Bordeaux Confidential Asia 2018 kicked off on March 24 at Rosewood Hotel in Beijing. Nearly 40 top chateaux gathered in Beijing for the annual event, each pouring their top-scoring 2015 Bordeaux and sharing it with enthusiastic Chinese wine merchants and selected consumers. For instance, Château Kirwan showcased its linear and velvety Margaux wines and Château Croix de Labrie demonstrated how its garage wine approach is uniquely Burgundian where each of three terroir plots is bottled separately and with no sulfur. Big names were in attendance, including Cos d’Estournel, Pichon Baron, Pichon Lalande, Valandraud, Troplong Mondot, Pepy Faugeres and Domaine de Chevalier. Bordeaux still rules the fine wine market in China, and we were excited to bring an exciting new tasting to what will be the greatest wine market in the world very soon.
On the following day, Bordeaux Confidential En Primeur 2017 took place at Asia Society in Hong Kong. The wines were jet freighted from the cellars of the wineries to Hong Kong a few days earlier and the barrel samples showed beautifully. Thankfully, the terrible frosts of late April last year did not stop many of the top estates from producing outstanding Bordeaux wines. Each of the 46 chateaux featured their best 2017 Bordeaux wines, according to the barrel samples that James tasted and rated at the end of March. From Château Guiraud’s dry Sauternes to Château de Lamarque’s rich Bordeaux, there were an array of beautiful barrel samples for attendees to taste.
Attendees for the barrel tasting seemed impressed with the quality of the wines. “I didn’t have the chance to go to Bordeaux this year, so it was great to taste the wines here,” says Jo Purcell, head of Farr Vintners in Hong Kong.
The tasting attracted more than 500 professionals from the wine industry in Hong Kong.
Finally, here is a video featuring all the event highlights at Bordeaux Confidential Asia 2018. Enjoy! We look forward to seeing you for Bordeaux Confidential Asia 2019 in the Four Seasons Hotel Hong Kong on May 22 and the Rosewood Hotel Beijing on May 24.
