Vinexpo Daily 2018 - Preview Edition

PREVIEW EDITION 

THURSDAY 24 TH MAY 2018 

LEVEL 1 

ENTRANCE D 

DAILY 

EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

Guillaume Deglise 

CEO, Vinexpo Group 

The range of wines and the expertise 

available is impressive and the opportunities to 

do business are almost limitless. See page 14 

REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT 

ASIA 

CHINA – GLOBAL GROWTH DRIVER 

KOREA – THE REBOUND 

JAPAN – SPARKLING BOOM 

A REGION DRIVING GLOBAL DEMAND FOR WINE 

Go to page 17 

SPECIAL FEATURE 

GASTRONOMY 

More and more restaurant owners, managers 

and chefs are turning to food and wine pairing to 

impress their guests. See page 16 

TRADE TALK 

Alex Li 

CEO, Wajiu 

Wajiu uses Internet opportunities to improve 

wine industry efficiency. See page 13

Practical Guide 

LEVEL 1 LEVEL 3 

LEVEL 3 / Stand V45 LEVEL 3 / Stand T45 LEVEL 3 / Stand TU 39

EDITORIAL 

20 Years / 20 Virtues 

Richard Barnes 

Editor-in-chief, 

Vinexpo Daily 

20 Years… 

That’s Worth 

Celebrating! 

Vinexpo Hong Kong this year will be celebrating its 

20 th anniversary as an influential trade show in this 

vibrant port city, an important trading hub for fine 

wines in the Far East. 

Vinexpo Hong Kong launched in 1998 and at the 

time was the first foreign brand to believe in Asian 

growth. Twenty years later, the show has grown to 

become a strategic platform for importers, buyers 

and sommeliers working in the Asia-Pacific markets. 

The growth of this exhibition continues in 2018. 

More than just a meeting place where supply meets 

demand, Vinexpo has today developed into a key 

measure of the Asian markets. The event enables 

professionals to analyse the potential of the wine and 

spirits trades in different countries, to identify trends 

and widen their commercial horizons. 

Vinexpo’s global brand reputation and the strategic 

location of Hong Kong draw an ever-increasing 

number of visitors from China, but also more 

generally from the whole region, with buyers coming 

from all over Asia Pacific. The circle of global interest 

continues to grow, with over 50 countries now 

represented on the show floor. 

One might be tempted to say it looks like being a 

great vintage. 

With Vinexpo Hong Kong celebrating the “Big 20”, the 

organisers have come up with a novel idea to underline the 

anniversary. 

A display, located at the show entrance, will trace the history 

of an inspiring success story, depicted as 20 key values 

shared universally by Vinexpo, wine and spirits producers, 

buyers and the city of Hong Kong. 

20 milestone images marking the 20 virtues that have helped 

position Vinexpo Hong Kong as the benchmark trade show 

in Asia-Pacific will make up this inspiring panorama – a way 

of thanking everyone who has been part of this success story 

over the past 20 years. 

Australian Senator Expected 

at Official Inauguration Ceremony 

Tuesday 29 th May will see the official opening 

ceremony of Vinexpo taking place at 10:30 am in 

the Hong Kong Convention Centre, with a number 

of senior state officials from Hong Kong, France 

and Australia, including the honourable Senator 

Anne Ruston, Australia’s Assistant Federal Minister 

for Agriculture and Water Resources. The presence 

of the Senator underpins Australia’s country of 

honour status at this Vinexpo Hong Kong 2018. 

Other key officials expected to attend the opening 

ceremony include Edward Yau, Secretary for 

Commerce and Economic Development, Hong 

Kong Special Administrative Region, Joe Wong, 

Commissioner for Tourism, Hong Kong Special 

Administrative Region, Eric Berti, Consul General 

of France in Hong Kong and Macao, Christophe 

Navarre, Chairman, Vinexpo, and Guillaume 

Deglise, CEO, Vinexpo. 

Just a few days ago (18 th May), Senator Ruston 

was in the news in Australia, as she announced 

a two million-dollar funding project to bring more 

international visitors to South Australia’s wine 

regions. Meanwhile, a $5 million International 

Wine Tourism State Grant provides state wine 

associations with funding for international wine 

tourism research, planning and implementation 

activities. The Australian Government is also 

supporting Australia’s wine industry through the 

$50 million Export and Regional Wine Support 

Package. 

VINEXPO DAILY is a CLEVERDIS Publication. 65 avenue Jules Cantini - Tour Méditerranée 

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DAILY 

• Publisher: Gérard Lefebvre • Managing Director: Jean-François Pieri 

• Publishing Director: Jean-Guy Bienfait 

• Project Manager: Naila Ben Ghorbal 

• Editor-in-chief: Richard Barnes • Editorial coordinator: Yingying Deng 

• Marketing Manager: Nathalie Meissner • Art Director: Hélène Beunat 

• With the participation of: Bettina Badon, Borhan Moussa, Finn-Georg Sander, 

Wenchao Wang 

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Cover: Shibazakura Festival near Lake Motosu under the foot of Mt. Fuji, Yamanashi, Japan © Reginald Pentinio 

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AN INDISPENSABLE TOOL: THE VINEXPO APP 

For instant access to a plethora of 

information in your pocket, take a 

minute to download the Vinexpo 

Smartphone App. 

Whether it’s discovering all the 

events from this year’s country of 

honour – Australia, finding 

and locating exhibitors, 

reading-up on the list of 

speakers at the show, 

or learning more 

about the world 

of wine and 

spirits, the 

app has it 

all. 

Users have direct access to the 

“social wall”, videos and useful 

information, while an interactive 3D 

map allows one to navigate at the 

touch of a finger (or thumb). 

vinexpodaily.com 

VINEXPO DAILY / PREVIEW / THURSDAY 24 TH MAY 2018 3

PROGRAMME 

© Michel Jolyot - Vinexpo 


TUESDAY 29 MAY 2018 

WEDNESDAY 30 MAY 2018 

10:00am - 11:30am 

GRAND CERCLE DES VINS DE 

BORDEAUX - VINTAGE 2015 

Masterclass - Free admission 

Level 1 / N104-105 

10:00am - 11:30am 

UNVEIL SOME OF THE MYSTERIES 

OF “CLIMATS“ DE BOURGOGNE 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

10:00am - 11:30am 

CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN 

PINOT NOIR MASTERCLASS 

Masterclass, Country of Honour 

- Free admission 

Level 1 / N109-110 

10:00am -11:30am 

THE DIVERSITY OF CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE 

Masterclass - By invitation only 

Level 1 / N111-112 

10:00am - 10:40am 

A CELEBRATION OF 2017 BAROSSA WINE 

SHOW TROPHY WINNERS MASTERCLASS 



Wine Australia Masterclass Area, 

Level 1 / Stand BC70 

11:00am - 3:00pm 

2015 VINTAGE TASTING – 

UNION DES GRANDS CRUS DE BORDEAUX 

Tasting - Free admission 

Level 3 / Grand Foyer 

11:00am - 12:30pm 

PROCESS TO BUY A FRENCH VINEYARD 

Conference - Free admission 

Level 1 / N101B 

11:30am - 12:10 

COONAWARRA CABERNET – 

A CLASSIC COMBINATION FOR CELLARING 





1:00pm - 2:30pm 

PENFOLDS WHITE COLLECTION 

LAUNCH MASTERCLASS 


Level 1 / N104-105 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

WHY VINTAGE MATTERS: 

