Drumsara - Central Otago Pinot Noir

Our Booth

In the latter part of last month I [Edward] jumped on a plane to Hong Kong to attend the HKTDC International Wine Fair. It was a three day event showcasing wines from around the world to buyers, collectors and enthusiasts from Hong Kong and Mainland China. We teamed up with Mark from Domain Jacquiry and Sean from Brennan Wines to present Central Otago Pinot Noir.

It was the first wine trade show we have attended and we learnt a lot about both trade shows and the Hong Kong and greater Asian wine market. Recently, exercise duties have been phased out in Hong Kong which makes it an attractive market for all wine producers, especially premium New Zealand wines. In effect it decreases the end price that consumers pay, decreasing their purchasing risk, thus increasing experimentation of New Zealand wines … so the theory goes.

Deeply embedded within the history and culture of Hong Kong is the art and business of trading. These roots in trading somewhat explain the almost ubiquitous presence of trading companies today. Some specialize in industries and markets while others cast their net far and wide. Through our conversations with buyers we came to agreement that those with lower levels of wine knowledge came from the latter group, general traders. Our mission in Hong Kong was to find an importer for the Asian region. We were looking for those with strong networks in the market and a proven track record. These buyers, which we associated with a high level of wine knowledge, were in the minority. However, given that this was the first time such a wine fair has been held in Hong Kong it was very encouraging. To be successful in such a competitive market, such as Aisa, the choice of buyer (importer) is a driving success factor. We will keep you posted on any developments.

Chinese Chicken

The food in Hong Kong was amazing. The diversity of cuisine was immense which can be expected in such a melting pot of cultures and nationalities. The acidity of our wines complement many of Hong Kong more oily dishes, especially their duck, pigeon and goose, which can be found hanging on most streets.

A friend and consultant to Drumsara is renowned chef Jason Dell. You will find below some Asian inspired food matches to our 2006 Pinot Noir and 2007 Pinot Gris. For more meal ideas browse through our wine and food matches here.

2006 Drumsara Pinot Noir – Ventifacts Block

• Soy marinade Salmon baked accompanied by ginger rice

2007 Drumsara Pinot Gris

• Char Sui and/or Hoison barbecued pork strips

• Scallops baked on the shell with orange, chilli, lime and ginger flavours

• Dukkah fried crumbed squid with lemon and olive aioli

• Crisp lettuce hearts pocketed with minced pork and spicy peanut dressing

It was great to meet other wine producers from around New Zealand and the collective atmosphere that the New Zealand participants displayed and is a something that characterizes and distinguishes us from other wine producing countries. Those New Zealanders with booths were Johnny from Twilight Vineyards, Paul from Te Motu Vineyard, Andrew from Coopers Creek, Mel from Mai Mai Creek, and Mark from Domaine Jacquiry. Hopefully see you guys there next year!

If you have not experienced Hong Kong I defiantly recommend it. The food is diverse and the shopping never ending! I imagine it would be a great stop over destination if travelling on to Europe or other parts of the world.

I would like to thank Polly and her team from the TZTE Hong Kong for their organisation, communication and expertise which enabled us to make the most of this opportunity. Also special thanks to Peter Bosevski from HKTDC Sydney for your help and advice before but especially during the fair … especially when flagging down taxis!