CVBG’s decade-long campaign to highlight some of the top latest releases from wineries around the world continued in Hong Kong today, April 12, despite the travel and logistical challenges of the past year and more. The special tasting, held in James Suckling Wine Central wine bar and restaurant and named ‘Beyond Bordeaux’, brought 33 wines together in a sit-down format with sommeliers serving the wines, Martin Chalopin, greater China export director for CVBG, presenting the tasting and James Suckling hosting.
The event is designed to increase access and exposure to the world’s top wines, be they from Bordeaux or elsewhere. “It raised a few eyebrows in the early days,” commented Mathieu Chadronnier, directeur general at CVBG, on the decision to promote non-Bordeaux labels. “However, CVBG chose to stand at the forefront of this development from the onset, with the will to embrace this new reality and the conviction that it did not challenge but rather completed existing hierarchies.
“Fast forward 10+ years and all this has become a new campaign of its own, gaining momentum every year with wines from France, Italy, California, Chile, Argentina, South Africa, and now also Australia.”
“It’s great to be able to help get the word out about these excellent wines, especially during a time when physically tasting new-release wines is much more difficult than usual,” said James Suckling, CEO and editor of JamesSuckling.com. “Let’s hope we soon are able to travel and visit places and wineries as usual. But in the meantime, we are excited about these innovative new formats for tasting and experiencing new wines too.”
CVBG is a key French negociant, once part of Dourthe, with more than 3,000 clients and distribution in more than 80 countries, while James Suckling Wine Central has become one of Hong Kong’s hottest wine bars since opening in October 2018.
You can see the wines served with tasting notes and scores below. Nearly all the wines were tasted last year in Hong Kong during blind tastings.