absolute stunner. Mr Pontallier says best Pavillon yet, I won’t argue with a legend.

That is a long list and I will need a few more winners at Happy Valley before I can afford half!

Now I’ll go back to the start… when I first arrived in Honkers I was expecting to be drinking a fair bit of Bordeaux, with a smidgen of Burgundy on the side, as there is no doubt this is where the focus is in this part of world.  However, a few weeks in and there I am at dinner with a good friend in the trade here, and what is standing in front of me but a 2001 Barolo from a producer that I have never heard of that he has brought along.  I have to be honest, I was a little dismayed at first as I had fairly substantial prime cut of beef that was about to be served to me that was begging for…well… a bottle of Claret!

I did have an Italian fad five or so years ago when I was drinking nothing but the wines of Tuscany and Piedmont (whilst watching the Sopranos)… this fad culminated in a rather emotional hug with Angelo Gaja (in white chinos and snake-skin belt, left) at his winery in Barbaresco – something I am sure David Berry Green still remembers with a certain dismay. But I haven’t really drunk much in the way of Barolo, Brunello or Amarone for some time.

What I am coming to is that as the palate meanders new paths, and different styles and tastes, so you often forget about the paths once tasted – this is certainly the case with me!  The first few sniffs were a little muted but time in glass and aeration was the key to releasing the gorgeous and subtle intensity of the nose.  The classic bouquet of scorched earth, rose petal and tar were all there, with the palate pure and intense with rapier like acid balancing out the sweetness of tannins… ooh la la… I was in love with Barolo again!  It was actually reminiscent of a 2000 Burgundy, a vintage drinking beautifully in its youth and offering such lovely aromatics.  I’m not sure if it is built like a classic vintage but, by gee, it is charming now. To be honest, I am not sure if the wine actually complemented the slab of meat on my plate, I can’t even tell you if my steak was good either, I was too busy reminding myself what I have been missing for so long.

We all have our favourites but, for most wine lovers, our tastes and fads come and go and that is what is so blooming great about wine.  Trust me, in a few months I’ll be back on the Bordeaux bandwagon… or, who knows, back to enjoying the power of a Priorat or the freshness and zing of a Mosel Kabinett.  The lesson I have learnt is that it is good to retrace old steps from time to time and to shift gears – it makes wine so much more enjoyable.  I saw a great t-shirt whilst running on Bowen Road (one of the only flat runs in HK!) yesterday, that said “a rolling stone gathers no moss”, and I feel it sort of sums up what I mean in a lose way.  Keep trying different wines, experimenting with regions that you have never heard of, and retracing those old steps as the vintages and your palate develops.  The more you taste, the more you understand and appreciate wines that you may have not enjoyed before; wine is something you can never know to much about!  Variety gives you the energy, enthusiasm and passion to try more.  If you stick to the same old wines all the time perhaps you forget to appreciate what makes even these wines you drink so special, and you take them for granted and perhaps lose your passion for what’s in the bottle… and well… you stop rolling and gather that moss.

The only downside to this is that I have got a bit carried away trying a few older vintages and back filling my cellar with 2001, 2004 and 2005 Barolo and Barbaresco…and now I have no money for 2009 Bordeaux…not a happy chap!

Now without doubt the best and cheapest tourist attraction in HK is the Star Ferry, and in particular the trip from the island (Wan Chai or Central) to Kowloon. At night this trip really comes alive, as you marvel at the neon clad, skyscraper jungle that is Hong Kong island’s skyline (above…picture not taken by me!) All for under fifty pence… cheap as chips! I think I’ve put a stone on in weight and I’ve only “cooked in” once. But eh… the variety of food in HK is incredible, whether you like your Tapas or Michelin Starred modern French. You can spend as much or as little as you want, and for me, engrossing myself in the local grub is what it is all about. My use of chopsticks is getting better by the day (it needed to!) and I’m now regularly enjoying such treats as Chickens’ Feet, ducks’ tongues and frogs’ glands! In seriousness the local Cantonese cuisine is just amazing, with so many different textures and flavours that I’m just not used to. Hence the new tyre round my belly! The Staff Yum Cha Lunches are a highlight of the week, though my colleagues Jenny Wee and Debbie Yeung still have to tell me exactly what I am eating.