ICONIC WINES FROM CHILE 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

LANGTON’S CLASSIFICATION MASTERCLASS 



Level 1 / N109-110 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

OLD WORLD GRAPES IN NEW WORLD REGIONS 


Level 1 / N111-112 

2:00pm - 4:00pm 

LAND OF DISCOVERIES – 

BOURGOGNE-FRANCHE-COMTÉ 


Level 1 / N101A 

2:00pm - 3:30pm 

CHINA WINE MARKET 

Vinexpo’s event - Free admission 


3:45pm - 4:30pm 

ENSURING AUTHENTICITY 

AND INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIAN WINE 

Country of Honour - Free admission 

Level 3 / The Cellar 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

TOP ITALIAN SPIRITS MASTERCLASS 


Level 1 / N104-105 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

AUSTRIAN WINE MASTERCLASS 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

UNIQUE AUSTRALIAN TERROIRS 



Level 1 / N109-110 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

DISCOVER THE ORIGINAL FRENCH 

GRAPES VARIETIES 


Level 1 / N111-112 

4:00pm - 4:40pm 

WINE ABOVE THE SNOW LINE 





6:00pm - 8:00pm 

VINEXPO EXPLORER SONOMA 

COUNTY RECEPTION 

Tasting - By invitation only 


10:00am - 11:30am 

AUSTRALIAN FIRST FAMILIES OF WINE: INAUGURAL 

UNLOCKED MASTERCLASS 

Masterclass, Country of Honour - Free admission 


10:00am - 11:30am 

EVOLUTION OF AUSTRALIAN GRENACHE MASTERCLASS 

Masterclass, country of Honour - Free admission 

Level 1 / N109-110 

10:00am - 11:30am 

WORLD’S BEST GRENACHE BUYS 



10:00am - 11:30am 

SEÑA 2016 MAKES ITS DEBUT 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

10:00am - 11:30am 

CRUS CLASSÉS DE GRAVES 2014 VINTAGE MASTERCLASS 


Level 1 / N111-112 

10:00am - 11:30am 

VALPOLICELLA 50 ANNIVERSARY TOUR 


Level 1 / N104-105 

11:30am - 12:10 

YARRA VALLEY CABERNET SAUVIGNON – A MODERN CLASSIC 


Wine Australia Masterclass Area, Level 1 / Stand BC70 

12:30 - 2:00pm 

THE ASIAN WINE PERSONALITY AWARD 

By invitation only 


1:00pm - 1:40pm 

MCLAREN VALE’S GREAT GRENACHE MASTERCLASS 




1:00pm - 2:30pm 

TMALL WINE & SPIRIT NEW RETAIL PRESS CONFERENCE 

Conference - By invitation only 


1:00pm - 2:30pm 

GRENACHE AND PORK BUN LUNCH TASTING 


Level 1 / N109-110 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

GRENACHE, THE QUINTESSENTIALLY 

MEDITERRANEAN GRAPE 


Level 1 / N104-105 

4 VINEXPO DAILY / PREVIEW / THURSDAY 24 TH MAY 2018



THURSDAY 31 MAY 2018 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

SOLAIA MASTERCLASS 


Level 1 / N111-112 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

THE 20TH ANNIVERSARY OF ALMAVIVA 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

2:00pm - 3:30pm 

GROWING DEMAND FOR AUSTRALIAN WINE 

Conference, Country of Honour - Free admission 


2:00pm - 5:30pm 

TASTING OF GRANDS CRUS CLASSÉS OF SAINT-EMILION 



2:30pm - 3:10pm 

INTERPRETATIONS OF GRENACHE FROM THE STONEGARDEN 

VINEYARD, EDEN VALLEY MASTERCLASS 



4:00pm - 4:40pm 

INDIAN VS. SOUTHERN OCEAN: 

THE UNIQUE POSITION OF MARGARET RIVER 



4:00pm - 5:30pm 

GRENACHE: BLENDS 

Tasting, Country of Honour - Free admission 

Level 1 / N109-110 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

THE CLASSIC VINTAGE PORT HOUSES 

PRESENT THEIR LATEST RELEASES 



4:00pm - 5:30pm 

CHAMPAGNE & WINE EDUCATION 

Conference - By invitation only 

Level 1 / N111-112 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

NORTH AND SOUTH REGIONS OF THE RHÔNE VALLEY 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

THE UNIQUENESS OF PORTUGUESE WINES 


Level 1 / N104-105 

6:30pm - 9:00pm 

THE BLEND: THE OFFICIAL VINEXPO PARTY 

Party 


10:00am - 10:40am 

COOL CLIMATE SHIRAZ AT ELEVATION 





10:00am - 11:30am 

SHIRAZ TERROIR RESEARCH PROJECT 


Level 1 / N109-110 

10:00am - 11:30am 

THE FUTURE OF WINE HAS CHANGED 



10:00am - 11:30am 

TRE BICCHIERI SPECIAL AWARDS MASTERCLASS 


Level 1 / N104-105 

10:00am - 11:30am 

CLOS APALTA MASTERCLASS, 2015 


Level 1 / N111-112 

10:00am - 11:30am 

DISCOVER THE STORY OF CHEVAL DES ANDES 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

11:00am - 12:30 

VINEXPO CHALLENGE 

Blind tasting, Vinexpo’s event - Free admission 


11:00am - 4:00pm 

TRE BICCHIERI “EN PRIMEUR” 

– SPECIAL EDITION 



11:30am - 12:10 

MCLAREN VALE’S MEDITERRANEAN MASTERCLASS 




12:30 - 3:10pm 

COONAWARRA – SINGLE VINEYARD ESTATES 




1:00pm - 1:40pm 

CABERNET SAUVIGNON FROM MARGARET 

RIVER’S PERFECT ISLAND OF ANCIENT SOILS 

& BIODIVERSITY 




1:00pm - 2:30pm 

OLD VINES, YOUNG VINES, 

NEW WINES MASTERCLASS 



Level 1 / N109-110 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

MASTERCLASS HUBERT DE BOÜARD 

CONSULTING 


Level 1 / N111-112 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

BORDEAUX RIGHT BANK 2014 VINTAGE 

FT. PU’ER TEA 


Level 1 / N106-107-108 

1:00pm - 2:30pm 

COOL CLIMATE WINES & DIM SUM 



1:00pm - 2:30pm 

EXPLORING PROSECCO DOC 

& WHY IT’S A MUST ON EVERY WINE LIST 


Level 1 / N104-105 

4:00pm - 4:40pm 

WHY THE WORLD IS IN LOVE 

WITH YARRA VALLEY PINOT NOIR 





4:00pm - 5:30pm 

LIQUID GOLD – AUSTRALIA’S CLASSIC 

FORTIFIED WINES MASTERCLASS 



Level 1 / N109-110 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

MASTERCLASS HUBERT DE BOÜARD 

CONSULTING 


Level 1 / N111-112 

4:00pm - 5:30pm 

ON THE ROAD OF LEGENDARY 

BURGUNDY CRUS BY AEGERTER 


Level 1 / N104-105 



NEWS 

ADVERTORIAL 

© Wine Australia 

Yarra Valley Misty Vineyard 

A Taste of the La 

Discover the Country of Honour: Aus 

Vinexpo Hong Kong 2018 is to host one of 

the world’s most exciting wine-producing 

countries as Country of Honour this year: 

Australia, in partnership with Wine Australia. 

The Vinexpo Academy Program will be 

rich in Australian wine tastings and feature 

the Australian First Families of Wine in an 

Inaugural Unlocked Master Class. 

This exceptional master class will be presented 

for the first time outside of Australia on May 

30 th (10:00 – 11:30) and trigger much 

anticipation. Australia’s First Families of 

Wine’s (AFFW) will be unlocking their cellars 

to share their aged family jewels in this master 

class. The AFFW’s panel will feature different 

generations of the families themselves and 

each will present their specially chosen 

wine from their own cellars. They will give 

Vinexpo’s visitors an opportunity to get up 

close and personal with some of Australia’s 

most recognized names and experience their 

most respected and revered wines. 

REPRESENTED WINERIES: 

BROWN BROTHERS – CAMPBELLS – 

D’ARENBERG – DEBORTOLI – HENSCHKE 

– HOWARD PARK – JIM BARRY WINES – 

MCWILLIAM’S – TAHBILK – TYRRELL’S WINES 

– WAKEFIELD TAYLORS WINES – YALUMBA 

This inaugural international tasting event will 

emphasize the quality, depth and breadth 

of premium Australian wine coming from the 

most iconic vineyards in the world. It will 

be the perfect occasion to gain an in-depth 

understanding of the role played by AFFW 

and how they bring together the oldest 

Australian family owned, multi-generational 

wineries, who between them, have over 

1380 years of winemaking experience. 

A PLETHORA OF MASTER 

CLASSES AND CONFERENCES 

Each day of Vinexpo will see a plethora of Australian 

wine master classes and conferences. Following is a list 

of events on DAY ONE of the show, Tuesday 29 th May: 

OCEANS, ALTITUDE AND ATTITUDE: 

CONTEMPORARY AUSTRALIAN PINOT NOIR 

The challenges of growing and vinifying high-quality 

Pinot Noir are well documented. Site and climate play a 

crucial role in shaping character, but these are just two of 

the numerous variables at play. 

It appears certain that the very best Pinot Noir wines 

are influenced by the cooling effect of either elevation or 

ocean breezes, but this alone is no guarantee of quality 

- fanatical attention to detail in the vineyard and winery 

are required. Phil Reedman, MW and Wine Australia’s 

Education Manager Mark Davidson have selected a 

stellar line-up of wines for this landmark tasting. A range 

of wines which showcase the character and quality of 

the most exciting regions and the finest producers of 

Australian Pinot Noir. 

