Wine trends in the Asian community have changed drastically in the past few years. Since wine has never been part of the Asian culture in a big way, the introduction has been made through the wine “rating system” that is famous in American and European culture. Many Asians, regardless of their actual taste, covet wines that are scored high by the critics. Consider this a base point in decision making for the uneducated. Heavy red wines such as Opus One are often blindly paired with seafood dishes just because they scored in the 90s on the point scale. For those that are just starting out in wine tasting, a general rule of thumb is red wine with meats and white wines with seafood.


Thankfully, there has been more exploration and actual comparisons recently to change this mindset. But of course, brand status is also common American and European culture too and this spills over to the Asian culture. Everybody wants to drive a Porsche or Mercedes and as a result they wish to drink Lafite, Petrus or Opus One! The most important thing in becoming a wine connoisseur, or an oenophile, is to taste, taste, and taste some more. In addition, it is important to have a local fine wine shop to guide and educate you towards your “Garden of Eden” full of wine.

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