Vinothek Berlin, the first German wine experience pop-up shop, debuted at Causeway Bay’s Fashion Walk last year with great fanfare. As part of Riesling Weeks Hong Kong, a campaign celebrating German wine, Vinothek Berlin has returned this month featuring exciting German wine, delicacies, seasonal produce and cultural experiences.
One of the highlights of Vinothek Berlin is the white asparagus and German wine workshop conducted by Wines of Germany, bringing this unique German culinary experience to Hong Kong for the first time. White asparagus is a German delicacy grown between mid-April and the end of June. Similar to wine grapes, the best white asparagus is grown in a cool climate with a long ripening season in order to develop its delicate flavour. Vinothek Berlin has flown in fresh white asparagus grown at a family-run farm in Lower Saxony in northern Germany, pairing it with three German wines. Each participant will receive a white asparagus hamper containing the asparagus, German Belana potatoes and hollandaise sauce. There are only three sessions available – on 9, 16 and 23 June – with limited seats.
In addition, the pop-up will run two classic German food- and wine-pairing workshops featuring Bavarian pork knuckle and a classic German sausage platter. Each dish will be paired with three German wines. There is also a fun and relaxing Junk Wednesday tasting, pairing German wine with nibbles (participants are also welcome to bring their own favourite snacks). The organiser is confident that versatile German wine can go with all kinds of dishes!
Serious wine lovers can join different in-depth guided tasting tours to learn more about German wine from experts. Topics include “The many faces of Riesling”, “Dry and GG (Grand Cru) Riesling”, “Aged Riesling (1976–2017)”, “Sparkling Riesling (including a first-time-release 2002 Sekt)”, “Not all whites are Riesling”, “Pinot Trio” and “German red wine”. All workshops and tastings can be booked here.
Vinothek Berlin features over 100 wines – German signature Riesling ranging from sparkling and dry to half-dry and sweet wine, Pinot Trio (Pinot Blanc, Pinot Gris, Pinot Noir), German varieties such as Silvaner, Gewürztraminer and Dornfelder and international varieties including Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc. Weingut Peter Lauer, a winery in Mosel that’s renowned for its aged Sekt (sparkling wine made in the traditional champagne method), will launch two wines – Grand Reserve Sekt Brut Nature 1984 and Grand Reserve Brut 2002 – at the pop-up.
In addition to wine, there are also handcrafted gins and liqueurs, quirky German soft drinks and gourmet apple juice made from different apple varieties – including Rouge, where even the flesh is red in colour. German food bites include Black Forest ham, Obatzda cheese spread, pâté and traditional snacks like pretzels and Lorenz Erdnußlocken (corn chips with peanuts and spices). Zwiesel wine glasses and wine-infused soap gift sets are just a few of the lifestyle products on offer.
Similar to last year, Vinothek Berlin 2022 is decorated with colourful Berlin street art, drawing inspiration from the German capital’s freewheeling, creative core. The many unique products and happenings at Vinothek Berlin allow customers to enjoy the Berlin experience without travelling to Germany.
Vinothek Berlin 2022
Opening dates: 3–26 June
Opening hours: 12–9pm daily
Location: Shop 2, 2–4 Kingston Street, Fashion Walk, Causeway Bay
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