Phil Reedman, MW 

Mark Davidson, Education Manager US, 

Wine Australia 

10.00am to 11.30am 

Academy Room - Level 1, N109-110 

A CELEBRATION OF 2017 BAROSSA 

WINE SHOW TROPHY WINNERS 

For over forty years the Barossa Wine Show has been 

a key element in building best practice winemaking and 

wine quality in the Barossa. This masterclass highlights the 

diversity of the Barossa’s rare and distinguished wine offer, 

through these trophy-winning wines from the 2017 show. 

James March, Chief Executive, BGWA 

Ling Cheong, Assistant General Manager, AWSEC 

10:00am to 10:40am 

Australian Wine Master Class Area - 

Level 1, Stand BC-70 

COONAWARRA CABERNET: 

A TERROIR FOR CELLARING 

Coonawarra and Cabernet were made for each other 

and this combination is made for your cellar. Its limestonebased 

soils and proximity to the Southern Ocean give 

Coonawarra natural advantages envied by Cabernet 

growers around the world. They facilitate the making of 

elegant medium to full-bodied Cabernet-based reds of 

longevity and complexity – the choice of wine collectors 

everywhere. 

Jeremy Oliver, 

Australian Wine Writer, Presenter and Educator 

11.30am to 12.10pm 

Australian Wine Master Class Area - 


LANGTON’S CLASSIFICATION 

Australia’s 19 th century colonial vine stock heritage is one 

of the most fascinating stories in the world of wine. Before 

the spread of phylloxera into Europe during the 1850s, 

Australia’s early settlers collected grape vines in the form or 

seeds and cuttings from their travels through Spain, France 

and Italy. 

Many early Australian vines can be traced back to 

Madiera, Rio de Janiero and the Cape of Good Hope. 

Through the prism of Langton’s Classification of Australian 

wine, Andrew Caillard, MW will discuss the rich history 

of Australia’s classic grape varieties, the transmission of 

colonial vine stock material and the development of a truly 

brilliant Australian wine aesthetic. Through generations of 

effort, hardships, visions and luck, Australia’s fine wine 


© Wine Australia 

McLaren Vale, South Australia 

Tscharkes Place Barossa 

nd Down Under 

tralia @ Vinexpo Hong Kong 2018 

scene offers a unique, evocative and unparalleled 

experience. The tasting comprises many of Australia’s 

great wines of the 21 st century, and illustrates the enduring 

quality and identity of the country’s wine regions and 

distinctive house styles. 

Andrew Caillard, MW 

1.00pm to 2.30pm 


AGEING AUSTRALIANS 2018 

Hosted by Master of Wine, Phil Reedman, this session 

delves into an underappreciated but important topic: the 

cellar-worthiness of white wines from Australia. 

The ability of a wine to mature for ten years or more 

is frequently cited as a criterion of Greatness. Can 

Australian white wines achieve this benchmark? This 

tasting, featuring current vintage wines compared with 

a cellared version of the same wine will provide the 

answer. This tasting provides a unique opportunity to track 

the development curve through the lens of two classic 

Australian white wine styles: Hunter Valley Semillon and 

Nagambie Lakes Marsanne. 

Phil Reedman, MW 

1.00pm to 1.40pm 

Australian Wine Master Class Area 


COAST TO COAST: AN EXPLORATION 

OF AUSTRALIAN CABERNET SAUVIGNON 

Cabernet Sauvignon is one of Australian wine’s 

remarkable success stories, with original vines arriving 

in the mid 1800’s. Over the years, Cabernet Sauvignon 

has become an essential part of Australian wine 

heritage, highlighting regionality and varietal qualities 

as a single variety, but also being an important blending 

component. 

This master class, presented by Corinne Mui, Senior 

Wine Educator AWSEC Hong Kong, will provide 

a snapshot of the elegance, character and charm of 

top quality Cabernet Sauvignon grown in four distinct 

Australian wine regions with varying climates. 

Each of the wines that will be tasted are from winemakers 

who have taken Australian Cabernet Sauvignon to the 

new level, creating a premium wine, that would be an 

asset to any collector’s long-term collection. 

Corinne Mui, Senior Wine Educator, AWSEC 

2.30pm to 3.10pm 



UNIQUE AUSTRALIAN TERROIRS 

DISCUSSION PANEL 

Australia’s pioneer vignerons of the 19 th century were 

intent on selecting distinguished sites for vineyards and 

matching variety to environment well before the word 

terroir entered the fine wine lexicon. 

These days, the concept of terroir is a much-debated 

topic. This special tasting revisits some of those 19 th 

century sites as well as exploring distinguished site 

vineyards in Australian wine regions established and reestablished 

since 1960, demonstrating and explaining 

why they are distinguished sites for their chosen variety. 

Winemaker Brian Croser, AO will lead this discussion 

joined by Phil Reedman, MW, Andrew Caillard, MW 

and Fongyee Walker, MW. Each panellist has selected 

two wines to showcase the diversity, character and 

quality of site specific Australian wines. 

Dr. Brian Croser, AO, Winemaker, 

Phil Reedman, MW, 

Andrew Caillard, MW 

Fongyee Walker, MW 

4.00pm to 5.30pm 


A REGIONAL FOCUS ON ORANGE: 

WINE ABOVE THE SNOW LINE 

Discover the Unique Terroir created by the change in 

elevation on Cool Climate Chardonnay from Orange. 

Explore the unique characters of this variety as the 

elevation of the region moves from 600 to 1100 metres 

above sea level. 

Yvonne Cheung, Director of Restaurants, 

Swire Hotels, Hong Kong 

4.00pm to 4.40pm 



CONFERENCE: ENSURING AUTHENTICITY 

AND INTEGRITY OF AUSTRALIAN WINE 

Australia’s wine regulatory system is world class. Wine 

Australia’s label integrity program and strict export controls 

underpin the system and ensure that wine exported from 

Australia is authentic. Recent changes to the regulations 

have strengthened Wine Australia’s ability to prevent the 

export of ‘copycat’ wine brands and to cancel licences 

where wine is exported from Australia that has the 

potential to undermine the integrity of Australia’s wine 

export industry. This conference will provide an overview 

of the Australian wine regulatory system and explain the 

recent changes to the export controls. 

Rachel Triggs, 

General Counsel, Wine Australia 

3.30pm - 4.30pm 



NEWS 

ADVERTORIAL 

VINEXPO ACADEMY: 

TALKS, TASTINGS 

& MASTERCLASSES 

Vinexpo Hong Kong offers a unique programme of talks, tastings and 

masterclasses, bringing together leading figures from the world of wine 

and buyers from the Asia-Pacific region within the Vinexpo Academy. 

Australia, this edition’s Country of Honour, has various themes planned for 

each day, including the different styles of Australian Pinot Noir, Margaret 

River Chardonnay, the grand tasting of First Families of Wine, the launch 

of Penfolds fine white wines and a talk on the various Australian terroirs. 

Chile will showcase its iconic wines with masterclasses by Seña, Clos 

Apalta and Viña Almaviva, which is also celebrating its 20 th anniversary 

this year. 

Italy has scheduled a number of events, including the Valpolicella 50 th 

Anniversary Tour, the exclusive international launch of Solaia 2015 

with the celebrated wine critic, James Suckling, events organised by the 

Gambero Rosso guide including the Tre Bicchieri “en primeur” tasting and 

a masterclass with Debra Meiburg MW, focusing on Prosecco. 

France, as the world’s top exporter to China, naturally features prominently 

in this year’s Vinexpo programme. While the Union des Grands Crus 

de Bordeaux will be showcasing the 2015 vintage, several tastings are 

also planned with the Graves Crus Classés and St Emilion Grands Crus 

Classés. Master Sommelier Yang Lu will uncover the mysteries of the 

Burgundy climates, while his colleague Sarah Heller MW will talk about 

the extensive number of different Rhône Valley terroirs. 

For Grenache Day on Wednesday 30 May, Vinexpo Hong Kong will 

highlight this grape variety coming from Spain with several talks and 

tastings showcasing French, Australian, Spanish and US Grenaches. 

Finally, Vinexpo will take stock of the Chinese market the China Market 

Conference which is traditionally held on the first day of the exhibition. 

This year, the participants will also have the opportunity to practice 

their blind tasting skills with World’s Best Sommelier Paolo Basso, in the 

traditional Vinexpo Challenge. The winner of this fun and professional 

competition will leave with a magnum of Bollinger Grande Année 2007 

© Michel Jolyot 

Bodega Norton, 

Mendoza, Argentina 

“Signature Winemaking” 

by Bodega Norton 

Leading Argentinian winery introduces 

new identity for premium wines 

Just like a hand-written signature is a mark of a promise, premium 

wines under Bodega Norton’s new “Signature Winemaking” umbrella 

authenticate the brand’s distinct heritage, knowledge, passion, quality 

and value reflected in every bottle. 

