The Auswine Forum

hi all just a query:

my brother is over there on business, any recommendations as to what i should ask him to bring me back? i know that champers is not worth the risk!!

any suggestions from recent travellers appreciated.

cheers

Don't want to disillusion you ... but I lived in HK for 6 years (my wife is HK Chinese!) and always found the wines expensive. There are a few places like Olivers in Central and other specialist shops but all over-priced due to Chinese way of thinking (price=quality=face ).

Penfolds etc sell for well over the odds, 50%+ markup on Oz/NZ. Bordeaux? - cheaper to ship from UK I suspect.

Can your brother get over to Macau? I used to load up over there with Portugese wines and come back with 10+ bottles hand-carried through customs who don't really care as long as you are a "gweilo" (a.k.a. European pisshead). Almost all of the wines can be obtained in the Macau Ferry terminal from HK which has about ten food&wine shops. Good ports, esp. lots of Tawnies.

On the red wine side try -
Quinta da Bacalhoa
Quinta da Carmo
Borba Reserva used to be fantastic mid eighties to early nineties, but last ten years have not repeated the wines they used to make.

Well that's it from my eclectic knowlege and ever-traveling past. These days I wouldn't bother in HK, though Japan is another story and Tokyo ignited a love of Bordeaux with a glass of 1990 Petrus. Lots of wine there at reasonable prices if you know where to look (and can read Japanese!).

If anyone has more up to late info. let me know. I'm back there in a month ...

You can get some "reasonable" prices on Aussie gear but not so much better than oz that it makes it worthwhile dragging a 6 pack back with you and running the gauntlet that is customs.

Also can sometimes find some Felton Rd Block series and older bordeauxs in the fine wine departments at Watsons. But it all depends on whats in stock on the day.

Actually, I just got a friend to bring me back a bottle of Dom Perignon from Singapore. I would assume the price is similar in HK although I could be wrong. From Changi Airport it came in at just over $140. Bit of a saving on what it costs here. They are stocking the 98 at the moment although I tried to get the 96 but once the new vintage is out, that's all they sell.

Also, as the 98 is just released, you should be OK with storage.

thanks Kris,

forgot to mention he is in singapore for two days as well.

I was thinking along the lines of Wolf Blass Platinum 01&02 or Saltram Eighth Maker 01. I've heard they were considrably cheaper... ill let you know how he goes.

c

Just returned from Hong Kong after a month long holiday there. Oliver's and city super is generally a good place to start. Australian wines tend to be over priced, but as far as the french wine is concern it is pretty good. Old vintage champagne is cheaper then Australia.
Bought 2 bottles of Dom Pérignon Enothèque 1988 from Oliver's for $275 each. The cheapest I can find here is a round $350 mark. There are speciality wine shop in Hong kong worth looking for.

The mantality is changing over there. People started to appreciate wine and price equal quality may not be as dominate as before.

I will suggest the French wine, forget about the Australian.

I travel every month between HK and Brisbane . What I usually do is carry whisky and cognac from HK airport duty free shop and bring wines back from Australia.
If you know the right shop to go, you may find some good value Bordeux wines. Never go to Watson's wine cellar ( the largest bottle shop in HK), their price on premium Australian wines is just crazy. A$1000 for a bottle of 98 Grange or A$800 for a bottle of Hill of Grace !

thanks all,

he decided to buy some JW Blue label for himself!!

tks anyway
c