WINELUXE COLUMN

Not Just About Wine

Peter Kwong

Peter Kwong, the owner of Pu Tao Tang, renowned wine

educator and judge. Peter is one of the key people to promote
wine culture in Hong Kong and Greater China. He has won many
local and overseas awards including the 2nd place in Asia and
the 16th place in the world at Grand Prix SOPEXA du Sommelier
1997.

Peter
1997

2 16

MERCHANTS LAIR
LOVE YOU BECOMES HARM YOU

Recently, I have tasted Merchants Lair, a wine estate that

located in Adelaide Hills, Southern Australia. I seemed to
find an alternative Australian wine style. Mr. Leung, a Hong
Konger owner of the wine estate, who did not like wine
during young ages because of its sour and pucker taste. Until
a highly respected wine expert gave him a type of wine,
he was eventually amazed that wine could be so attractive.
Then he recorded the wine name sneakily, and searched it
at every wine store in Hong Kong. However, the wine that
Mr. Leungs desperate for, was not able to be discovered,
even one of the wine owners claimed its value is equal to his
whole stocks. You might want to know what is that wine?
It was Chateau Petrus 1961, a legendary fine wine which
scored 100 marks from Robert Parker, which market price is
near to 100,000 HKD. The Chateau Petrus 1961 is difficult
to be discovered at the wine market, you can afford the price
but you might not have the chance to own it. Since then Mr.
Leung has obsessed with Merlot, and he found that the quality
of Merlot at the Adelaide Hills has been premium. Until
an Italian wine-making family immigrated to Australia and
sought cooperation with Mr. Leung, and he investigated their
vineyards meticulously. The report indicated that the texture

and the minerality (Especially Iron) of the clay from the Italian
wine familys vineyard is similar to the vineyards of Chateau
Petrus in Pomerol. Thus, he decided to invest the winery and
has been eager to make the best Australian Merlot!
I talked to Mr. Leung that the highly respected wine expert
enlightened him. I did not know this enlightenment loved him
or harmed him, and Mr. Leung laughed indulgently. Amongst
the types of business owned by Mr. Leung, wine is the only
one that losing money. However, Mr. He said constantly
drinking with wine made him feel optimistic and young, so he
has been more happy to deal with the wine estate. A setback
may turn out to be a blessing in disguise! Now His wishes
the wine estate can pass to his future generation with breakeven point! It was glad for me to meet such a person with
huge devotion on wine-making, so I hope he could succeed on
making some good wines and making a good fortune!
The Merlot 2012 of Merchants Lair is perfumed with
attractive red berries, with a well balance among the acidity,
fruity and tannins. The smooth chocolate notes and the velvety
texture of the Merlot is as elegant as a European great wine, so
it is not same as the typical Australian wine!

(Adelaide Hills) Merchants Lair

1961
Chateau Petrus 100

Pomerol Chateau
Petrus

Chateau Petrus

Merchants Lair Merlot 2012