Asian wines on the uptrend

YEARS ago, a wine lover wouldn’t even go near a wine made in China, much less covet it the way one might a rare French vintage. But with Chinese, Japanese and Thai wines sweeping up awards in international competitions, the tide is turning as more adventurous oenophiles discover wines beyond traditional regions such as Europe.

With their distinct grape varietals, terroir and winemaking styles, Asian wines offer exciting new taste profiles for consumers, say importers and wine bar operators who have expanded their offerings to meet this new demand. In Friday’s edition of BT Lifestyle, we take a closer look at what’s available in the market, and why these wines are so appealing to the Asian palate.

In Design, we meet a doctor couple who don’t believe in maximising the built-up space in their landed home. Instead, they have retained the original, single-storey form and pitched roof of the old detached house they bought, and turned it into a homely, welcoming space that pays tribute to the past.

In Arts, read about ex-gangster-turned-artist Kim Whye Kee, who routinely sells out the ceramics at his exhibitions, and our review of Pope Francis’ new autobiography, simply titled Hope.

In Dining, we turn up the heat at Spicy Moment, a cosy eatery that serves up authentic homestyle Hunan cooking on Duxton Hill.

For all this and more, don’t miss Friday’s issue of BT.