*In collaboration with Hong Kong Trade Development Council
The 16th HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair will be held from November 7-9, 2024, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre to showcase fine wines and spirits from around the world, along with related products and services to trade visitors and buyers. The event will promote the liquor trade and boost the development of high value-added industries, and enable the industry to seize opportunities as a result of the recently reduced liquor rate, as announced by the city’s leader John Lee during his 2024 Policy Address.
This year’s fair will bring together more than 600 exhibitors from 20 countries and regions. In addition to exhibitors from Hong Kong and Mainland China, there are overseas exhibitors from all over the world, including from Belarus, the Czech Republic, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Poland, and the United Kingdom from Europe. Exhibitors from the Americas include Argentina, Canada, Chile, Mexico, and the United States. Australia, Japan, and the Philippines make up the Asia-Pacific representation, while South Africa will participate for the first time.
A global showcase for diverse wines and spirits
The Wine & Spirits Fair will feature a diverse range of alcoholic beverages, including old-world and new-world wines, Chinese wines, Japanese sake as well as spirits from around the world, including Chinese baijiu, Japan’s shochu, vodka, and brandy. A variety of whiskies will also be showcased at both the Ireland and Japan pavilions.
Exhibited beverages include Azienda Agricola Sciara 760 Metri Etna Rosso, which will make its fair debut. This wine is crafted by Stef Yim, Hong Kong’s first winemaker to set up a winery and vineyards at Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy. There will also be Zhenjiu, Chinese Baijiu from Guizhou in Mainland China, which is a high-end sauce aroma baijiu. Other highlights include the award-winning Clonakilty Single Pot Still Irish Whiskey, as well as Wabi Sabi Gin, developed by Japan’s pioneering female spirits entrepreneur Wakae.
The Wine & Spirits Fair also features the Friends of Wine zone, which showcases a variety of gourmet foods designed to complement the wines. Some exhibitors, such as Asia Wine Service & Education Centre (AWSEC), will also introduce their services that promote the industry’s all-round development.
Multiple events to explore market trends
Conferences, tasting sessions, and seminars hosted by world-class Masters of Wine, sommeliers, and industry professionals will analyse trends in various markets, while offering attendees an opportunity to sample fine wines from around the world. The inaugural Sommelier’s Picks will engage three renowned sommeliers — Arnaud Bardary MS, Carlito Chiu, and Reeze Choi, second runner-up of ASI Best Sommelier of the World Contest 2023 — who will share their favourite wine lists with industry professionals and the public.
Master of Wine Debra Meiburg will host a wine industry conference that will explore consumption trends and preferences of alcoholic beverages among Generation Z and Millennials. Jennifer Docherty, the first ethnically Chinese and Mandarin-speaking Master of Wine, will share her expertise on blind-tasting fine wines, while renowned wine critic and chief editor Lau Chi Sun will explore hot topics, such as the outlook for Hong Kong’s spirits market and impact of Hong Kong’s taxation system, in a seminar organised by Wine Now.
There will also be prize presentation ceremonies and competitions, which include:
- Cathay Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition 2024
- Washu Awards 2024
- Hong Kong Best Spirits Awards 2024
- WineLuxe’s Hong Kong Top 10 Wine Pairing Restaurant Awards Presentation Ceremony 2024
- Hong Kong International Mixology Showdown 2024 — Hong Kong region semi-final and the final of the debut Greater Bay Area region contest
Public Day welcomes wine lovers
On the final day, the Wine Fiesta Zone will be open to public ticket holders who can sample and buy a range of wines and spirits, while enjoying wine-tasting experiences through a variety of activities. The Public Day will feature a seminar on sparkling wines hosted by Master of Wine Debra Meiburg. Stef Yim, Hong Kong-born “Volcano Winemaker”, will also take the stage to share his unique brewing journey.
Representatives from Lan Kwai Fong have crafted a special cocktail “HK & Suit” for the Fair, featuring passion fruit and Japanese Akori Gin, among other ingredients. This cocktail will be available for purchase in the HKTDC x LKF Cocktail Festival inside the Wine Fiesta Zone.
Join the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair
Regular tickets for the Hong Kong international Wine & Spirits Fair are priced at HK$200, with specially-priced tickets at HK$99 available from 23 October via BOOKYAY, HK01, HKTVMall, HKGO, KKDay, KLOOK, Lan Kwai Fong Group, PopTicket, Timable, Trip.com, Winenow, Wai Shing Wine International Co., Ltd, and Zicket. Special ticket buyers will receive a Lucaris crystal wine glass and discounts on Hong Kong Airlines tickets on a first-come, first-served basis. Buyers and ticket-holding members of the public aged 18 or above may attend the fair.
EVENT | Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair |
VENUE | Hong Kong Convention & Exhibition Centre, 1 Expo Road, Wan Chai |
DATES | November 7-9, 2024 |
WEBSITE | www.hktdc.com/event/hkwinefair |
GET TICKETS | hkwinefair.hktdc.com/ex/THEHKHUB |
Image credits: Hong Kong Trade Development Council
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