*If you are looking for the Hong Kong Wine & Festival 2o18 Guide, learn more here.
Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2017 kicks off on Thursday and we cannot wait! Hong Kong Foodie has been eagerly awaiting this annual event organised by the Hong Kong Tourism Board. There is a plethora of activities and events being staged as part of the festival. Here are seven things you must do while you are there.
1. Watch top chefs cook up a storm in the Tasting Room
This year’s Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival will be attended by a super-exciting chef line-up. Watch out for US maestro Curtis Duffy whose acclaimed Chicago restaurant Grace holds three Michelin stars. Accompanying him is Taiwan-born André Chiang, one of Asia’s most influential chefs and known for his “Octa-philosophy” of including eight elements in each of his dishes. The final member of the talented trio is Singaporean chef Janice Wong, nicknamed the Dessert Queen. You may recognise her face from Australia’s Masterchef on TV, where she has appeared as a guest judge. The threesome will cook up exquisite dishes in the festival’s Tasting Room.
2. Discover a world of food in the FeedMe lane
Visitors might find it hard to leave the Tap & Go FeedMe Lane, which is set to host some of the most stylish and trendy restaurants presenting foods from around the world. Rubbing shoulders together are Picada’s Latino cuisine, Cassio’s contemporary Spanish tapas, DJAPA’s inspired nipo-brasileiro dishes, Chili Fagara which brings the heat of Sichuan to Hong Kong and Bib n Hops which seeks to put its own twist on Korea’s classics
3. Taste the best local cuisine
Hong Kong’s long and varied history has seen it embrace a plethora of cuisines and make them its own. Now you can discover Hong Kong on a plate as you taste those influences and sample some of the most delicious dishes Hong Kong has to offer. From Drunken Pot’s yummy hot pots to Lai Bun Fu’s traditional Chinese cuisine, there is plenty to get excited about if you want to eat like a local in Hong Kong.
4. Attend a quality wine tasting
Hosted at the Robert Parker Wine Advocate Pavilion, an eclectic range of classics and rising stars are on offer to suit all palates. Spain and Portugal kick off the proceedings, with the US, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, France and Latin America hot on their heels. If you are a connoisseur of fine wines, make your way to the Grand Wine Pavilion where amongst others, you can taste a 2014 vintage Clos Apalta Valle de Colchagua from Chile and Italy’s 2010 offering, a Valdicava Brunello di Montalcino Madonna del Piano Riserva.
5. Learn how a glass can change your life
Did you know that certain wine glass shapes can enhance a wine’s flavour? We would expect to be able to differentiate your champagne flutes from your coupes but could you tell a Cabernet Sauvignon glass from a Pinot Noir? The type of glass you choose can of course affect your enjoyment of the wine you are drinking. We are looking forward to attending the Riedel Glass Tasting Classes at the festival and find out more.
6. Bubbles galore
Sticking with the theme of fizz, the show’s Bubbly Gala will give you the opportunity to channel your inner glam when sampling some very special vintages. Sample the finest wine from boutique champagne growers to fruit-based Japanese sake and handmade Korean makgeolli. The latter’s even a health enhancer, we are told.
7. Shop till you drop
You did not think we would let you leave empty-handed, did you? Fortunately, at The Concept Store, you will be able to pick up some of the most innovative and desirable lifestyle accessories currently on the Hong Kong market. We love the fun Serving Hand, a wine stopper and stabilizer, ideal for wine chilling in a compact fridge and the cute little Meow Waiter’s Corkscrew which they have designed to sit horizontally so that it can be stored easily.
You will find Hong Kong Wine & Dine Festival 2017 at the Central Harbourfront event space. The action kicks off at 7.30pm on Thursday 26th October running until 11.30pm – Hong Kong Foodie will be there on opening night and we would love you to join us. Then on Friday 27th and Saturday 28th, the festival runs from noon, wrapping up at 11.30pm. On Sunday 29th, the show begins at noon and concludes at 10pm. The festival is the opener for the Hong Kong Great November Feast, a month of gastronomic indulgence, wine tastings and street carnivals taking place across the territory.
Different types of Wine Passes are available for purchase. Classic Wine Pass and Grand Wine Pass can be purchased online in advance with admission fee waived. For more details, visit Discover Hong Kong.
Photo Credit: Hong Kong Tourism Board