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Latin leverage George W. Russell looks at how South American vineyards are edging into Hong Kong’s market With decades of immigration from France, Italy and Spain, it’s no surprise that South Americans are handy at winemaking. Many of the newcomers settled vast countries with varied terroir, enabling them to experiment with grapes best suited to their new environments. As a result, wine from South America is often made from grapes long neglected in Europe, such as Carménère and Tannat. More familiar varieties include Malbec, Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Argentina The region around Mendoza, in the country’s central-west, accounts for about 70 percent of Argentina’s wine production. Malbec dominates, with significant quantities of Viognier and Merlot. The Valentin Bianchi estate is known for consistently good value, and, among reds, the Elsa Syrah 2010 (HK$60, Montrose Wines) is no exception. The Astica Sauvignon Blanc Semillon 2010 (HK$99, Soho Wines) has a light, bright quality ideal for fish dishes. White wines from Mendoza often have a certain tartness about them. The Alamos Chardonnay 2010 (HK$75, Watson’s Wine Cellar) is pineapple-crisp, while the Catena Alta Chardonnay (HK$388, Watson’s) is rich and complex. Brazil So far, the only Brazilian wines that this correspondent has seen in Hong Kong come from Miolo, which distributes a Riesling, a Touriga, a sparkling white and its Cuvée Giuseppe blended red. Wines from Casa 58 May 2012 After hours The Andes Mountains overlook a vineyard in central Argentina Valduga, which recently launched a new Vinho Rose made from Merlot grapes, can also be found here. The estate is also known for its uncomplicated sparkling wines like the Espumante Brut 130. Other wineries to keep an eye out for include Boscato, Lidio Carraro, Miolo, Pizzato, Salton and ViniBrasil. With the football World Cup being held in Brazil in 2014, the country is expected to begin heavily marketing its exports next year. Chile There are more than 100 big wineries in Chile’s 15 wine-growing valleys. Aficionados in Hong Kong will be familiar with two major producing areas, the Valle Central and the Maipo Valley. However, Chile’s terroir ranges from the semiarid San Antonio Valley, known for its whites, to the rugged Aconcagua Valley, home to the iconic Carménère grape. While the Carménère grape originated in Bordeaux, only Chile is using it in large quantities (though there has been some replanting in Italy). The Casa La Joya Reserve Carménère 2009 (HK$139, Soho) from the Colchagua Valley is an aromatically complex red with a peppery finish. Baron Philippe de Rothschild started a joint venture with Concha y Toro that has resulted in several premium products, including the Almaviva Cabernet Sauvignon 2006 (HK$700, Platinum Wines). The Luis Felipe Edwards Chardonnay 2011 (HK$54, Montrose) is a simple, peachy white ideal for summer barbecues. Winemaker Eduardo Chadwick’s full-bodied Arboleda Chardonnay 2008 (HK$145, Wat- son’s) is redolent of sweet lemons and apples ahead of a tart finish. Uruguay Uruguay is poised to be the next big New World exporter. With nearly 300 mostly small producers, Uruguay has been a major supplier to Brazil and other South American countries for decades. More recently, it has ramped up exports to North America. It is chiefly known for robust reds that accompany the country’s beef- and lambbased diet. The Tannat grape is originally from southwestern France but now is one of the most prominent Uruguayan varieties, accounting for at least 40 percent of output. The Viña Progreso Sueños de Elisa Tannat 2011 (about HK$100, Chateau Lamma), a product of a joint venture between Burgundy winemaker Jean-Charles Boisset and Uruguay’s pioneering Pisano family, can also be found in Hong Kong. Other countries Should Uruguayan and Brazilian wines make a dent in the market, expect more countries to follow suit. Bolivia, Ecuador and Paraguay all have considerable wine industries. The tropical north of the continent is largely unsuited to viticulture, although Peru produces some wine – most of the harvest is used to make Pisco, a grape brandy – and Venezuelan wineries make reds, mainly from Petit Verdot grapes. George W. Russell, editor at large of A Plus, can’t wait to taste Guyanese carambola wine.
The statement of understatement Simplicity in watches projects a rare level of effortless artistry and grace, says Reno Ong In 2008, a private bidder paid US$1.49 million for a Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon at a Sotheby’s auction in Hong Kong. The sale set the record for the most expensive modern wristwatch ever sold at an auction. The timepiece in question, widely considered to be one of the most horologically advanced watches ever manufactured, is composed of 686 parts and boasts 12 complications, including a perpetual calendar, moon-phase indicator and sky chart. And because of the myriad (not to mention sophisticated) functions, the Sky Moon Tourbillon is also hefty. With a diameter of 43mm and thickness of 16mm, it is rather burdensome to have on your wrist. Not that you would ever wear it with any regularity; the price tag doesn’t exactly scream everyday use. The complexity of the watch extends to its aesthetics. The front dial (the watch has a reverse dial) rivals a small plane’s dashboard with the amount of information displayed. It contains four subdials, each with its own little hands and markers for such things as the day of the week. The main dial has three sets of markers, one for hours, one for minutes or seconds, and another one done in the “railroad track” style, all of which encircle a backdrop of Calatrava cross engravings. The same design follows throughout the outer case. The intricacy of the Sky Moon Tourbillon’s aesthetics is yet another reason you wouldn’t actually wear one. Not exactly gaudy, but it’s a bit like parading Michelangelo’s David on the roof of your car: artistic, sure, but not really all that necessary. Of course, the timepiece wasn’t actually meant to be worn daily, rather it was aimed at collectors who value it for its craftsman- ship, rarity and obscure features, more than its value as what is defined traditionally as a watch. The Sky Moon Tourbillon is an extreme case in point, but it does highlight a fundamental shift in horological consciousness. What started out as an instrument to keep track of the daily cycle has, over the course of centuries, evolved into a timekeeper in the loosest sense of the word, encompassing chronographs, calendars and orbital displays. At the same time, the manufacturers that have led the charge of technological innovations have also preserved their tradition of everyday wristwatches. Stunning in their simplicity, these timepieces have given functional purists an escape from a horological preoccupation with complications and convoluted designs. Breguet’s Classique 5140, though unflamboyant, exhibits many of the manufacturer’s The Breguet Classique 5140 (top) and the Patek Philippe Sky Moon Tourbillon aesthetic hallmarks. Blue-finished hour and minute hands are in what is now known as the Breguet style, and a subdial at the five o’clock position indicates seconds, a layout that allows for a clear reading against the metallic backdrop. The off-centre placement of the subdial adds a modern twist to an otherwise traditional display, as projected by the markers in roman type. Both the main dial and subdial are engraved with the manufacturer’s iconic guilloche details, a subtle touch that does not get in the way of core functionality. Chopard’s L.U.C XPS has gained an avid following among Hollywood elites seeking an understated accessory during award shows and other formal events. (Colin Firth wore one to the Academy Awards in 2011, the year he received an Oscar for his performance in The King’s Speech.) Monochromatic and minimalistic, the watch is devoid of extraneous aesthetic features; it has, for instance, notches instead of numerals as markers. Yet what’s surprising about the L.U.C XPS is that Chopard managed to fit a powerful engine in such a modest piece. Though the case thickness is a mere 3.3mm, it houses an automatic movement and boasts a power reserve of up to 65 hours, whereas you can expect other watches with similar specifications to have a power reserve of about 40 hours. The Italians have a word for what the Classique 5140 and L.U.C XPS represent: sprezzatura. Roughly translated, it is a type of nonchalance that masks the difficulty in achieving a high level of artistry and grace. In horology, few things convey this effortless sophistication than a watch that does not demand attention. May 2012 59
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