Probably the most memorable night so far has to be a trip to Chung King Mansion (via the ferry of course) in Kowloon. Now this is an intimidating place to say the least, famous in these parts for it’s hedonistic mix of traders, cheap hostels and an abundance of little restaurants hidden away in this cement jungle. Not the kind of place a slip of a lad from the Home Counties goes on his own, so fortunately I had BBR HK’s own “Phil Mitchell”, Mark Arrowsmith, (a local in this part of town), on hand to guide us to the third floor, for a feed at his favourite curry house!!! Now we weren’t shy with ordering and it was all for under ten pounds each and by gee it was the best curry I have had for a while! After that we whisked our way through the market stalls and fake Rolexs on Temple Street (think an east end market on steroids!) and into the strangest Karaoke Bar I have ever been to. I cannot quit explain, but the locals were as nice as pie, incredibly friendly, and boy did they like to sing. Coupled with a gentleman in sequin blazer, tinkling the ivories behind the performer, this made the X factor auditions look tame. A great night and I am plucking up the courage to head back, get on stage and bring the house down with a bit of “Show me the way to Amarillo”.

This really is just the start of what life is like here, crazy fascinating and a place that is begging for you to scratch underneath the surface!

Now let’s get serious and talk about just how amazing our dinner (at H One in the IFC Tower) with the very humble Alfred Tesseron (Owner of Ch. Pontet-Canet) was. I say humble, as it doesn’t need me to point out just what an incredible job Alfred has done with this sleeping giant. At dinner he was keen to point out that it was the land and the respect and work in the vineyard that has allowed the vines to flourish, that is the reason behind this success and nothing to do with him and his work. I would point out that if it was not for Alfred’s hindsight back in the early 90’s to farm organically and now practice bio-dynamic techniques, this would not have come to fruition (in fact a trip to Pontet is not complete without a visit to the stable to see the horses – right – that plough the vineyard!)

At the dinner we went back to front, as they say. Starting with oldest, the 1990, and finishing with the youngest in 2007. The 1990 was lovely and mature; a classic example of Pauillac that has taken on those secondary aromas, the 1994 had more fruit and perhaps a bit more bang and character. We jumped to the 2000 that is still very young and tight and actually struggled when compared to the more classical and aromatic vintages in 2001 and 2002. For me 2001 is one of the most underrated vintages in recent years and, like 2000 in Burgundy, they are just coming into their own. 2003 was flashy, with gorgeous sweet fruit; classier and more composed than many 2003’s I have tasted (in general I am not the biggest fan of the vintage, sorry Mr Parker).

Now personally I think there was real step up in the wines from 2004. More energy, focus and precision; perhaps all the work in the vineyard was now coming to fruition. 2004 and 2006 were similar in style to perhaps the 2001 but with more fruit, texture and depth apparent. 2007 was lovely and honest, it is not a showstopper and not pretending to be a wine it wasn’t. Just fresh, vibrant and classic Pauillac that in 2-3 years this will be perfect. It’s a petty that 2007 has been tarred with such a horrible brush. Now I have left the 2005 last on purpose. There is no other way of describing this but… legendary. This is certainly up there as one of the wines of this historic vintage, the greatest Pontet I have tasted. Oh so young, but I couldn’t help but be blown away by the structure, depth and layers of fruit on offer. All the while it felt so precise and delicate with finish that lingered on and on. Incredible considering the concentration of this wine. As Alfred said, this is a wine that you can only make once in a lifetime. This was his Mona Lisa or the Sistine Chapel…. Well done indeed Monsieur Tesseron, I take my hat off to you. This is why I love wine so much!

Having said that he was also getting fairly excited about what the 2009 vintage has brought with it… we shall see!

Ps… If an American ever asks you to play touch American Football… say NO straight away. I have never seen the word “touch” misused so badly! I have no skin on my knees and on one side of my body. I have so many bruises I look like an Alsatian. Hiking this Saturday will be a struggle!