Toast this trend: Hong Kong's teaching wine shops(2)
Nose knows best at The Nose Wine School
Located in a typical Causeway Bay walk-up building, The Nose Wine School is tiny and doubles as a bar in the evenings when classes are over.
The founder, Stefano Yim, moved to Hong Kong from California where he runs sister company The Nose Wine Bar Inc. A self-professed wine nut, Yim’s goal is to broaden people’s horizons.
“I want to educate people on their own palate rather than rely on points or a scale they read in a magazine from certain experts,” says Yim.
Something of a rebel, the sommelier refuses to sell commercially driven wines and big name brands. Instead he spends his time trekking around Europe in search of remote indigenous varieties.
Occasionally, Yim runs private wine tours, taking small groups of people into the vineyards and châteaus.
“Even after 40 years in the business, I can still find something new in a small village in Sicily,” he says.
This sense of discovery is clear in his handpicked selection. Yim stocks more than 300 labels from France and Italy. One of the oldest vintages is 1952.
Students of the school are certified by Yim’s own program which focuses on practical advice on picking wines by training the olfactory sense.
“Smelling is more important than taste,” insists Yim. “People don’t use their noses as often as they should.”
The Nose Wine School, 3/F, 51 Sharp St. East, Causeway Bay, +852 2892 0116, Yim’s blog:www.wineraconteur.com
Hong Kong favorites at Etc Wine Shops
Hong Kongers love Bordeaux and Champagne, and Etc wine shops intend to scratch that itch.
Located on Lyndhurst Terrace, their first outpost called champagne etc, is devoted purely to sparkling wine from the region. Slightly more formal is the sister shop, bordeaux etc, that stocks some 1,200 Bordeaux varieties.
When you enter bordeaux etc, the first thing you see is a row of beakers that look like a science experiment. These containers give off scents such as mushroom or lemon -- aromas which are often found in Bordeaux wines.
“It’s extremely helpful when you begin tasting wine to define the smells,” says chief sommelier Mathieu Pouchan. “Most of these wines are unknown to people so it’s all about education.”
Walk downstairs to find touch screen panels featuring pop quizzes and wine trivia. Pouchan says it’s a fun way to learn more about Bordeaux.
The shop is constantly hosting tastings and talks to help customers develop their palates. Their website’s “naked truth” section is like a wine encyclopedia, complete with a wine vintage chart suggesting the best years to buy.
bordeaux etc, Shop G01, 77 Leighton Road, Causeway Bay, Hong Kong, +852 2567 2009
champagne etc, G/F, 19 Lyndhurst Terrace, Central, Hong Kong, +852 2568 2009 www.etcwineshops.com
