Hong Kong Wine & Spirits Fair Opens 8 November Fair To Feature Wine Tastings, Master Classes, Expert Seminars

The HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair, among the largest fairs of its kind in Asia, will open next month with more than 930 exhibitors from over 30 countries and regions taking part.

The fair's fifth edition opens November 8 and continues through November 10 at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre. Exhibitors from Azerbaijan and Russia are first-time participants. France and Italy will feature the largest pavilions. The first two days are for trade only, with the final day, 10 November, open to trade and the public (admission HK$200).

50 Events on Offer
A wide variety of wine, spirits and other alcoholic beverages, along with wine accessories and equipment and such related services as wine logistics and training, will be showcased. Over the fair's three days, about 50 events, from wine tastings and master classes to expert seminars, will be presented.

Fair highlights will include the Wine Industry Conference, November 8, under the theme "The Future of the Global Wine Industry - Trends and Opportunities." The conference will cover such topics as fortifying Hong Kong's role as a wine hub, wine production and consumption trends in China and building a wine culture. The 4th Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition Award Presentation Ceremony and "A Mid-Autumn Night's Dream of Truffles" gala wine dinner will both be held on the evening of November 8. Three Michelin- star chefs have been invited to prepare dishes for the glamorous night. The Asia Top Sommelier Summit will take place November 9, with a theme of Education versus Competition for Professional Sommeliers.

A Wine Education zone has been created to cultivate wine appreciation and provide training for industry professionals. Other wine education offerings range from daily wine-tasting sessions to master classes and seminars. Cocktail demonstrations will be held daily in the Ice Bar, where Hong Kong companies Branded Spirits, Edrington Hong Kong Ltd and Leung Yick Co. Ltd, will showcase various types of spirits.

Industry experts at the Asian Logistics and Maritime Conference (ALMC), which opens November 8, will discuss the latest trends, opportunities and challenges in Asia's booming wine market, as well as address some of the challenges facing the wine supply chain.

Fine Wine Tasting Sessions
Public Day, November 10, will include a seminar on "WHY WINE? on the health benefits," with Serena Friedman, a medical doctor and a California wine producer, leading the session. Public day will also feature a master class on "Exploring Chinese Wine," with Beijing-based wine writer Jim Boyce among the speakers. Fine Wine Tasting sessions spotlighting wine from Australia, France, Italy and Spain are other notable public day offerings. Admission fee for the Fine Wine Tasting sessions is HK$500, which includes free entry to the fair on the same day. "The Most Beloved Wine" voting game award presentation will also take place November 10.

Bull Horns to Champagne and Beer
Some 75 buying missions from 28 countries and regions, representing more than 2,900 buyers, are expected at the fair. They will be spoiled for choice.

Notable exhibitors will include:
- The Abrau-Durso Winery, the oldest sparkling wine producer in Russia
- Georgian Valleys Corporation, whose Jani Red Wine comes in a horn-shaped ceramic bottle. Georgians are known to toast with real bull horns filled with wine during special celebrations.
- The Merit Wine Boutique will display the world's largest bottle of Champagne. Its Armand De Brignac Champagne weighs 45kg, with a volume equivalent to 40 standard (750ml) Champagne bottles.
- Branded Spirits Ltd will showcase its Tequila Corralejo, made using only 100 per cent blue agave. Miss Mexico, Elisa Najera Gualito, will be on hand to promote the company's products. <