With more than 120 years of 

experience, Bodega Norton is one 

of the most celebrated Argentinian 

wineries in the world. They are 

internationally recognised for mastering 

Malbecs at different price points 

and select premium wines, now 

distinguished under the new “Signature 

Winemaking” portfolio umbrella. 

Present in over 60 countries, the winery 

was founded in Mendoza, Argentina 

at the foot of the Andes Mountains 

in 1895 by European engineer, 

Edmund James Palmer Norton, 

with vines imported from France. In 

1989, the property was acquired by 

Austrian businessman, Gernot Langes- 

Swarovski, well known for his namesake 

crystal company. Overcome with the 

beauty and culture of the land, the 

Swarovski family foresaw the potential 

for Argentinian Malbec to influence 

the world and recognised the superior 

quality of the vineyard’s surrounding 

terroir. 

by a family vision. Its winemaker David 

Bonomi was recently recognised 

as one of “South America’s Top 10 

Winemakers” by Decanter magazine. 

Bodega Norton maintains five estates 

in the heart of the so called “Premium 

Winemaking Area” known as Lujan de 

Cuyo. The unique terroir of the region 

offers a combination of dry soil and 

cold air from the mountains that results 

in red and white grapes, aromatic 

and concentrated, perfect for making 

bold and elegant high-end wines 

produced from vineyards that are 

between 30 and 90 years old. 

Additionally, Norton preserves the 

oldest and largest underground wine 

cellars from the 20 th century, dated 

from 1895. Nowadays, it is one of the 

biggest tourist attractions in Mendoza 

More information @ www.norton.com.ar 

Today, the company is helmed by 

Langes-Swarovski’s son, President and 

CEO Michael Halstrick, who is inspired 

Level 1 / Stand EF-5 


NEWS 

ADVERTORIAL 

Traditional or Submarine? 

Champagne Drappier has announced the 

release of two products that will allow consumers 

to directly compare its wines matured in seawater 

compared with the traditional wine cellar. 

In June 2015, the Champagne house submerged 

a number of its bottles in the sea, off the coast of 

Brest, in Brittany. The project, called “Immersion”, 

was inspired by the seas that covered 

Champagne 155 million years ago, depositing 

billions of small shells that were later transformed 

into the region’s acclaimed Jurassic kimmeridgian 

limestone. Underwater, the bottles were kept at 

the same temperature and light level as those 

stored in Drappier’s cellars. The wine was stored 

at a depth equal to the pressure that compresses 

gas in the bottle. Available in selected retail stores 

in the UK, France, Italy and Japan, Drappier has 

released a giftbox of two bottles, containing 

one bottle aged under water, the other in its 

cellars. 

CHAMPAGNE IMMERSED 

IN THE ATLANTIC 

Housed in a wooden box, complete with 

ink illustrations by the house’s creative 

director, Charline Drappier, the Immersion 

series offers a unique tasting experience that 

provides the chance to compare different 

ageing conditions. Each “immersed bottle” 

is delicately packaged so that the shells, 

which grew on the bottle as it aged, are not 

damaged 

Level 3 / Stand T-60 

The Italian Signature Wines Academy is back 

with its own stand at Vinexpo Hong Kong 2018. 

ISWA is made up of eight leading companies in 

the Italian wine sector whose products “faithfully 

reflect the most prestigious appellations, have 

decided to pool their efforts under a shared 

vision, create synergies and launch a strategic 

alliance, enhancing the concept of the interplay 

between tradition and innovation”. 

Italian Signature 

Wines Academy: 

Spotlighting 

Wineries 

with Great 

Wine-Making 

Histories 

United by a shared vision, strengthened by their 

similarities in being families with “great wine 

making histories” and believing in their ‘Italianness’ 

with impassioned enthusiasm and pride, 

they have pooled their age-old operational 

experience in the sector and their modern, 

consolidated skills for the purpose of targeted 

promotional projects. The stated objective is to 

open up new, ambitious avenues for Italian quality 

wine, which, in established as well as emerging 

markets, exhibits considerable opportunities for 

reinforcement and growth. 

ISWA focuses in international markets, in 

particular in those markets where Made in Italy 

products are not yet well established. In this way, 

their presence at Vinexpo Hong Kong represents 

a concrete effort to “face the challenges of the 

future together”, offering to the markets the best 

production and the finest Italian wine brands 

Level 1 / Stand DE-56 



NEWS 

B&G, Love Letters from 

France 

Barton & Guestier launches new collections 

under a new brand signature 

CHILEAN GRAPE 

GROUP BREAKS WITH 

TRADITION 

The Chilean Grape Group will have a number of surprises at Vinexpo Hong 

Kong this year, none the least of which is their “7colores” wines, Chile’s 

most “freely crafted wines” that break with preconceived winemaking 

techniques. 

Barton & Guestier will be taking the 

opportunity of Vinexpo Hong Kong to unveil 

its new brand signature and to launch its 

new wine collections with a more crafted 

approach. 

To highlight this unique positioning Barton 

& Guestier introduces its new signature with 

the red B&G letters, recapturing the graphic 

identity that has been the strength of the 

brand for almost 300 years. 

The new signature comes with the new 

collections of Appellation and Varietal 

wines. for which Laurent Prada, B&G 

head winemaker, and his team work in 

partnership with nearly 200 winegrowers: 

“Developing a strong trust-based 

relationship with each winegrower, from 

father to son, is very important for us. We 

are mutually committed over the long term 

to produce high-end quality wines, more 

outstanding than ever before.” 

The new Appellation collection consists 

of 19 appellation wines from the main 

French regions: Bordeaux, Loire, Burgundy, 

Beaujolais, Rhône and Provence. All 

the appellations are made with a more 

crafted approach, with Cuvées named 

after famous ships from Daniel Guestier or 

historical parcels. Each region benefits from 

a distinctive label shape. 

The new Varietal collection consists of 7 

IGP varietal wines from the Languedoc, 

Gascony and Corsica. New selections and 

specific vinifications resulted in outstanding 

true to type wines. 

All the wines of both collections come with 

a shiny red capsule branded with the B&G 

letters. 

The introduction of the new ranges is 

coming with new advertising, new tools 

and a series of Master Classes that will be 

run worldwide. 

Level 3 / Stand U-80 

Visitors can also take part in an exclusive 

wine laboratory where one can make 

one’s own blends; try Chile’s new 

“winebeer”, a non-traditional innovation 

that combines the best of 2 well-known 

traditions; and taste the most natural 

expression of Chilean fruit through Frutos 

Rojos juices. 

Chilean Grape Group was founded 

in 1989, and scaled up to be one of 

the top players in the wine industry, 

introducing cutting-edge technologies 

and developing extraordinary and 

rigorous scientific methods to carefully 

extract the best of every grape chosen for 

their products. 

Level 1 / Stand GH-21 


BRAASTAD STRENGTHENS 

BRANDING MESSAGE 

After breaking the codes by being the 

first cognac house to offer its cognac 

in a square shaped bottle, Braastad 

cognacs continue to innovate by 

reviewing their packaging. 

Combining modernity and tradition, 

this new range is a reflection of the 

Braastad signature: elegant, refined and 

contemporary. The goal of this change is 

to strengthen the positioning & singularity 

of the Braastad brand. 

The Braastad house was founded in 

1875 by Médéric Tiffon in the heart of 

the Cognac vineyards on the banks of the 

Charente river. 

Today, the 3 rd generation of the 

family watches over this vineyard of 

40 hectares spread over Grande 

Champagne & Fins Bois. 

Spotlighting Pig 

in the House 

Windowrie Estate will be showcasing their range of awarded organic 

wines at Vinexpo 2018, including their 2016 Pig in the House Shiraz that 

was awarded the Trophy for the Best Organic or Biodynamic Wine at the 

2017 Royal Melbourne Wine Show. 

“We have steadily converted our vineyards to certified organic over the 

years and it now represents over 70% of our production and increasing 

each year. While we produce conventional wines, we see our future in 

the organic sector. This is where our experience is and where the quality is 

evident,” said Windowrie Estate owner, Jason O’Dea. 

The Windowrie Estate wines will be displayed in the World of Organic 

Wines! (WOW!) section of the Expo. 

Windowrie Estate winemaker Antonio D’Onise stated, “It will be fantastic 

for us to be exhibiting with other like-minded winemakers from all over 

the world including France, Italy, Argentina, South Africa and Spain. It 

is an exciting prospect to share our experiences and learn from the other 

winegrowers and trade visitors over the three days.” 

