So we are fit enough to play Commonwealth hosts? Well, almost. We are surely capable of international hockey and cricket matches. We can even roll out the right red for fashion shows and movie events. Our restaurants too are luring the right palates. What then about our wines?
This was the primary question in my head when I walked in to meet with Robert Baynat and Dominique Dubreuil, who were in the capital to represent one of the world?s largest and definitely most talked about wine fair, Vinexpo. The event has a local chapter held in Hong Kong once every two years and this year it will be held at the same harbour-facing venue in the last week of May.
They had lots of positive things to tell me. Recession notwithstanding, the response was tremendous and they are expecting record visitors this year. Asia has been the least affected and the fastest of economies to recover from last year?s aftermath. Wine consumption patterns are positive all through and this will greatly help rekindle sales.
I also asked how they intended to make such international exhibitions more locally relevant seeing as how wine wasn?t a native to Asian cultures. The response was quick-pairing exercises with wine would be conducted with Asian cuisines and platters so that the relevance of wine is easier to convey as also to understand. Apart from these, there would be several master-classes and vertical tastings that would aim to educate the attendees about the different wine regions and wine styles of the world. These then would be conducted in a manner not too different as done elsewhere, as the knowledge dispersed is absolute in nature.
Finally I skidded in with the question on Indian wines. Would they be present? Were they going to show and how would they fare? They shared that the applications couldn?t be processed this year (not many Indians would have applied in the first place, I suspect) as the slots were all full. However, they did feel excited about the idea in the future as many local winemakers have been consistently visiting Vinexpo in Bordeaux, the mothership, for quite a few years now, and have come away impressed and educated.
All in all, a fun and fruitful meeting. For a preview they were serving some very good wines (and not just French). I may make it there, more so to see how many Indian enthusiasts are there than anything else. That and also to enjoy Hong Kong. I never get tired of this lovely little piece of China, with its vibrant gastronomy and almost-hectic nightlife.
?The writer is a sommelier