Port ‘part of Hong Kong’s wine landscape’

The Vintage Port Academy’s annual tasting in Hong Kong shone a light on the Douro’s Single Quintas and classic vintages.

Held at the Conrad Hotel, the event was preceded by a Port decanting competition, sponsored by Symington Family Estates and The Fladgate Partnership.

Eight teams from Hong Kong hotels and restaurants assembled in the Pacific Bar for a timed 1985 Dow’s decanting competition, “with minimum wastage and spillage,” said Euan McKay of Symington.

“It’s important to highlight the presence of vintage Port in the Hong Kong wine trade,” he said. “We’re building momentum, consumers are asking for it and so this is a challenge to members of the trade to provide the best and cleanest pour they can.”

The competition was won by home team, The Conrad, closely followed by Hotel Icon. Runners up were (in alphabetical order) the Hyatt Regency Shatin, Metropark Wan Chai, The Mira, New World Millennium, The Porterhouse by David Laris and The Renaissance.

Nick Heath of Taylor’s Fladgate commented, “Decanting is a form of theatre and sommeliers shouldn’t be afraid to get out and do it in front of the customer. I’m pleased to say all teams were true professionals who demonstrated excellent service under pressure.”

The afternoon then concluded with the Vintage Port Academy’s annual tasting which presented various vintages and Single Quintas to compare the new 2013 vintage as well as older classic vintages.

Vintages on offer were 1998 and 2004 Taylor’s Vargellas, 1998 and 2004 Croft, 1998 and 2004 Warre’s Quinta Da Cavadinha, 1998 and 2013 Dow’s Quinta de Senhorado Ribeira, 1965 and 2004 Graham’s Quinta dos Malvedos and 1976 and 2013 Fonseca.

McKay finished: “As the Vintage Port Academy completes its sixth year and begins to plan for its seventh, we are encouraged by the additional visibility that Vintage Port is now seeing in this part of the world.

“When I first started travelling regularly to Asia, some 10 years ago, it was rare to find a decent range of vintage Ports in all but with the most exclusive of cellars, now the situation is quite different and although the Vintage Port Academy cannot take all the credit for this, we believe that it is certainly one of the principle factors.”

“So it was very pleasing to see the enthusiasm that was shown at the decanting contest and at the trade tasting that followed.”