Last week saw Swiss wine.

Wednesday we welcomed Swiss 2 winemakers and 2 local Swiss wine importers for a really incredible and interesting tasting.  Each producer had at least one Chasselas, which after tasting quite a few of them, surprises me that it’s not a more popular grape elsewhere.  These wines were all super easy to drink (dangerously so?) with round mouth coating texture, and just medium alcohol.  The fruit profile is neutral enough where you could probably pair it with just about anything without offence.  I’m a convert.

Damien from the Swiss Wine Store also had a really distinct and delicious Pinot Gris.  I am, and always have been, a huge proponent of Pinot Gris.  It’s pretty and mildly floral and fruity, and as Oz Clarke put its, there can also be a touch of “unwashed.”  I call it character.  Rolling in the dirt character.

My overall take away was that there is excellent quality coming out of Switzerland, it’s just a matter of getting it out of Switzerland.

Martin Brady of BNS organized periodic wine dinners at the Happy Valley wet market- Sheung Kee.  13 of us piled in around a plastic table on our plastic stools for what is one of the greatest things about Hong Kong; BYO with awesomely cheap food.

BNS has a diverse assortment of Italian wines, wines that you aren’t likely to find elsewhere in HK.  We started with a tasty aged Chardonnay from Piedmont, above, and 2010 Salcerella Sauvignon from Emilia Romagna which was just lovely with black bean clams, razor clams, and salt and pepper squid.

Later we made our way through a 2012 Campo di Mezzo Sangiovese Superiore from Emilia Romagna, 2009 Ricupo Rosso del Molise (Montepulicano) which was absolutely stunning, and finished with an intriguing Tintilla DOGC.  All of which complemented the various meat dishes- rack of lamb, beef, pork…?  I wish I had more to add here but instead of taking notes I indulged.  And twas delicious.

Saturday afternoon I very much enjoyed this Pinot Bianco from Italy Small Vineyards, a great local wine shop in Sheung Wan, among other things.   It was totally muted when opened and quaff-able but not very interesting.  After an hour or so it was singing!  Italian wines need time to open and I need patience, or at least enough forethought, to remember that.

Open Italians early.

Sunday picnic the the Cyberport dog park with Australian and Alsatian Riesling & Gewurztraminer.  The perfect match to outdoor spring dining.

And that was (some of) last week in wine.