Hong Kong's Wine Buffs Drinking In High-end Vintages

Greater vibrancy

Altaya Group is a boutique shop that has been offering people in Hong Kong a wide selection of top-flight wines since 2001. Its founder Paulo Pong Kin-yee, a seasoned wine merchant, said the dynamics of the city's wine scene, especially the fine-wine sector, have become more vibrant over the past two decades.

"You won't see another city like Hong Kong, which has a population of about 7 million but abounds with wine enthusiasts with an overwhelming focus on premium wines," said Pong, who is known locally as the "Wine King" in recognition of his endeavors in leading the city's fine-wine industry.

For almost a decade, Hong Kong's fine-wine industry has been characterized by outstanding merchants and authenticators who have a strong global network of acclaimed winemakers and help bring in a high-value selection of genuine class-A wines from across the world.

This forte is valued by mainland and overseas collectors, who visit Hong Kong in search of investor-grade bottles. Chateau Lafite, from Bordeaux, Domaine de la Romanee-Conti and other Burgundies are always the most sought-after vintages, according to Pong.

In 2014, the Sotheby's wine auction in Hong Kong set a world record by selling the most expensive wine lot (114 bottles of Romanee-Conti) for HK$12,556,250 - which works out at HK$110,143 per bottle or HK$13,768 per glass.

This trend is becoming more common, especially after a large number of counterfeit bottles were discovered at international auctions some years ago, eating away at the global fine wine market. One of the biggest scams was pulled off by Rudy Kurniawan, who sold fake wines at auction and defrauded buyers out of millions of dollars. Kumiawan was jailed for 10 years by a court in the United States in 2014.

According to Pong, importing bottles directly from winemakers is the best approach to ensure that no bogus beverages can slip into the supply chain. Pong's company is the exclusive agent for about 90 internationally lauded brands from Bordeaux, Burgundy, the US and elsewhere.

A new dream

Davy has always been a very active in the field of wine education, and now he has a new plan. He is preparing to crack a new market - the 40-to-50-something domestic drinker.

He believes that many people in Hong Kong have a misconception that wine is a trapping of high society. He has been pleased to see that some locals are trying to adapt to drinking wine, and he has noted that middle-aged men love to order wines in restaurants to liven up an evening.

"While this group is already embracing wine, I really want them to have better wines. I want to guide them to grasp the basic concept of pairing wine with Chinese dishes."

He is mapping out a new project that will offer rookies a case of basic wines complete with explanatory notes. The wines will prompt them to acquire more knowledge.

Davy wants to achieve a trickle-down effect, first by reaching out to the city's established wine lovers, then by moving on to beginners in a bid to help people in Hong Kong to drink smarter.