Wine Tasting in Hong Kong: A Beginner's Guide

I absolutely love wine, but my experiences with it before Hong Kong were usually quite bipolar--either I was shamelessly buying cases of $1 wines at the supermarket, or insecurely sipping some kind of Bordeaux, trying to detect hints of wet wool, shoe polish, and self-worth. Who knew there was a whole other universe of exciting and approachable wines? Contrary to appearances, Hong Kong is a gold mine of casual, affordable, and eclectic wine tastings, and in my quest to learn more about what the hell I was drinking, I've discovered a few great companies that offer fun wine events at very decent prices.

1) The Flying Winemaker

Founded by Eddie Mcdougall (HK born and raised in Australia), The Flying Winemaker has a casual and fun approach to wine tasting and education. Their events are a mix of themed tastings and wine classes, and I always discover unique but value for money wines each time. What I really appreciate most is the intimate, laid back environment and Eddie's democratic approach to wine--you can bet he knows his stuff though, since he actually makes his own wines in Australia...

Absolutely loved this Gewurztraminer! Such a memorable taste of lychees and summer, I bought a bottle and drank it while watching Mexico lose to Netherlands, so I guess it soothed the pain somewhat...

Pairing wines with Cantonese roast meats

Hi Eddie

Some bonus pictures from their annual Rosé Revolution boat trip, free flow rosé with fresh seafood lunch, intended to shine a light on an under-appreciated genre:

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/theflyingwinemaker

2) Amber Wines

Amber Wines specializes in wine consulting, and you can tell from the personalized approach in their events. They aim to host events that are multi-dimensional and often partner with restaurants for food and wine pairings. While they focus on old world wines, the prices are all very affordable for the quality. I went to their "wines and herbs pairing" where we learned about what kind of herbs bring out the aromas of different wines, enjoyed canapes that incorporated each herb (with the chef present to explain his cooking!), and met other wine fans. I would actually say the level of client service is even more dedicated than The Flying Winemaker, since I still get personalized emails (or so I'd like to believe) about upcoming tastings.

Sauvignon Blanc with Thyme

Gewurztraminer with Cinnamon

Syrah with Coriander

Some Bordeaux red with Rosemary

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/amberwinesltd

3) Cellarmaster Wines

Cellarmaster Wines is actually an online wine & spirits shop, but once in a while they have fun events to showcase their inventory. I went to an "Around the World" event which was absolutely dangerous for my sobriety and bank account--unlimited tasting of over 100 wines from around the world for US$25. Granted, their strategy was probably to get you tipsy enough to buy everything on the wine list...which was extremely effective...

WINES

They also sell some rums--these are from a rum distillery in Fiji, sooo yummy and festive with flavors like White Chocolate and Golden Honey

Chef of Ham & Sherry cutting ham...what's not to like...

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/cellarmasterwines


Photos courtesy of: Kenneth Wu, Amber Wines, Cellarmaster Wines