With wine bars being all the rage of late in Hong Kong, it's useful to step back and consider just what makes a venue worthy of that moniker. With that in mind, I recently penned this article which I invite you to peruse and let me know your thoughts on the subject. Of course, I'm always open to exploring the topic with you further over a tasty glass of California wine at CV!

Cheers, and enjoy the read! -

Susan

THE HONG KONG WINE BAR SCENE

They’re Hot, But Are They the “Real” Deal?

Susan J. Darwin

October 2011

Anyone who participates in the vibrant Hong Kong social scene is aware that one of the hottest local trends in food and beverage is the wine bar venue.  While specific concepts and offerings vary, it seems that, in neighborhoods throughout the city, we are constantly learning of an imminent or recent opening of a self-proclaimed “wine bar” which, for the established and aspiring wine-lovers among us, is a welcome and wonderful development.

From a global perspective, Hong Kong is now experiencing a phenomenon that was spawned decades ago in places such as Paris, London and San Francisco, and truly gained momentum in the last 10-15 years. From the long-standing Willi’s Wine Bar in Paris to the hot new Terroir in New York City, wine-centric bars and restaurants have become part of the entertainment fabric for much of the Western World.

So why now in Hong Kong?

Of course, the relative strength of the Asian economy and increase in disposable consumer income have attracted luxury good producers, retailers and service providers from all over the world to the region, and as a primary financial and retail hub, Hong Kong has been identified as an ideal point of entry to reach this target market.  In the wine sector, the government’s elimination of tariffs in April 2008 made that decision all the more compelling.

At the same time, awareness, interest and appreciation for wine has been growing exponentially within the local population.  As the quality, diversity and breadth of dining options has expanded, more and more people are discovering wine as an ideal complement to their culinary experiences.  It is also quite the social beverage in that It is relatively low in alcohol; can be sipped slowly on Its own or with a meal; and encourages dialogue among those sharing in the tasting process. For many in the socially-active millennial generation, wine has become the drink of choice and an area for continuous exploration and self-expression. And for our robust Western ex-pat community, it provides a connection to a component of their lifestyle they enjoyed at home. Finally, recent medical research pointing to the health benefits of balanced wine consumption certainly has not hurt.

In the midst of all this excitement and hype about what is ostensibly a positive trend, it is worthwhile to stop and consider just what constitutes a genuine “wine bar” for, just as has occurred in every other market where this trend has taken hold, it seems that any restaurant with a wine list is now opting to add the “wine bar” moniker to its name due to the marketing cache that label confers.

But merely having a selection of wines by the glass does not a wine bar make! Since the purpose of a wine bar, in its purest sense, is to provide an environment where guests can explore, discover, learn about and enjoy wine, a wine bar should carry a broad range of diverse, high-quality offerings, ideally unified by a core theme, such as value wines, bio-dynamic wines or, in the case of our wine bar, California Vintage (CV), boutique California wines.  And because, since the earliest societies, wine and food have gone hand-in-hand, it should offer a menu of complementary cuisine.

The foundation of that formula is a quality selection of wines.  At CV, we took a unique approach to developing our portfolio in that, rather than starting with available product options, we identified wineries that possessed the authentic character and tradition of quality that would allow us to realize our mission of delivering “the authentic California wine experience”.  We then forged partnerships with 22 wineries that met our criteria and, on an ongoing basis, select wines from each of their offerings that collectively provide us with a desired product mix.

In terms of offering an extensive wine-by-the-glass selection, the challenge is how to preserve quality and minimize wastage when dealing with an organic product whose best and worst friend is oxygen. While initially, contact with the air helps the wine to breathe and open up, over time, it causes it to oxidize and break down. In all too many cases, the local wine enthusiast experiences that sense of impending disappointment when, upon ordering a glass of wine,  the server grabs a bottle from behind the bar which shows no signs of having been properly preserved, and with no indication how long it has been open.

Several preservation techniques have been developed over the years to address this challenge, from vacuum pumps to nitrogen spray cans to, more recently, inert gas preservation systems. At CV, we have selected a state-of-the-art system from California-based Napa Technology called the WineStation™ which allows us to offer 90 wines in 3 different tasting sizes, spanning a range of regions, varietals, price points and styles.  This industry-leading solution allows us to both provide our guests with a broad range of choices and preserve the integrity of our wines. In addition, with its embedded smartcard functionality, the WineStation™ system truly engages our customers in the selection process while providing us with insights into their behaviors and preferences.

The third key component is a knowledgeable and informative environment.  This implies that a wine bar must ensure that its servers are well-trained and informed -- both about the wines and how to serve it – and prepared to assist customers with the selection process. It also suggests that the venue should offer tools and programs that both encourage and support the guest’s wine discovery process, without being didactic along the way.  At CV, since we only carry the wines of our 22 winery partners, we have deep knowledge and understanding of the people, philosophies and practices that go into the wines that we carry. Taking it a step further, we have embedded that background, along with details about all of the wines on our list, in our interactive iPad menus so that guests can either explore on their own or engage our servers in their pursuit of knowledge about our products. We also offer featured flights and tasting events for those wine enthusiasts who are eager for more. In many cases, these involve in-person visits from our partner wineries so that our customers have the opportunity to interact and learn directly from the very individuals who crafted the wines that they are enjoying.

Last but certainly not least is the complementary culinary component of the wine bar formula. Again using CV as an example, we have developed a Seasonal Pairing Menu that uses genuine California ingredients – e.g. Cowgirl Creamery cheeses; Harris Ranch Angus beef; Napa Valley olive oils – and organized our offerings according to suggested wine pairings.  While the latter are not hard-and-fast, our guests have truly found them useful in making both their wine and food selections.  They have also made it clear that food is not just a “bit player” at CV, but key to their overall enjoyment of the experience.

The bottom line here is that, in a society which has demonstrated an interest in and appreciation for wine as part of their dining and social experiences, wine bars can play a valuable role in satisfying their demands – provided they step “up to the bar”!

Cheers!

*************

Susan Darwin is the Chief Branding Officer in California Vintage, a chain of California-themed wine bars which made its debut in January 2011 with the opening of a flagship venue at 77 Wyndham St. in Central, Hong Kong. Over the next five years, the company plans to open over 80 outlets throughout Asia, expanding within Hong Kong and into mainland China, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea and beyond.