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Reggie Ho

The show returns to Hong Kong today and will showcase the widest range ever presented in the region by an elite group of exhibitors

VINEXPO ASIA-PACIFIC is back in Hong Kong today for a three-day run after a long absence.

This regional edition of the show debuted in Hong Kong eight year ago and is back at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre after two  shows in Tokyo.

Set to showcase the widest range of wines and spirits ever presented in Asia, with 60,000 bottles ready to be opened, the Vinexpo is where wine professionals come to network.

The relatively modest number of exhibitors - about 600 - was deliberate, said Vinexpo Overseas chief executive Robert Beynat.

'If you went into a shop and there were 100 wines in front of you that you didn't know, you wouldn't buy any. If you want people to get to know the products, you don't want to confuse them,' he said.

'We have selected the best companies that have already invested in Asia and have a presence here.'

Exhibitors see the expo as an opportunity to cash in on the fast-growing Asian market. 'Our wines are distributed in about 60 countries worldwide, including most countries in Asia and Oceania,' said Antonio Michael Zaccheo  of Carpineto winery in Tuscany, Italy.

'Because of the geographic proximity of these countries to Hong Kong, we expect to see most of our importers in this part of the world.'

Mr Zaccheo said he hoped his booth would attract new clients.

Bordeaux specialist Cordier Mestrezat Grands Crus hopes to act as ambassador for the region.

'This is our third time exhibiting [at Vinexpo Asia-Pacific] ... as a leading Bordeaux exporter covering 110 countries, we must show the attractiveness of Bordeaux wines,' said director of export sales Ronan Tremelot.

France is the largest wine exporter to major Asian markets. But New World wines, especially those from Australia and Chile, are catching up fast with an estimated growth rate of 88.3 per cent and 82.2 per cent respectively between 2004 and 2010, according to a 2006 study by Vinexpo and the International Wine and Spirit Record  (IWSR).

Ranked second as a wine exporter to Asia in terms of volume, the United States remains a force to be reckoned with.

Notable new world wineries represented at the expo include Green Point in the historic Yarra Valley in Australia, which started out as a mixed farm but became known for its wines in the latter half of the 19th century; and Newton in Napa Valley, California, famed for its artisan techniques and unfiltered wines.

Spirits are also featured at the expo. The Vinexpo/IWSR study indicates that whisky, especially single malt, is gaining  popularity along with vodka.

Annie Ke, assistant manager of Matisse Scotch Whisky Group, said the brand had achieved much success in Taiwan and  the mainland, and the time was right to explore other markets.'Hong Kong is the centre for trading in Asia. We think that Vinexpo Asia-Pacific is the perfect opportunity to help buyers get to know our product better,' she said.

Some whisky exhibitors said single malt whiskies, with a wider range of tastes and characters unique to production years, were more interesting than cognac. And while the two were very different drinks, both could serve as good company for special occasions such as wedding banquets.

A regular feature of Vinexpo is The University, an extensive programme of tastings, workshops, conferences and seminars.

Two seminars on how to match wine with four Asian cuisines - Japanese, Thai, Malaysian and Chinese - will be hosted by Simon Tam,  director of the International Wine Centre. Chefs from the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong will be there to offer their perspectives.

'For a long time wine pairing has been driven by the west, but not enough people there know what true Asian foods are,' Mr Tam said. 'We need to put a local slant to it. The food has to come first.'

The expo is for trade purposes only, but the public can participate in three events being offered by the InterContinental Grand Stanford Hong Kong in Tsim Sha Tsui,   where many visiting winemakers will be staying.

The events began yesterday and will continue until tomorrow. They include Wine Tables (intimate gatherings with winemakers over food) and Wine Dinners at the hotel's Australian outlet, Belvedere Restaurant and Wine Bar, and Italian restaurant, The Mistral. The events will cost $488 a person.

At Tiffany's New York Bar, a tasting station will be set up to offer customers free samplers.

Fair facts

Date  Today to Thursday

Time 9.30am-6.30pm

Venue Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre

Organiser Vinexpo SAS (Societe par Actions Simplifiees), Bordeaux, France

Edition Fourth (Asia-Pacific)

Audience Wine and spirits importers, wholesalers, retailers, duty free buyers, restaurant professionals, sommeliers and others in the trade

Number of exhibitors About 600

Total floor space 5,800 square metres

Milestones

1981 Vinexpo was held for the first time in Bordeaux, France, attracting 524 exhibitors (including 96 from outside France) from 21 countries and 11,000 visitors from 50 countries.

The show has been held in the famous wine region every odd year since.

1998 Vinexpo organised its first event outside France, in Hong Kong.

2000 The second Asia-Pacific Vinexpo took place in Tokyo in June.

2002 Vinexpo Asia-Pacific was held again in Tokyo in June; Vinexpo Americas was born in October, in New York, to cater to the American wine industry.

2004 The second Vinexpo Americas was held in Chicago in June.

2005  About 2,370 exhibitors from 43 countries, 48,958 visitors from 147 countries and 1,200 journalists attended Vinexpo in Bordeaux.



Wine and spirits flow into the heart of Asia