On November 22nd, 2024, a delegation representing prestigious Châteaux from the Union des Grands Crus de Bordeaux (UGCB) visited Hong Kong to present their 2021 vintage to more than 700 attendees during a trade tasting event at Regent Hotel in Tsim Sha Tsui.
“We are delighted to be back in Hong Kong for the second time this year after our previous visit during Vinexpo Asia in May. With its thriving fine wine culture and its position as a major wine trade hub, Hong Kong is the highlight of our annual Asia tour”, said Mr. Ronan Laborde, president of the UGCB which brings together 132 member estates located exclusively in the most distinguished wine-producing areas of the Bordeaux region.
After Japan, South Korea and Taiwan, UGCB concluded its Asia wine tour in Hong Kong to share their passion for fine wines with professionals from the local food & beverage industry. At the tasting, owners and representatives from 62 Châteaux were present to showcase the 2021 vintage of their wines produced in eminent appellations such as Graves, Pessac-Léognan, Saint-Emilion, Pomerol, Listrac & Moulis-en-Médoc, Haut-Médoc, Margaux, Saint-Julien, Pauillac, and Saint-Estèphe.
2021 was a “long-haul” vintage marked by a quick start, a cloudy mid-season, and ending with a radiant homestretch, a decisive factor for gently reaching the perfect ripeness of the red grapes varieties.
The harvest grapes achieved good levels of tannins and anthocyanins (colour), to offer wines of delicious drinkability.
The weather conditions, with temperatures not too warm sparing the region from drought, enabled the production of deeply aromatic and finely balanced dry white wines.
The sweet wines, created from late harvest in October, enjoyed very favorable meteorology to support the spread of noble rot, essential for their excellence.
Wines from Bordeaux have long dominated the Hong Kong fine wines market, accounting for 67% of French Grands Crus exports to the territory in value in 2024 (French customs), while France is Hong Kong’s largest supplier of wines, representing 62% of the territory’s imports in value in 2023 (HK Census and Statistics Department).