Level 3 / Stand M-59 


NEWS 

Cullen Wines Named 

“One of the 9 Most Beautiful 

Biodynamic Wineries in the 

World” 

In honour of Earth Day in April, 

Architectural Digest dug up the premier 

aesthetically compelling natural 

vineyards on the planet, from South 

Africa to Oregon, naming Cullen 

Wines as its only Australian selection. 

Cullen Wines is a certified biodynamic, 

carbon neutral, naturally powered 

and sustainable estate located in the 

Wilyabrup wine region of Margaret 

River, Western Australia. It is one of the 

first wineries established in the area, 

the first vines were planted in 1971. Its 

founder members were Dr Kevin Cullen 

and his wife Diana Cullen. The winery 

is now under the guidance of daughter 

Vanya Cullen, Managing Director and 

chief winemaker. The winery remains a 

family owned business. 

The Cullen Wines success is founded 

on sustainability, integrity, and quality, 

with biodynamics being the backbone 

to produce world-class wines. Cullen’s 

minimal intervention philosophy bring 

the purest “sense of place” from the soil 

to the grape, to the glass. 

Level 3 / Stand M-22 

Diva’s Australian and 

NZ Entities Set to Merge 

Diva Networks Group Managing 

Director, Nick Waterman, has 

announced that Diva Australia and 

Diva New Zealand will be merging 

on July 1st. The Hill Smith family, 

proprietors of world-class brands 

Yalumba and Nautilus, will thus be 

owners of both entities. 

According to Waterman, “We feel 

that the Diva New Zealand portfolio 

will complement our existing Diva 

Australia business and make us an 

antipodean specialist.” 

which was created in 1979 by Pierre 

Beuchet, confirms today its dynamism 

in the world of wine merchants. With 

a turnover of €68.2m in 2017, 

the group continues to grow on a 

worldwide scale, with an increase of 

6% over 2016. Europe is the fastestgrowing 

region with a growth of 

11.3% and reaffirms its rank of #1 

market, shortly before Asia which 

confirms its key place with a rise of 

4.4%. The Americas remain stable as 

the third region, ahead of Oceania 

and Africa. 

The Diva Network, the international 

wine and spirits distribution company 

Level 3 / Stand UV-78 

ALL 

CHASING 

THE DEAD 

RABBIT 

Spiced Gin - the fastest growing gin 

in the premium gin category. Opihr 

is now global number 7 brand by 

volume, but with the stellar growth it is 

enjoying, it is definitely set to move up 

the global rankings. With it’s fantastic 

stand out on shelf, rich brand story 

and its unique flavour profile, Opihr 

Gin is riding high in the gin category. 


SPIRIBAM SHOWCASES 

NEW RUM BRANDS 

Having welcomed Saint Lucia Distillers 

into its portfolio two years ago, Spiribam 

is showcasing three exciting new brands 

at Vinexpo this year from SL: Bounty, 

Chairman’s Reserve and Admiral Rodney 

rum. More recently, the group also took 

over two new rum brands from Mauritius: 

Arcane and Beach House rum, which 

are also now available. 

Due to the growth encountered in 

Asia, the group now has an office in 

Shanghai, to support and work closely 

with its distributors. 

Today rum lovers can find Spiribam rum 

brands in more than 15 countries in 

Asia from Japan to Australia, including 

the pacific Islands. The company hopes 

to keep up with the global trend and 

double its sales by the end of 2018. 


Quintessential Brands Group is back 

at Vinexpo Hong Kong, and making 

its Asia debut is the Irish Whiskey 

that bartenders the world over are 

“clamouring to get their hands on right 

now”, The Dead Rabbit Irish Whiskey. 

This will be the first chance for many 

to sample this unique, super premium 

Irish Whiskey. 

Meanwhile, hand crafted at England’s 

oldest gin distillery, Greenall’s Wild 

Berry Pink Gin is also winning fans 

the world over thanks to its deliciously 

subtle berry flavour and stylish pink 

hue. Stop past their stand to taste it for 

yourself and see what your customers 

are missing out on. 

This is also a chance to try the 

sensation that is Opihr Oriental 



NEWS 

ADVERTORIAL 

Rioja’s Strong Image… 

Asset or Liability? 

Javier Ruiz de Galarreta – President & CEO, ARAEX Grands-Spanish 

Fine Wines talks about the story behind his company, and its current 

challenges 

Javier Ruiz de Galarreta founded 

the ARAEX group 25 years ago, 

bringing together nine small and 

medium wineries from the Rioja 

Alavesa region. In just a few years, 

ARAEX became one of the main drivers 

of the production and export 

of the entire qualified designation 

of origin. The Alava-born entrepreneur 

recognised the signs of his age 

and created Spanish Fine Wines in 

2001, a second union that grouped 

other wineries from other respected 

Spanish regions. Today, Javier Ruiz 

de Galarreta continues to create 

new wine ventures, characterised 

by quality, global projection and 

respect to the roots and identity of 

Spanish vineyards. We asked him 

why he began in the Rioja subregion. 

Javier Ruiz 

de Galarreta 

President & CEO, ARAEX 

Grands-Spanish Fine Wines 

I received initial support from the 

Chamber of Commerce and Industry 

of Alava. Logically their condition was 

that my project created an export group 

that focused on Basque wineries of the 

Rioja Alavesa region. I also found it very 

challenging to succeed in international 

markets with the wines from this 

subregion, which was relatively unknown 

at the time. And the fact is that, until 

the early 1980s, the great traditional 

producers were all located south of the 

Ebro River, in the Rioja Alta region, and 

monopolised exports. 

Didn’t you limit the area too much then? 

No, I quickly realised that the Alava 

region of the DOCa. Rioja was perfect 

for my project. The Rioja Alavesa region 

has a great potential for quality. The best 

soils for growing Tempranillo in the world 

are right here. Therefore, to exploit this 

potential, I brought together a group of 

nine small and medium very different 

producers, to create a portfolio that was 

as broad and as individual as possible. 

It seemed that the international wine 

industry was waiting for the arrival of the 

wines from Rioja Alavesa. 

In 2001, you created a second group 

of wineries called Spanish Fine Wines. 

Please tell us more about this group. 

It allowed us to optimise our structure and 

design a comprehensive global Spainwide 

portfolio with a specific positioning 

strategy for each of the Rioja Alavesa 

brands: Labastida, Montebuena, 

Baigorri, Luis Cañas, Amaren, Altos R, 

Heredad de Baroja and Lar de Paula. 

Was the quality of the wine the key business 

selection criterion for inclusion in 

Spanish Fine Wines? 

Yes, although another key aspect was 

the growing regions, which had a 

great relevance because of their market 

power and reputation. Hence, Pazo de 

Señoráns of Rias Baixas, Val de Vid in 

Rueda; as for reds, Bodegas Sobreño 

from 

Toro; Ribera del Duero’s Valtravieso; the 

renowned Pago de Cirsus from Navarre 

and Bodegas Muñoz, in the province 

of Toledo, a large wine producing area 

under the umbrella of D.O. La Mancha. 

How do you see the future success in the 

marketing of Rioja wines? 

We must flee from standardisation. 

Rioja has a strong image. It is the 

most important collective trademark in 

Spain. And that, paradoxically, is also 

the problem. Our task is to manage 

the offer by segmenting it, because we 

cannot enter the markets today with a 

collective trademark without providing a 

segmentation by different levels. 

Over the past few years, you have also 

worked on founding The Grand Wines. 

How is this progressing? 

Araex and Spanish Fine Wines market 

The Grand Wines’ products: Villa 

Conchi cavas, which brings together five 

types of cava; a Vino de la Tierra (quality 

wine) under the Gran Sello trademark; 

and the R&G project, which stands for 

Rolland & Galarreta. R&G has given 

me the opportunity to work with Michel 

Rolland, the best-known wine producer 

in the world as a fully integrated partner, 

not only as a consultant, and produce 

a wine from each of the three growing 

regions, Ribera del Duero, Rioja and 

Rueda, under his direction. In October 

2016, our triplet produced 800,000 

bottles. About 450,000 were Rioja 

Alavesa R&G. This is clearly an ambitious 

volume, but the prospects are excellent, 

especially because these premium 

wines have an unbeatable price-value 

ratio. R&G will soon become one of the 

leading Spanish brands in the premium 

wines market 

Level 1 / Stand EF-38 


TRADE TALK 

PRESS CORNER 

Founded in January 2014 in Beijing, Wajiu has become an 

important player in the Chinese wine industry, as more and more 

foreign wineries and international wine professionals are getting to 

know the company. We asked the company’s CEO, Alex Li, to tell us 

what the secret was behind Wajiu’s super-fast growth. 

Wajiu was the first company to 

combine B2B model and Internet in 

the Chinese wine business industry. 

We’ve built a unique B2B platform, 

which connects wine producers with 

wholesalers and retailers in China. 

