Cracker Barrels

Leading wine industry figures from across Asia joined local connoisseurs for the inaugural Bordeaux Confidential En Primeur

t’s like being in Bordeaux for the en primeur tastings in April,” wine critic James Suckling told a gathering of industry luminaries at Hong Kong’s first major barrel tasting of Bordeaux wines. More than three dozen châteaux poured their 2015 wines for almost 400 top trade members and connoisseurs at the Asia Society Hong Kong Centre on May 23.

James, CEO of Jamessuckling.com and wine editor of Hong Kong Tatler, had tasted about 800 barrel samples in Bordeaux the previous month and deemed the 2015 vintage an outstanding one, especially in the Right Bank districts of Pomerol and Saint-émilion.

Bordeaux Confidential En Primeur 2015 was organised by Jamessuckling.com and Hong Kong Tatler in association with Cathay Pacific and the Bordeaux wine merchants CVBG. Lalique provided the tasting glasses.

Highlights of the tasting included samples from such illustrious estates as Giscours, Pape Clément, Pichon Baron, Péby-faugères, Smith Haut Lafitte, and Valandraud. Many other châteaux were also at the event, with some of their wines costing as little as HK$150 a bottle. Reds, dry whites and sweet whites were poured. To ensure quality, all the