Hong Kong – an introduction

On 27 Feb this year, duty rates on all alcohol except spirits were abolished in Hong Kong in a move intended to establish the city as a fine wine hub to rival the likes of London and New York (see here for Jancis's report from that day). At the time, their trumpeting was exuberant and optimistic, full of ambition and determination to capitalise on every opportunity possible. After eight months of pan-global belt-tightening, however, how have their fortunes fared?

I felt duty-bound to find out, so spent a taxing week there in early November as a guest of the Hong...