Using all advantages Internet has to 

offer, we solved the problem of information 

transparency, shrunk intermediate 

links and improved the efficiency 

of the wine industry in China in 

general. 

How is demand evolving over time? 

When I was founding Wajiu in 2014, 

some people were saying that it is not 

a good time to enter the wine industry 

in China, that the time has passed for 

starting something new. But I believed 

that wine industry is an industry 

where increment exceeds stock, and 

saw the problem of Chinese wine 

market being high prices and a lot of 

counterfeit products. 

From 2014 to 2018, the volume of 

imported wine has only been growing. 

In 2017 Wajiu has imported double 

volume compared to 2016, and our 

sales volume was up by 219%. Taking 

into consideration China’s population 

base, consumption increase, wine 

consumption concept changing, I 

think that it is just the beginning of 

rapid growth. 

How is the internet influencing 

sales? 

In the wine industry in China, there 

are too many intermediate links. As 

a result, the cost is very high and the 

efficiency low. Wajiu uses Internet 

opportunities to improve wine industry 

efficiency. We remove intermediate 

links, we work directly with wineries 

on the one side and with Chinese 

wine professionals on the other. 

For our customers, it is very easy and 

convenient to pick a wine they like, in 

spite of having 2,000 different wines 

to choose from. On Wajiu website 

or using Wajiu app, a customer can 

make an order according to one´s 

demands, easily choosing the country 

of origin, price, grape variety, and so 

on. We offer exclusive selling rights 

options to our customers (by region, 

by period of time) depending on their 

Alex Li 

CEO, Wajiu 

Distribution: 

Leveraging the Internet 

Wajiu is headed for Vinexpo Hong Kong – seeking 

resources both upstream and downstream 

purchasing quantity. Based on the 

browsing and purchasing history of a 

customer, we can get a clear picture 

of his or her preferences and favourite 

products. Combining all the data 

together, we can identify best-selling 

products and customer preferences in 

different regions. 

What are the key reasons for coming 

to Vinexpo Hong Kong, and 

how important is the show for you 

in sourcing, information and so on? 

This time, our purchasing team has 

come to Hong Kong to visit Vinexpo, 

because it is a great place to source 

wines. A platform full of networking 

opportunities, we definitely will make 

research here and try to find new 

interesting products. But also, we 

want to deepen our understanding 

of the wine producers’ demands, 

optimise our service content, improve 

our service efficiency, and most 

importantly, integrate the needs of 

wine producers on the one hand 

and customers in China on the other. 

Vinexpo is a very professional wine 

and spirits exhibition in Asia. It is a 

platform for communication between 

high-quality suppliers and wine 

and spirits professionals. Wajiu is a 

link between these two parties and 

Vinexpo will no doubt be the best 

place to concentrate on upstream and 

downstream resources 

James Wells 

Group Publisher, TheShout.com.au 

& National Liquor News – Australia 

YOUR 

SHOUT? 

While he’s been to a number of other 

wine shows, James Wells, Group Publisher, 

TheShout.com.au & National 

Liquor News – Australia is on his way 

to Vinexpo Hong Kong for the first time. 

We asked him what motivated him to 

jump on the plane. 

I am looking forward to seeing the strong 

presence from Australian wineries as the 

“Country of Honour” in 2018 – and in 

particular the First Families of Wine. 

In addition to the exponential growth of 

Australian wine in Asia, it will be good to 

see how producers are embracing the new 

Wine Export grant program. This is an 

exciting development from the Australian 

government – which provides small and 

medium wine producers with the ability to 

claim reimbursement of expenses relating to 

export promotions. 

What do you see as being the main trends 

in the market? 

As Asian wine buyers increase their knowledge 

of Australian wine, the conversation has 

moved away from price and the major wine 

growing areas such as the Barossa and the 

Hunter Valley. Asian wine buyers are well 

researched and are now seeking a deeper 

knowledge of Australian wine – with unique 

varietals, geographic locations which are 

influencing taste and flavour as well as 

provenance and family ownership among the 

key discussion points 




Poised to Celebrate a Glorious 

and Many More to Come 

Exclusive Interview: Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo Group 

Vinexpo Daily News talks to Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo Group, 

about the achievements, major players and opportunities at Vinexpo 

Hong Kong 2018. We firstly asked him what the 20 th anniversary of 

Vinexpo Hong Kong means to him. 

Guillaume Deglise 

CEO, Vinexpo Group 

Vinexpo was a trailblazer when, in 

1998, we launched Hong Kong’s first 

ever wine and spirits trade exhibition. 

I must pay tribute to my predecessors 

who had the vision to foresee the 

enormous growth of the wine and spirits 

trade in the Asia-Pacific region. We 

have taken that vision and turned it into 

an ever-expanding reality. 

What notable developments can you 

highlight? 

Growth, growth and more growth… 

the 20 th edition will be Vinexpo 

Hong Kong’s biggest show when 

over 1,460 exhibitors showcase 

their wines and spirits to 18,000 

professionals. Even more is the 

remarkable expansion of Hong Kong 

as a major wine and spirits trading 

hub within the US$29 bn Asia-Pacific 

wine and spirits sectors. Vinexpo’s 

latest research with IWSR shows 

that the value of this market place 

will reach US$40.8 bn by 2021. 

How international is Vinexpo Hong 

Kong today? 

The exhibition will draw professionals 

from more than 28 major producing 

countries and regions worldwide 

including Australia, China, Chile, 

Italy, Germany, California, New 

Zealand, Japan, South Korea, to name 

a few. The global spread reveals 

Vinexpo Group’s position as the leading 

wine and spirits company on the world 

stage. 

Where does Vinexpo Group figure 

globally? 

Vinexpo now runs exhibitions in five 

set locations: Bordeaux, Hong Kong, 

Tokyo, New York and soon Paris in 

2020, and one unique commercial 

event, Vinexpo Explorer, which draws 

together wine producers and buyers 

Vinexpo thus covers the three continents 

with the highest consumption rates, 

and continues to be the market leader 

for wine and spirits events as the go-to 

forum for producers and buyers. 

THE RANGE 

OF WINES AND 

THE EXPERTISE 

AVAILABLE IS 

IMPRESSIVE 

AND THE 

OPPORTUNITIES 

TO DO BUSINESS 

ARE ALMOST 

LIMITLESS 

What is new about Vinexpo Hong 

Kong this year? 

Our show this year is very Asia- 

Pacific driven. Let me start with 

Australia. In recognition of that 

country’s amazing export achievements, 

we have named Australia Country 

of Honour. The figures speak for 

themselves: in the last 12 months sales 

to China, Hong Kong and Macau rose 

by 51% to reach A$1.04 billion. We 

are partnering with Wine Australia to 

bring more than 150 wine producers 

to Hong Kong. They will reveal 

the diversity of their wines through a 

series of Masterclasses, tastings and 

conferences. Not least, Vinexpo 

partners with Wine Australia to co-host 

The Blend, Vinexpo’s official party on 

May 30 th . 



20 th Anniversary… 

What other major topics stand out? 

China…it is the growth engine for wine 

in Asia-Pacific. The exhibition opens 

with the China Market Conference when 

a panel of experts reveal trends and 

forecasts for wine consumption. Vinexpo 

research shows that within five years 

that mighty country will become the 

world’s second most valuable market 

after the USA. Vinexpo forecasts that by 

2021 wine consumption in China is set 

to increase by over one third, reaching 

sales of $23 billion. 

What about the old world? 

France is the leading exporter to the 

region and brings hundreds of exhibitors 

and dozens of tastings and conferences. 

There is obviously much expectation on 

this country this year. 

Same for Italy, that introduces great 

masterclasses this year and Spain 

whose number of exhibitors is 

rising. But let’s also mention Austria, 

Germany, Portugal, Greece and even 

Georgia and Moldova who contribute to 

a very strong European participation in 

HK. 

What trends are you noting in the 

market? 

As well as growing, the market for wine 

in Asia-Pacific is shifting to an emphasis 

on e-commerce. 

Companies like Vinexpo’s partner 

Alibaba now offer the opportunity 

to directly reach millions of new 

and aspiring wine consumers in China. 

Equally important, Vinexpo/IWSR 

research reveals that wine consumption 

has been climbing since 2016, 

following a three-year decline. 

What do you think will be the impact of 

WOW! among exhibitors? 

The World of Organic Wines! area was 

a big hit when introduced in Bordeaux 

last year. We expect similar enthusiasm 

in Hong Kong. Over 60 organic wine 

producers are exhibiting. That is surely 

an indication of the steady growth of the 

organic market in Asia. 

Are there any new exhibitors of note? 

