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Private Clubs: The Next Big Thing in Wine?

Private Clubs: The Next Big Thing in Wine?

Your essential reading on China's wine market

Natalie Wang
January 23, 2024

Hello, this is Natalie from Vino Joy News.

Hong Kong is getting busy again! Club Bâtard, a new private members’ club, is set to open this summer in Hong Kong’s historic Pedder Building in Central, featuring what’s billed as the city’s “largest walk-in wine cellar” offering over 5000 references. Incidentally I've just returned from the 67 Pall Mall Hong Kong En Primeur launch at Upper House. While still in search of a permanent home, the club is initiating a series of wine-centric activities in the city, including exclusive events, tastings, and pop-ups, as revealed by owner and founder Grant Ashton. It will be a vinous summer for the city’s wine connoisseurs for sure!

Meanwhile, Hong Kong Customs has cracked two cases of liquid cocaine smuggling using the disguise of wine, and not far behind, over in Shenzhen, authorities have seized more than 4,000 bottles of the ever-popular Penfolds amidst the ramp-up to Chinese New Year.

Lastly, be sure to catch the insightful interview by our columnist Nellie Ming Lee with Master Sommelier Dimitri Mesnard, and the story of Wine Scholar Guild's newly appointed Managing Director.

Hong Kong’s Most Anticipated Club Opening

Backed by Hong Kong wine merchant The Fine Wine Experience and Piccolo Concepts of Singapore’s Les Amis, Club Bâtard is poised to redefine luxury with Hong Kong's "largest walk-in wine cellar" in the iconic Pedder Building. Spanning 180,000 square feet over three floors, the club’s pre-opening buzz is palpable, with memberships rapidly claiming. Membership is capped at 1200, and its Managing Director Linden Wilkie told me that about 900 people already signed up.

Liquid Deception: The White Wine Facade

In a striking indication of an emerging trend, wine has become the latest target for drug traffickers, as evidenced by two separate cases of liquid cocaine smuggling on the same day in Hong Kong.

On January 13, customs officers in Hong Kong cracked two cases where wine was being used by drug traffickers for smuggling. One invovles 444 kilos of liquid cocaine, the other invovles 12 magnums, highlighting a worrying trend of drug dealers exploiting wine for cocaine smuggling.

Penfolds Under Watch

As festivities draw near, Shenzhen's customs officers are on high alert. A recent haul of over 4,000 bottles of smuggled Penfolds is just a glimpse into the growing vigilance against illicit wine trade. Discover what this means for the industry and cross-border regulations.

Master Thoughts

In the interview with our columnist Nellie Ming Lee, Dimitri Mesnard MS shares why sommelier is important when consumer taste and preferences are fast changing, and how to build a wine list that fits the restaurant and chef's vision.

New MD at Wine Scholar Guild

The Wine Scholar Guild marks a new chapter with its first Managing Director at the helm, signifying an era of strategic growth and a commitment to advancing wine education in the digital age. Dive into the insights on this visionary move.