Letters | Vineyards in Hong Kong? Why wine lovers are likely to be left cold by the idea

Reading Time:1 minute

The chairman of the West Kowloon Cultural District Authority has floated the idea of cultivating vineyards in city’s new art district. Photo: Edward Wong

Published: 11:02am, 19 Feb 2019Updated: 11:01am, 19 Feb 2019

I was surprised to see vine growing being advocated in Hong Kong (The key question for arts hub vineyard – Chardonnay or Merlot?, February 17). I grew wine grapes (pinot noir) in Wales for over 20 years, and have read extensively on the subject. I have also drunk wine made in Queensland, Australia, at about the same latitude south as Hong Kong is north. All I would say is: don’t waste too much money on this, it probably won’t work and, even if it does, the wine will probably not be much good.

Grape vines are often said not to thrive when ambient temperatures rise above 29 degrees Celsius, as they cannot get water up to the leaves fast enough to keep the leaves cool.

Thus, in Hong Kong, unless the vines are air-conditioned in the summer, they will probably not succeed. Comparison with Bordeaux is not really valid, as the humidity may not be very different to Hong Kong’s but the temperature certainly is.

Secondly, wine made in the tropics in Australia could, in my opinion, at best be called ‘interesting’. It was quite unlike any wine I have drunk before or since, and notable in that, when I opened a bottle for my father, who was a knowledgeable, experienced and enthusiastic wine drinker, he refused to consider a second mouthful. This wine, in our opinions, fell into that well-known wine-writers’ category – DNPIM (do not put in mouth).

I doubt that any of this will deter involved enthusiasts from experimenting with growing wine grapes in Hong Kong, but I suggest they don’t expect much, and not invest too much.

Christopher Heneghan, Abergavenny, Wales