Rioja Grand Tasting In Hong Kong

Rioja came back to Hong Kong yesterday with a whole afternoon dedicated to the wines from the region during which local media were invited to have a lunch of Michelin-starred Chinese food at The Langham Place’s Ming Court restaurant paired with some classic Rioja wines, a Rioja master class held by local sommelier and wine professional Peter Kwong, alongside a full afternoons tasting of over 50 wineries from Rioja present.

The Rioja Grand Tasting is part of the ongoing communication campaign that the Rioja Wine Council is developing in Hong Kong and mainland China. The campaign, targeting wine media, professionals and opinion leaders has succeeded in creating awareness for the region of Rioja and the Rioja Brand which is being perceived now as a guarantee of quality wines.

Despite economic problems is Spain as a whole, Rioja itself managed to sell over 355 million bottles worldwide in 2012 – an annual record for the region – with 40 per cent of these wines being exported to foreign markets.

The event was attended by importers currently selling wines in the city and by many looking for representation in the city. Wines from all over the Rioja region were available to taste while many of the winemakers and export managers were present alongside their importers to talk people through their wines and teach them more about the region as a whole and winemaking within the region.

The Rioja master class, held by the influential Peter Kwong included a tutored tasting of regional Rioja wines as well as a history of the region itself and an outline of the factors that make Rioja wines so unique.

Jose Maria de Castaneda of Familia Martinez Bujanda whose wines are imported by Victoria Wines in Hong Kong said; “It’s great to see so many people here to celebrate the wines of Rioja. People in Hong Kong seem to be enjoying Spanish wines and Spanish culture more so these days which is great for everyone”.

Other notable wineries present included Bodegas Muga (Montrose Wines), Bodegas Paco Garcia (Victoria Wines), Bodegas Altanza (Wine Hut), Marques de Caceras (Kedington Wines), Bodegas Corral (Experia Limited), Bodegas Contador (Prince Fine Spanish Wines) and Bodegas Beronia (Amorosso Fine Wines).

Our mission for the day was to taste all the white wines present (which was easy as there were less than 10 whites that are available in Hong Kong in the room) so we could write about Rioja white wines and give them a little bit of exposure as summer draws nearer. Most of the whites are made from the Viura grape and there were some lovely whites on offer – but that’s another story and we’ll probably have that to you later today or tomorrow!

Speaking to a crowded room of wine media professionals, organizer Jose Manuel Chicot noted that Spanish wines, especially those from Rioja have found a place in the hearts of drinkers in Asia and in particular here in Hong Kong and that the popularity of wines from Rioja is steadily growing with the style of wine very suited to both the Asian palate and Asian food styles.

The Rioja road show moves on from Hong Kong to Shanghai later this week where the wineries will be showcasing their wines to potential buyers and drinkers on the mainland, a country that is the seventh largest importer of wines from Rioja and one where wines from the region have seen steady year-on-year growth in consumption.