Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Five Wine & Spirits Trends for 2019
From Bubbles to Bordeaux and Burgundy, What to Pour This Year
(Hong Kong, 8 January, 2019) – Following end of year celebrations, wine cellars all over Hong Kong surely need re-stocking and the award-winning wine & spirits merchant Berry Bros. & Rudd shares its ultimate what-to-buy guide for the year ahead.
Trend 1: Bubbles Baby
Whether it’s Champagne, Prosecco or sparkling wine, the Berry Bros. & Rudd team predicts fizz to continue to flow in 2019.
Mixed into sparkling cocktails or savoured amongst friends, more affordable bottles such as Berry Bros. & Rudd' Crémant de Limoux, by Antech-Limoux HK$108 is a tasty entry-level treat, aged traditionally and generously on its lees, a beautiful balanced sparkling wine with ripe, green apple and zesty lemon fruit flavours and a sophisticated, creamy lift from the Chardonnay.
Exclusive to Berry Bros & Rudd, Champagne Thiénot Brut Blanc de Blancs (HK$388) is a delicate cuvee, made in Thiénot’s house style, with Chardonnay sourced mainly from the crus of d’Avize, Villers-Marmery, Vertus and Vitryat.
Trend 2: No Oak No Joke
Styles of wine are moving away from oaky flavoured reds and whites this year. Oak is set to be used for texture and feel rather than for flavour impact.
Berry Bros. & Rudd’s Wine Buying assistant, Oli Barton states “In Bordeaux the trend is juicer, younger drinking reds with less oak and some amphora aging.” Following this trend, along with many other winemakers around the world, Oli plans to bring this complexity to new bottles in 2019. Berry Bros. & Rudd Hong Kong carries a wide selection of wines made with subtle influences from oak, undetectable on the pallet, including the South African 2015 Mullineux Syrah, Swartland (HK$218), a finely proportioned Swartland Syrah with smooth tannins that support the elegant fruity profile. Alternatively, the leading Oregon Pinot Noir producer, Domaine Drouhin creates a 2015 Drouhin Oregon Roserock Pinot Noir (HK$190) with a velvety approach and focused structure. Balanced and long on the palate, the elegance shines through many layers of flavours. |
Trend 3: Alcohol Levels Go Low
With the rise of the vegan movement and New Year’s resolution diets, customers are expected to opt out of cutting alcohol altogether in 2019 and instead look for wines with less than 13% alcohol content. Typically Moscato, German Kabinett Riesling and Gavi di Gavi all have lower alcohol content than many other wines.
Berry Bros. & Rudd 2014 Mosel Riesling Kabinett (HK$98) by Selbach-Oster – a vineyard cultivating Riesling vines in the Mosel since 1661 – holds an alcohol content of just 9.5%. This off-dry wine displays the searing acidity so characteristic of great Mosel wines, but delicate and well-balanced with a juicy, stone-fruit core. The 2017 Gavi di Gavi, Bric Sassi, Roberto Sarotto, Piedmont (HK$118) is slightly higher with 12.5% and has a steel palate, with a citrusy depth and concentration, perfect for picnics or dinner parties. Berry Bros. & Rudd’ Agency Director, Damian Carrington predicts that the “no-lo” category (referring to the trend of low alcohol content) will continue to grow in importance for wine, beers and spirits, and states with more options available in 2019. |
Trend 4: Beautiful Bottles
Surrounded by limitless wine choices, it is often the label that helps with choosing a wine. Beautiful will continue to abound in 2019. Berry Bros. & Rudd offer a range of eye-catching and limited edition bottles with unique design and spectacular quality.
The magnum of Thiénot Champagne Brut (HK$698) is available in both red and blue. Designed by French graffiti artist Speedy Graphito, striking visuals cover the bottles, embodying the bright and bubbly Thiénot character. Coming in February and perfect for Chinese New Year celebrations, Berry Bros. & Rudd Hong Kong will carry Anthonij Rupert wines’ Protea range; a beautifully decorated bottle with a ‘twist’. Protea is distinctive of the Cape Floristic region, marrying heritage of the grape vines, with contemporary packaging designs, this bottle is made to be re-used and recycled. Each bottle is stopped with an innovative twist-cork, allowing opening and storing with ease. |
Trend 5: Reds to Reign
Hong Kong is notorious for its love of red wine, and sales are said to rocket in 2019. From a highly sought after region for a French holiday destination, Bordeaux wine is coming back in fashion. Following a mass produce of wines from this region 20-30 years prior, a new accessibility of aged Bordeaux bottles have finally hit prime time for enjoyment.
One of the best and most successful wine producers in Bordeaux, Dourthe specialise in brilliant blends and a highly acclaimed signature wine; Essence. A blend of wines from three different appellations, Essence highlights the drinkability of modern red Bordeaux.
To welcome in 2019 and to celebrate Chinese New Year, Berry Bros. & Rudd have launched a specially curated Year of the Pig wine list, offering special discount prices on 12 exclusive bottles. Ranging from celebratory Champagne for HK$358, to Chinese wines like Golden Valley Ice Wine (HK$580), as well as bottles that celebrate the 2019 trends. All wines and spirits ordered from Berry Bros. & Rudd are delivered directly to doors around Hong Kong, in time for New Year’s preparation.
*Offer started on January 3rd, 2019 and will end at 6pm on Friday 15th February 2019, subject to stocks remaining unsold.
How to Order
Visit: www.bbr.com/burgundy2017
Email: [email protected]
Call: +854 2511 2811
Click here for high-resolution images.
Issued by GHC Asia on behalf of Berry Bros & Rudd
For media enquiries, please contact:
GHC Asia | Grace Brewer | Tel: (852) 3163 0108 | Email: [email protected]
GHC Asia | Joanna Lit | Tel: (852) 2810-0532 | Email: [email protected]
About Berry Bros. & Rudd
Founded in 1698, Berry Bros. & Rudd is Britain’s oldest family-owned wine and spirits merchant. With two Royal Warrants, more than 300 years of history and six Masters of Wine, we are proud of our world-class reputation for exceptional wines and spirits.
Although hundreds of years old, Berry Bros. & Rudd remains at the forefront of wine innovation. The current range of more than 4,000 wines is sourced from over 25 countries, from the traditional – France, Italy and Spain – to the less traditional – Brazil and Moldova.
Not just a fine wine retailer, spirits have long been central to the business. The spirits portfolio includes the classic No.3 London Dry Gin, Mauritian rum Penny Blue, Texas Legation and the unique and historic The King's Ginger Liqueur.
While we embrace progress, we also value our traditions. As a business, we are comfortable embracing these paradoxes – having always managed to combine our history and heritage with a commitment to constant progress, innovation and change.
Throughout the developments the business has seen over the years, customers have always remained at the heart of Berry Bros. & Rudd. Whether visiting us in store, shopping online or participating in our Wine Club, Cellar Plan, tutored tastings or Wine School, we aim to ensure that every customer receives the same outstanding experience.
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