Wine doesn’t have to be expensive to be good!
Ok, granted, these wines are not cheap, as they cost between HK$335 and HK$650 (about 38-75 euros), which makes them expensive for most people. But, you get what I'm trying to say, right?
People always think that the more expensive a wine is, the better it is! In theory, yes, it should be. In reality, that is not always the case. In fact, I have tasted plenty of wines in my career that were way too expensive for the poor quality they offer, despite their history, name, appellation, pedigree, and/or rank.
No real point in naming or pointing the finger at anyone, but I have tasted wines supposedly worth thousands of dollars/euros that, just by their name, evoke luxury, bespoke craftsmanship, limited production, and greatness in the glass, that were really not that good, to say the least.
A well-known name, a pedigree, a rank, or a classification don't necessarily mean the wine is automatically good. In Burgundy, the vineyards do determine a certain quality, that's true. However, the expertise and techniques used by the winemaker can vary greatly, which is why two wines from the same Premier Cru or even Grand Cru vineyard can taste completely different. One may be much better than the other, and it might not even cost more.
In Bordeaux, the same is true: some 3rd, 4th, and 5th Growths surpass the quality of certain 1er and 2nd Cru Grands Crus. Château Palmer, for example, which is a 3rd growth, often outperforms some 1st and 2nd growths in certain years. Château Pontet Canet, a 5th growth, is another excellent example; it offers fantastic value for money compared to many of the other châteaux ranked above it.
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Wine prices have gradually yet dramatically increased over the past 25 years, reaching their peak in 2022. Afterward, they have been declining due to a lack of sales, leading to large amounts of unsold wines at the properties and stocks in importers' and distributors' warehouses, oversupply versus demand, shifting habits and consumption patterns with the new generations, changing priorities due to financial struggles, growing health concerns, countries favoring domestic wine consumption, thus reducing import-export, and so on.
And consequently, the market has shifted recently from premium wines to more affordable bottles. Wines costing around HK$100 or less (about 12 Euros) have gained popularity.
Yet, here in Hong Kong, the average cost of a mid-range bottle of wine is about HK$120 (roughly 13.5 Euros), with prices usually between HK$80 and HK$200 (approximately 9-23 Euros).
And, yet again, for a good-quality bottle of red table wine, most people are willing to spend between HK$250 and HK$350 (about 28-40 Euros), up to HK$500 or more (around 56 Euros) for special occasions.
Therefore, I admit these wines are not the cheapest, but they offer very good value for wines under 75 Euros. Especially when compared to the wines I usually serve at private and corporate dinners and events, which typically range from HK$1000 to HK$3000 (about 112-335 Euros).
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Thierry Germain Domaine des Roches Neuves Saumur-Champigny Franc de Pied Loire Valley 2016
Château Cantemerle Haut-Médoc Bordeaux 2010
Domaine Jean-Louis Chave Saint-Joseph Rhône Valley 2021
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Cheers ! Santé !
Dom
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