More than 300 new exhibitors will be 

joining us this year, bringing thousands 

of new references to the show. They are 

obviously fuelled by Australia, this year’s 

country of honour, but the list also includes 

different profiles such as the Chinese 

winery Jilin. And let’s not forget spirits 

with for instance Rhum Neisson, Leopold 

spirits, and Matisse Scotch Whisky. 

What is the break-down of visitor 

numbers? 

Vinexpo Hong Kong attracts six categories 

of visitors. They are importers, wholesale 

and retail businesses, hospitality and 

food service, e-commerce professionals 

as well as specialist institutions 

and associations. The top five visiting 

countries are China and Hong Kong, 

South Korea, Japan, Taiwan and 

Vietnam. 

It is often said Vinexpo Hong Kong 

has helped to develop the way business 

is done in the Asia Pacific region. 

You’re right. Early on we became involved 

with lobbying the Hong Kong authorities 

to make trade easier. This contributed 

ten years ago to the removal of all dutyrelated 

customs. You could say that 

doing business is embedded deep in 

the DNA of Vinexpo Hong Kong. One 

of our key achievements is that we 

bring together professionals and key 

decision-makers from all categories of 

the wine and spirits business. The result 

is that important contacts are made, 

ideas exchanged and sales bloom. 

It sounds as if the edition of Vinexpo 

Hong Kong will be the best so far? 

Without doubt. Vinexpo Hong Kong 

is the most influential wine and spirits 

trade show in this Asia-Pacific region. 

COMPANIES LIKE VINEXPO’S PARTNER 

ALIBABA NOW OFFER THE OPPORTUNITY 

TO DIRECTLY REACH MILLIONS OF NEW 

AND ASPIRING WINE CONSUMERS IN 

CHINA. 

The concentration of buyers and sellers 

is unprecedented. The range of wines 

and the expertise available is impressive 

and the opportunities to do business are 

almost limitless 

Vinexpo Hong Kong 2016, 

visitors’ entrance 

© Nicolas Dhuez - Vinexpo 



SPECIAL FEATURE: GASTRONOMY 

Food & Wine Pairing 

Working towards the perfect marriage of savours and aromas 

With Australia as this year’s official 

partner country, food lovers at Vinexpo 

Hong Kong can discover how well 

Australian Grenache pairs with Asian 

cuisine in a Grenache and Pork Bun 

tasting hosted by Yang Lu, China’s 

first and only Master Sommelier. There 

will also be a session on emerging 

alternative varieties in Australia and 

a ‘coast to coast’ tour of Cabernet 

Sauvignon winemaking. 

WHY DOES FOOD 

& WINE PAIRING WORK? 

In its masterclasses on culinary arts, the 

Ecôle Hotelière de Lausanne underlines 

the fact that restaurant patrons are often 

looking for more than an excellent menu 

and an eclectic atmosphere: they are 

hoping to thoroughly enjoy a dining 

experience. 

For this reason, more and more 

restaurants are moving toward 

an experience-first approach, which 

aims to improve the entire process for 

the restaurant patrons. 

In many cases, restaurant owners, 

managers and chefs turn to food and 

wine pairing to impress their guests. 

Food and wine pairings allow chefs and 

sommeliers to pair individual dishes with 

different wines in hopes of enhancing 

the flavour of both the food and the 

beverage. It is more of a subjective 

process than an exact science, leaving 

plenty of creative space to use to 

impress customers. 

“Food and wine pairing is all about 

balance. The wine must not hide the 

food, the food must not hide the wine”, 

explains Gildas L’Hostis, EHL’s Senior 

Lecturer – Oenology. 

WHY SHOULD RESTAURANT 

MANAGERS AND HOSPITALITY 

INDUSTRY EXPERTS PRIORITISE THESE 

PAIRINGS? 

As experts have noted, drinking alcohol 

has become a pivotal part of the 

restaurant experience. Food and wine 

pairings allow consumers to feel like 

they are making an informed selection 

when they are perusing the menu. 

According to Bloomberg, more people 

than ever (in the US and UK especially) 

are drinking more expensive bottles. This 

showcases the willingness of customers 

to spend more in order to enjoy more 

flavourful wines, particularly those 

that complement their meal and their 

surroundings. “In addition to offering 

different varieties of wine, restaurant 

operators also will want to offer pairings 

at various price points in order to 

include all customers”, continues Gildas 

L’Hostis. 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS 

OF FOOD AND WINE PAIRINGS? 

For Proprietors — It just makes good 

business sense to include food and 

wine pairings. According to Nightclub 

& Bar, pairing alcoholic beverages with 

food menu items makes a restaurant 

not only seem more cosmopolitan and 

interesting, but it also will help drive up 

profits and increase sales. 

For Patrons — Generally, food and wine 

pairings will improve the experience. 

The people will feel more connected to 

the restaurant, and ultimately feel as if 

they atmosphere is enhanced because 

they can trust the selection they have 

made. It gives them an opportunity to 

be adventurous, without being worried 

that they have made the wrong choices. 

Food and wine pairings can be 

incorporated into a menu in a variety of 

ways. Restaurant owners may consider 

creating a food and wine pairing event, 

in which patrons sit down for a severalcourse 

meal. Each course would include 

an expertly crafted food and wine 

pairing aimed at improving atmosphere 

and pleasing the palate. Another option 

would be to list each appetiser, entree 

and dessert on the menu with one or 

two selections for a delicious wine that 

pairs well with it. This allows customers 

to make a choice that fits their own 

unique tastes and desires. 

PAIRING COCKTAILS WITH FOOD 

In another report on pairing – this time 

with cocktails, Nightclub & Bar suggests 

that “Carefully crafted cocktails can lend 

themselves to being paired with food. 

In fact, unlike with beer and wine, 

cocktails can be created at your bar 

with ingredients specifically designed to 

pair with your menu. Your consumers 

are ready; they are characterised as 

adventurous and always looking for the 

next thing” 

FOOD AND 

WINE PAIRING 

IS ALL ABOUT 

BALANCE. THE 

WINE MUST NOT 

HIDE THE FOOD, 

THE FOOD MUST 

NOT HIDE THE 

WINE 


REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: ASIA 

© Nicolas Dhuez 

© Michel Jolyot 

Vinexpo Hong Kong 2016 Vinexpo Hong Kong 2016 

The Rising Dragon 

China set to drive global growth of wine industry 

The remarkable growth of wine 

consumption in China is set to increase 

by over a third to nearly $23bn over the 

next five years, according to new data 

commissioned by Vinexpo from IWSR. 

With consumption of still and sparkling 

wine forecast to reach 192 million 

9-litre cases by 2021, China will be 

propelled into the second most valuable 

world wine market behind the USA. 

For its consumption in volume, China is 

currently ranked fifth for still wine after 

the USA, France, Germany and Italy. 

By 2021 China is expected to overtake 

Italy as the fourth largest market for 

consumption of still wine in volume. 

“As China grows richer, displays of 

knowledge and education are replacing 

wealth as an indicator of status; wine 

is expected to be one of the main 

beneficiaries”, comments Guillaume 

Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo. 

LOCAL SPIRITS DOMINATE 

Spirits such as Baiju make China one of 

the top five spirits consumers. However, 

measured as a share of pure alcohol, 

consumption of Baiju is so high that a 

significant increase is unlikely. 

JAPAN FORECAST AS ONE OF TWO 

MAJOR DRIVERS OF SPARKLING WINE 

CONSUMPTION IN ASIA IN THE NEXT 

FIVE YEARS 

With Australia, Japan pushed sales of 

all categories of sparkling wine in the 

Asia-Pacific region to a total value of 

$2.79 bn in 2016. The two countries 

accounted for over 9 million 9-litre cases 

in 2016 out of total consumption of 

more than 13.3 million cases. 

This drive is forecast to continue over 

the period to 2021 when total value 

of sparkling wine in the region is 

expected to reach $3.73 billion for total 

consumption of 15.8 million cases. 

Approximately half of the growth in 

Japan will come from imports of Chilean 

sparkling wine, buoyed by the success 

and reputation for quality and value for 

money of Chilean still wines. 

Among other sparkling wine categories 

Cava saw the highest gains in 2016 

due to strong growth in Japan. This 

growth is expected to continue over the 

next five years at a CAGR of 8%. 

Guillaume Deglise, CEO of Vinexpo, 

said “Sparkling wine pairs well with 

Japanese food and tiny per capita 

consumption means it has plenty of 

room for growth.” 

KOREA: WINE DRINKING SET TO 

BOUNCE BACK IN NEXT FIVE YEARS 

Growing interest in wine by younger 

consumers in South Korea is set to push 

consumption of still and sparkling wines 

in South Korea over the next five years, 

according to Vinexpo. 

