Hong Kong, 24 May 2016
1. Close of glass of different wines
2. Tilt up of rose wines (Price: US $13.4 per bottle)
3. Mid of rose wine with gold (Price: US $200 per bottle)
4. Close of bottles of wines with gold
5. Pan to right of various Italian wines
6. Mid of woman next to wine bottles in different sizes
7. Mid of visitors and wines on shelf
8. Wide of Xavier de Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo shaking and smelling wine
9. Close of Xavier de Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo tasting wine
10. SOUNDBITE (English) Xavier de Eizaguirre, Chairman of Vinexpo:
"It's really a trend, in Europe the main producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain have been consuming wines for generations. Today we see a change in terms of consumption habits. People drink less than in the past, but they drink better. So obviously that has an impact on the overall amount of wines consumed, but it's a very positive impact in terms of quality and also in terms of economics, because they drink more expensive wines than before."
11. Mid of man smelling a glass of white wine
12. Mid of Echezeaux Grand Cru wine (Left) in limited production of 2,400 bottles only (Price: US $558 per bottle) and Corton Grand Cru wine (Right) in limited production of 2,000 bottles only (Price: US$558 per bottle)
13. Wide of Meursault-Genevrieres Premier Cru wine in limited production of 900 bottles only (Price: US$1339)
14. Pan to left from Slovakian wine booth to Scotch whisky booth
15. Mid of visitors in a Scotch whisky booth
16. Tilt up of Euan Shand holding a glass of Scotch whisky
17. Close of a glass of Scotch whisky
18. SOUNDBITE (English) Euan Shand, Chairman of Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited:
"I could imagine that, Scotch whisky is sold in over 200 countries worldwide. I don't think if there's split up between Britain and Europe that people would stop drinking Scotch whisky. I think there's relationships formed over hundreds and hundreds of years, so I cannot imagine it is going to make a huge dent to Scotch whisky, but it depends on taxation. It's a fickle world out there and if taxes go too high, people might not buy so much Scotch whisky, but I think deep down, Europeans have got a great palate for Scotch whisky and I can't really imagine that they're going to stop drinking it."
19. Close of two bottles of Scotch whisky (US$78 per bottle)
20. Close of a bottle of Scotch whisky made in 1975 (US$1751)
21. Pan to right of Italian wine booths
22. Close of Italian wines
23. Wide of an Italian wine booth
24. Mid of Albiera Antinori, Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA pouring wine into glass
25. Close of Albiera Antinori, Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA tasting wine
26. SOUNDBITE (English) Albiera Antinori, Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA:
"Our major market is still Italy, with 35 percent (sales) followed by North America, then the rest of Europe. For us, at the moment, Asia (market) is still very small, it's about 6 percent of our production. I think China will need a little bit of time to get to know Italian wines, so we just need to come here more and have the wines tasted."
27. Wine of various Italian wines
28. Close of Castel Del Monte Aglianico wine (Left) and Primitivo Salento wine (Right)
29. Mid of visitors
30. Tilt down from chandelier to wines on shelf
31. Mid of two men tasting wine
32. Mid of a wine tasting event
33. Close of man tasting wine
34. Shift focus of wine glasses
35. Wide of visitors
LEAD IN:
Red, pink, white, sparkling wines and a variety of other alcoholic beverages are quenching the thirsts of visitors to the Hong Kong Vinexpo.
Scotch whisky makers are still buoyant about business opportunities despite worries of Brexit (British exit from the European Union) causing a possible tax hike.
STORY-LINE:
It's a wine lover's paradise.
More than 1,300 exhibitors from all over the world are showcasing a wide range of wines and spirits to people looking for something of higher class in their glass.
The Chairman of Vinexpo, Xavier de Eizaguirre, says there is a slowdown in wine consumption in Europe and China. However he says while people are drinking less volume, they are buying more expensive bottles.
"It's really a trend, in Europe the main producing countries such as France, Italy and Spain have been consuming wines for generations. Today we see a change in terms of consumption habits. People drink less than in the past, but they drink better. So obviously that has an impact on the overall amount of wines consumed, but it's a very positive impact in terms of quality and also in terms of economics, because they drink more expensive wines than before," he says.
Scotch whisky sales remain strong and have a loyal following from consumers worldwide. But there are some concerns about sales if Britain leaves the European Union.
Scottish distillery Duncan Taylor Scotch Whisky Limited, who have almost 8 decades of experience, wants the United Kingdom to stay in Europe.
The company's chairman Euan Shand is concerned about possible tax increases and export regulations if the June 23rd vote decides the UK will leave.
Europe accounts for 40 percent of the company's market sale.
"If taxes go too high, people might not buy so much Scotch whisky, but I think deep down, Europeans have got a great palate for Scotch whisky and I can't really imagine that they're going to stop drinking it," says Shand.
This year is the 300th anniversary of Italian's famous Chianti Classico appellation. As the world's largest wine producer in 2015, Italy has harvested 49.5 million hectolitres of wine last year, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine.
The Italian wine company Marchesi Antinori Srl which started making wine in 1385 has its wine farms in the Chianti region, making its signature Chianti Classico wines.
The company is now expanding into in Asia, concentrating on China.
The Vice President of Marchesi Antinori SPA, Albiera Antinori says: "Our major market is still Italy, with 35 percent (sales) followed by North America, then the rest of Europe. For us, at the moment, Asia (market) is still very small, it's about 6 percent of our production. I think China will need a little bit of time to get to know Italian wines, so we just need to come here more and have the wines tasted."
The Hong Kong Vinexpo runs 24-26 May 2016
