Wine in Hong Kong: Seven types to drink for every occasion

By: Eddie McDougall

Eddie McDougall is the award-winning winemaker, wine judge, columnist and TV personality behind The Flying Winemaker store located on Wyndham Street. We called upon Eddie’s decade of winemaking experience and in-depth knowledge of drinking trends to find out what we should be pouring as the weather heats up in Hong Kong.

For taking to a barbecue
Roberto Voerzio’s Priavino Dolcetto d’Alba 2012
Great with anything smoked, charred, fatty, juicy or bloody. (Writing that has just made me ridiculously hungry – and thirsty!)

For sundowners on the roof
2008 Rose of Sharon Sparkling
Stop buying champagne and instead do sundowners with Sharon, from the Hemel En Aarde Valley in South Africa. Pink drops are the best!

For a beach picnic
L’Armangia Moscato d’Asti 2012
A sweet and poppy wine that could fool anyone into thinking it’s adult creaming soda. Enjoy with cucumber sandwiches or hummus and crackers. Works a treat!

For afternoons by the pool
Sigalas Assyitko from Santorini Greece
Can’t get to the Greek Islands this summer? Then laze by the pool wrapped in your towel (or toga!) and let the slight saltiness this white wine presents transport you. Got some fresh calamari? These two were made for each other.

For drinking with a summer salad
Mahi Sauvignon Blanc 2013
This wine from Marlborough, New Zealand, is a great one to enjoy with the likes of beetroot, cucumber and feta.

For drinking with friends on a balmy evening
Initial honest answer: beer! But if you’re inclined to drink wine then go for a light red like a Pinot Noir such as Innocent Bystander from the Yarra Valley, Australia. People often associate balmy nights with only whites, but a light red, at times even sat on ice (though not super-chilled), wins out in my opinion.

For Friday nights after work
Grover Viognier Reserve Blanc
You want something you can drink fast that has a tone of flavour so you can blow away the week gone by. I usually kick off with a Viognier – it’s well known that I’m a sucker for this varietal, and since I’m also prone to be a bit of a wine rebel, I’d say that the Grover from India fits nicely here.