The growth, forecast at 1.2%, will 

add more than 200,000 9-litre cases 

of still wine to consumption by 2021. 

Sparkling wine will show even faster 

growth of 4.3% over the period. This 

growth overcomes an overall volume 

decline of 2.7% in both categories 

during 2016. Consumption is expected 

to rebound from 3.8 million 9-litre cases 

to 4.1 million by 2021. 

The total value of still and sparkling 

wine in the Asia-Pacific region reached 

$29.74 billion in 2016 and is forecast 

to exceed $40 billion by 2021 



REGIONAL SPOTLIGHT: ASIA 

ADVERTORIAL 

JAPAN’S FRENCH 

CONNECTION 

Exclusive Interview: Naoki Watanabe, 

Executive Officer – Suntory Wine 

International 

Tomi no Oka 

winery aging room 

Having studied oenology at the University of Bordeaux 

in the Institute of Vine and Wine Science, where he 

obtained a Diplôme national d’oenologue (National 

Oenology Diploma) in 1994, Naoki Watanabe 

researched reductive characters in wine under the 

supervision of Professor Denis Dubourdieu and had 

training at Chateau Lagrange and Chateau de Fieuzal. 

Back in Japan, Watanabe has been working with Tomi 

no Oka since the 1990’s, and since April 2018, presides 

R&D and general production of domestic wines as COO 

of the Wine Development and Production at Suntory. So, 

what is his most cherished memory from France? 

My internship at Chateau Lagrange, and the collaboration with 

Lafite (DBR), as well as climate-specific viticulture and winemaking. 

That has influenced the current style of Tomi Red, which combines 

a sensation of concentration with distinctive local characteristics of 

sweetness and softness. 

What creates the uniqueness of Japanese wine? 

Japanese wines are not tannic. Rather, they complement food in 

a well-mannered way. Generally, they tend to be softer, tender 

wines, rather than strong, flamboyant ones. 

What makes Tomi no Oka Winery different? 

These are wines made by the winery that pioneered the making of 

authentic Japanese wines. The style of Tomi Red is with a sensation 

of concentration that is also naturally sweet, tender, and soft. With 

Japanese Koshu grapes we also produce dry wines that combine 

the fresh, lively quality of Koshu with a softness that results from the 

climate at Tomi no Oka. 

Please tell me your dream. 

To produce wines at Tomi no Oka that bring out the distinctive 

qualities of the local climate and land, and grapes even more 

so than today. And move the hearts of people around the world 

with our wines. To reach the point where people recognize wines 

from Tomi no Oka in Yamanashi, Japan when they taste one. And 

to see more Japanese wines are enjoyed by people in Asia and 

around the world 

Level 1 / Stand J-65 

Tomi Achieves 

Global Acclaim 

Suntory raises Japan’s wine to 

a world-class standard 

Suntory’s business started with wine. The 

first sale of Akadama Port Wine (now 

Akadama Sweet Wine) by the company’s 

founder, Shinjiro Torii in 1907, laid the 

foundation for the Suntory of today. In 

1936, Shinjiro joined Zenbei Kawakami, 

the “father of Japanese viticulture”, in 

initiating management of a vineyard in 

the Tomi no Oka region of Yamanashi 

Prefecture. 

Operating their own vineyard and 

applying consistent winemaking 

methods, from the growing of 

European grapes exclusively for 

wine to the production and aging of 

the wine itself, Suntory developed 

the skills and know-how that 

culminated in Tomi, a red wine 

that represents Japan proudly 

throughout the world. This 

vineyard, spread out across 

the hills of the Tomi no 

Oka region of Yamanashi 

Prefecture, is known today 

as the Suntory Tomi no Oka 

Winery. 

The passion and skilled 

technique of Suntory’s 

viniculture experts gave birth to 

Tomi no Oka Winery’s flagship 

Tomi 1997, a wine that went 

on to win a gold medal in 

2003 at Les Citadelles du 

Vin (an international wine and 

spirits competition held in the 

Bordeaux region of France), 

an historic first for Japanese 

wine. As such, Tomi no Oka Winery’s 

winemaking has come to achieve world 

acclaim. 

In 2010, wine made with 100% domestic 

grapes was positioned as “Japanese 

Wine”, and the consequent releases of 

the Tomi no Oka winery series and the 

Japan Premium series, wines that pursue 

uniquely Japanese tastes, have met 

with favourable response. This was 

followed by the Shiojiri Winery 

series in 2017, which was also 

received favourably 

DISTRIBUTORS 

China/Hong Kong/Macau 

ASC Fine Wines. 

www.asc-wines.com 

Singapore 

Beam Suntory Asia Pte Ltd. 

www.beamsuntory.com 

Level 1 / Stand J-65 


WHERE 

TO GO 

IN 

Hong Kong 

Restaurants / Bars 

THE OPTIMIST – AN UPSCALE 

SPANISH RESTAURANT & BAR 

IN WAN CHAI 

With chic decor inspired by the bars of Barcelona, 

complete with vintage detailing and lush greenery, the 

Optimist’s up-scale environment is a great place for 

small group or intimate dinners just a stone’s throw from 

the convention centre, in Hong Kong’s Wan Chai. Try 

their excellent brunch buffet upstairs or go for à la carte 

downstairs. Dear diners, please note that reservations 

are for a dining time of 2 hours only. The Optimist is 

one of a number of restaurants belonging to the Pirata 

group in Hong Kong. 

The Optimist 

239 G/F, Hennessy Road 

Wan Chai, Hong Kong 

Phone: +852 2433 3324 

THE WOOLOOMOOLOO 

ROOFTOP BAR 

For drinks with clients, colleagues or friends at the end 

of the day, the rooftop bar above the Wooloomooloo 

steakhouse on Hennessy Road – ten minutes’ walk 

from the convention centre, is absolutely breath- 

taking. Housed on the 3 1st floor, the restaurant’s cool 

and contemporary dining room is fitted with full-length 

windows that frame the magnificent cityscape. But the 

biggest draw is the spacious open-air rooftop terrace, 

a haven for “after show” drinks with wrap-around views 

of bustling Wan Chai and beyond. Drop by for a 

drink or book out the venue for an event to remember. 

The rooftop can house around 100 people (mostly 

standing) on 120 sq m floor space. 

The Wooloomooloo Rooftop Bar 

31/F & Rooftop - The Hennessy 

256 Hennessy Road, Wan Chai 

Reservations: +852 2893 6960 

Whatsapp: +852 9258 6522 

Sight-seeing 

“A RIDE THROUGH HISTORY” 

Hong Kong is famous for its famous Victoria 

Harbour and city skyline. From the Wan Chai 

ferry pier next to the convention centre, taking 

the Star Ferry to the Victoria Harbour port (TST) is 

a cheap and excellent way to take in some great 

harbour views. arriving on the Kowloon side, the 

best place to see the skyline is from Tsim Sha 

Tsui Promenade. Take a relaxing stroll from the 

ferry station onto the Promenade, where you will 

find street performers exhibiting their talents on 

the Avenue of Stars. Every night at 8pm there’s a 

laser show on Victoria Harbour. 

The promenade is likely to be packed with 

people, but the sight is worth it. To get even more 

of the local flavour, try watching the light show 

from the Duk Ling – Hong Kong’s last remaining 

fishing junk – converted into a tourist vessel, on 

which one can savour a glass of wine and take 

in the ambiance. The Duk Ling picks up from 

Central and Kowloon TST piers. 

www.dukling.com.hk/en/home 

BIRDWATCHING 

IN HONG KONG PARK 

The Edward Youde Aviary of Hong Kong Park is 

located just next to the embarkation area of the 

Peak Tram in Hong Kong’s Central district. The 

aviary has a raised walkway that allows visitors 

to walk through the tree canopy, from which 

they can watch the birds, trees and plants at 

various elevations and the whole valley from 

different angles. 

The walkway is wheelchair accessible. Display 

panels with graphic and textual illustrations 

are erected at the entrance of the aviary to 

explain the structure and ecology of a tropical 

rain forest, with particular reference to the 

bird communities in the aviary. To avoid the 

presence of unsightly supporting poles inside 

the aviary, the suspending stainless-steel mesh 

spanning the entire valley are supported by four 

giant arches. 

The area enclosed by the mesh is approximately 

3,000 square metres, with its highest point 30 

metres above the valley floor. After walking 

around the park, why not stop by the adjacent 

(just opened this year) Murray Hotel, which has 

several excellent restaurants and a cosy bar. 

Opening Hours: The aviary is open from 9am to 5pm, 

while the larger park area is open from 6am to 11pm. 

19, Cotton Tree Drive, Central, Hong Kong

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