With Hong Kong striving to become the wine hub of Asia, it came as no surprise when the first edition of the Hong Kong International Wine Challenge, co-organized by the Hong Kong Sommeliers Association, drew 262 competition entries from over 16 wine producing countries.

The competition set out to select the best of the best among different varieties of grapes; Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Shiraz and Dessert wines. To promote the art of wine matching with Chinese cuisine, part of the challenge was to discern the best type of wines to go with Chinese regional cooking: Sichuan, Shanghai and Canton.

Quite a few of the winning wines came from Australia and New Zealand. One particular wine that some wine critics found most impressive - including me - was the winning Riesling from Torlesse Wines, emerging from the heart of the Waipara Valley, New Zealand, a new and rapidly expanding wine area. Nestled in the lee of the Teviotdale hills and open to the warming northwest winds, the long narrow Waipara Valley provides an ideal climate for growing premium quality grapes. Its north facing, moderately sloping terrain provides an ideal sun-trap for fruiting vines.

The Torlesse Riesling 2008 is a blend of grapes harvested during late April and early May, pressed and cold settled to retain fruit flavor. The wine has fresh lime juice and apple flavors balanced with obvious residual sweetness and a crisp, clean finish. This wine has plenty of fruity character to make it enjoyable for drinking young, but will develop a rich honey-like bouquet with bottle maturation achieved through cellaring for five to seven years.

Another winner from the southern hemisphere came from the Padthaway region of South Australia. This picturesque region produces some of Australia's finest red and white wines due to its lush limestone plain, Mediterranean-type climate, reliable rainfall and the famous terra rossa soil. These conditions ensure premium quality grapes filled with intensity and flavor such as the gold medal winner, Farmer's Leap 'The Brave' Shiraz 2004 which has been aged in American oak barrels for 30 months.

This special reserve wine comes from a blend of 10 hand selected barrels. It has rich black cherry hues with flavors of liqueur cherries, chocolate and spicy plums. On the finish, a rich vanilla chocolate lingers on the palate - a complement to the mouth filling complexity of the wine. Drinkable now, it will also age further for five to seven years.

An additional noteworthy wine, also from Australia, comes from the cool climate of the Ballandean highlands of Queensland's Granite Belt - Symphony Hill Wines Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006. Symphony Hill Wines is a family-owned boutique winery located at an elevation of over 1,000 metres giving local vineyards a climate unmatched elsewhere in Australia.

This 2006 Symphony Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon has a delightful infusion of ripe blackberry and mulberries enhanced by cigar box and cherry overtones. With silky smooth tannins, cool climate herbal overtones and a velvet mouth filling finish this wine is outstanding.

From Austria, gold medal winner The Cuvee Simod 2005 from the Manfred Weiss Estate comes from the wine growing area of Neusiedlersee - Seewinkel. A charmingly bucolic landscape on the east end of Lake Neusiedl, and the largest wine-growing region in the entire Burgenland province with Apetlon being one of the most famous wine growing villages of the region. The new wine "Simod" is a blend of 70 percent Cabernet Sauvignon and 30 percent Zweigelt. This dry red wine has spent 12 months in French oak casks. On the nose, it has an enticing aroma of cherry and vanilla followed by a smoky and complex palate of harmony with light woody notes on the finish. Simon proves an ideal complement to steak, roast beef and game dishes.

Maggie Beale can be contacted on wineexpert1@hotmail.com

Riesling - Torlesse Riesling, Waipara, New Zealand, 2008, from Wines Connection Limited HK;

Chardonnay - Olsen Wines Big Fella Victoria Chardonnay, Australia, 2004, from Vin888 Pty Ltd - Olsen Wines Victoria;

Merlot - Kiona, Merlot, USA, 2005, from Cottage Vineyards (International) Ltd;

Shiraz - Bridge Pa Vineyard Ltd, Reserve Syrah, New Zealand, 2007, from At Style International Ltd - Bridge Pa Vineyard Ltd;

Dessert Wine - Coteaux Du Layon Les Rouannieres 2007 Chateau Pierre Bise, France, 2007, from Caudalie Limited

Best-fit with Sichuan Cuisine - Torlesse Gewurztraminer, Waipara, New Zealand, 2008, from Wines Connection Limited HK

Best-fit with Shanghai Cuisine - Kiona, Lemberger, USA, 2005, from Cottage Vineyards (International) Ltd

Best-fit with Cantonese Cuisine - Muratori Villa Crespia Miolo, Italy, from Cantina Privata

(HK Edition 06/06/2009 page7)