As Hong Kong approaches what could be one of its hottest summers on record, consumers are increasingly breaking from tradition and opting for chilled red wine when out for a drink. Rebecca Lo looks into how this trend is reshaping the city’s wine scene.
As the mercury climbs with the onset of what is predicted to be one of the hottest summers on record, Hong Kong sommeliers and bartenders have seen an uptick for lighter red wines served chilled.
It was a favourite category for Leigh-Ann Luckett well before she co-founded Crushed Wine Bar five years ago. The difference this year is that her customers are actively asking for it.
Crushed currently offers chillable reds across all categories of its portfolio of mostly sustainable small-batch wineries from South Africa and the US. While its sales total approximately 10% throughout the year, figures have been increasing alongside air temperatures.
“It shows that people are getting more comfortable and playful with wines,” Luckett said. “No longer dictated by what is correct or what they learned in a WSET course so much as what they actually enjoy. It also indicates more are drawn to wines that are easier to drink, lower in alcohol and that don’t need to be consumed alongside food—allowing for informality and engagement.”
A light touch
Served typically between 10˚C to 12˚C, chilled reds are less about specific grapes or terroirs, and more about how the wine is made. “From a winemaking perspective, the wine tends to be in a gentler style: lighter extraction, minimal new oak and shorter ageing,” explained Luckett.
“All the things that make a wine more structured, tannic and suited to warmer temperatures are dialled down. Instead, you get jewel-toned colours, higher acidity and often more fruit-forward aromatics.”
Two chillable reds currently trending at Crushed are Guthrie Family Wines Heirloom Grenache—winemaker Blair Guthrie describes it the Britney Spears of wine for its strawberry notes—and the bright and friendly Intellego Kedungu.
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