Bordeaux Confidential Event Recap

The second edition of Bordeaux Confidential held from March 6 to 7 had Hong Kong’s most discerning wine crowd abuzz with excitement, proving once again, Hong Kong is still the most resilient, vibrant market for Bordeaux.

The event, a premium Bordeaux wine event, organized by JamesSuckling.com and Hong Kong Tatler, showcased a unique selection of wines from 24 top wineries in Bordeaux including first-growth Château Mouton Rothschild, Château Suduiraut, Smith Haut Lafitte and Domaine de Chevalier, each scoring 90 points and above by the renowned wine critic James Suckling.

More than 600 people attended the event, and over 100 different wines from 2005 Mouton to 2011 Prieure-Lichine were poured. The bustling crowd that swamped the Atrium room at the five-star Island Shangri-La Hotel for the Grand Tasting on March 7 was the latest proof that Bordeaux, almost synonymous with great wines, still remains the first and foremost go-to wines for wine aficionados in the city.

And perhaps, more than just underpinning Bordeaux’s appeal, the crowd also underlined a larger truth here, that is Hong Kong’s wine market fast recovery after recent slumps in the last few years.

For the first time in three years, Hong Kong’s wine imports rebounded in 2014 after continuous dips in 2012 and 2013 and registered 5.1% growth, according to the latest figures released by the Hong Kong Trade And Development Council (HKTDC) at the end of February. The primary import destinations are still – you guessed it – France, followed by the UK.

“Hong Kong is a mature fine wine market, focused on the classics of the wine world, particularly on Bordeaux. People talk about Burgundy, and other wines gaining favor in the city, but Bordeaux still remains the reference point for great wines for more than 300,000 premium wine consumers in the city,” said James Suckling, CEO of JamesSuckling.com.

One of the highlights of the event was the two dinners at Michelin-starred restaurant The Principal. For the first time, Chef Mikael le Clezio from legendary first growth Château Mouton Rothschild, flew straight from Bordeaux to Hong Kong and personally made the two dinners on March 6 and 7. All dinner tickets are sold out in days leading up to the event. Some guests even brought their own wines including a 1982 Mouton!

“The dinner was great, and it was even better with those great wines,” exclaimed Jean-Marc Dulong from Crus et Domaines de France, commenting on the bespoke dinner.

“It was a good tasting; the trade is interesting. The consumers asked interesting questions and are quite interested in the young vintages, which can be enjoyed very easily,” said Adrien Bernard from Domaine de Chevalier when interviewed at the Grand Tasting. The winemaker received five orders for his 2003 vintage at the trade session, he revealed, out of a total of eight bottles. Its 2010 blanc was a huge hit among consumers as well. The wine was rated 99 points by James Suckling.

“Hong Kong has always been a great market for Bordeaux wines with a lot of great wine lovers. It’s one of the most important places in the world for us,” added winemaker Henri Lurton from Château Brane-Cantenac.

Grand Tasting photos:

Dinner photos:

-NW