The Independent Wine Centre team combines technical qualifications, hands on practical experience and cultural awareness to provide an unmatched range, depth and quality of service: corporate events, seminars, tutored tastings, private functions and more. Email us for further discussion.

Check out this and more Chinese food and wine matches in Flavour Colours, our Chinese food and wine pairing iPhone/iPad App.

Following its success in 2010, The Vintage Port Academy (VPA) was back in Hong Kong for a series of masterclasses and tastings from 24th to 26th October, led by Nick Heath of Fladgate Partnership and Euan Mackay from Symington Family Estates.

The kickoff event was a rare tasting of six 2004 Single Quinta Vintage Ports from six different houses: Graham's, Fonseca, Dow's, Warre's, Croft's and Taylor's. It was attended by selected journalists and writers, who, after the tutored tasting, were asked to blind taste the wines in random orders. Both Jake Lee from Wall Street Online and Jakki Philips from Hong Kong Tatler identified three wines correctly and shared the prize of a bottle of Malvedos and Vargellas 2011. Congratulations Jake and Jakki.

If you are thinking of a sweet Christmas gift for your loved ones, FRANCESCA is putting together perfect chocolate and port gift sets. Contact her for more information.

The purpose of The Vintage Port Academy is to promote the knowledge and appreciation of port. Visit its website for more information and register for next year’s masterclasses.

Ned, 'When drinking wine ask yourself if you would like another glass, or perhaps another. If one is naturally inclined to drink a third glass, it is proof that a wine is balanced and clearly, for me at least, delicious.ʼ

How to choose a good wine in a restaurant without breaking the bank?

High mark-ups are making it harder and harder to make a good wine choice in a restaurant. The first and most spontaneous way of going about things is to ask the advice of the chef or sommelier who knows his cellar and who, in principle, has an interest in satisfying you so as not to lose your business. Sadly, we ourselves have too often paid the price of a naive confidence in this approach and drunk unspeakable brews, advised by unscrupulous professionals who just want to offload the contents of their cellar. Still, if you are a regular you may decide that the owner has your interests at heart. In provincial restaurants in wine growing areas the local wines are often well chosen and of course cheaper than the great classics. The Michelin guide’s philosophy is to recommend these, and in many cases it makes life easier. Otherwise one should give priority to those regions that aren’t abusive on matters of price. Among Muscadets, even the best are undervalued relative to Sancerre and make outstanding accompaniments to seafood and grilled fish; the less fashionable Beaujolais labels offer better value for money than Rhone Valley wines; quality Rieslings are more reasonable than Burgundy chardonnays; and so on. Finally, a careful reading of the wine list—perhaps the day before the reservation so you can take your time—gives the informed wine lover the chance of discovering a ‘forgotten’ wine offered at a more favourable price than a young vintage bought at today’s prices. But that’s increasingly rare as restaurant owners become more and more familiar with market prices!

Click here for Bettane & Desseauve's ratings on 2010 Bordeaux.

Last month's question was: “Which wine producing region is this?” The correct answer was Mosel. The winner this time is Ashley Ng. Well done Ashley, you have won a mystery bottle from IWC’s cellar.

This month’s question:
“In which Chateau can you find this portrait?”

Prize: A bottle of wine from IWC’s cellar (with all our global wine friends, you know you’ll be in for a treat!)

Send Us Your Answer here!