Paris-winning Napa winery to host dinner in Hong Kong

A Historic Winery's Journey to Hong Kong

In May 1976, the wine world experienced a seismic shift. At a blind tasting in Paris, later known as the Judgment of Paris, a panel of French judges unknowingly shattered the belief in Gallic superiority. The catalyst was a 1973 Chardonnay from Château Montelena. When the scores were announced, this California bottle outperformed some of the finest white Burgundies, including a Meursault Charmes and a Bâtard-Montrachet. This moment, often referred to as the "shot heard round the world," transformed the Napa Valley from a local curiosity into a global powerhouse.

Fifty years later, the estate that orchestrated this historic win is making its debut in Hong Kong. On January 18, Château Montelena will bring its legacy and impressive cellar to Lai Ching Heen for a dinner that promises to be both educational and indulgent.

To truly appreciate the wine, one must understand the land it comes from. Château Montelena is located on the northern edge of the Napa Valley in Calistoga, nestled at the base of Mount Saint Helena. The region has a unique geography: diverse volcanic soils and a microclimate with baking days and chilly nights, which give the grapes their signature "nervous" acidity and structural depth.

The estate itself is an architectural anomaly. Founded in 1882 by Alfred Tubbs, the winery is housed in a gothic stone castle carved directly into the hillside — a fortress of fermentation that looks more like a Bordeaux château than a California vineyard. Revived in the 1970s by Jim Barrett, who cleared the overgrown vines and modernized the cellar, the property is now listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Bringing these structured, age-worthy wines to a Cantonese table is a bold endeavor. The task falls to Lai Ching Heen’s executive chef Lau Yiu-fai and head chef Cheng Man-sang, who have curated a menu designed to complement the estate’s famous Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay.

The pairings include a dish of golden stuffed crab shell with crabmeat, onion, and fresh milk — a dish that demands a wine with significant cut to balance the richness. Another pairing features salted grilled Kagoshima Wagyu, crafted to stand up to the tannic backbone of Montelena’s reds.

The evening’s centerpiece, however, is Lai Ching Heen’s famed Peking duck, with a backstory that rivals that of the wine. Inspired by a trip to Japan, Lau reinvented the classic service years ago, discarding the standard presentation for an architectural fan of crispy skin and a garnish that includes pineapple and green papaya, all served tableside. The tropical acidity cuts through the duck fat, cementing it as an instant classic that has been a mainstay of the menu ever since. Seeing how this interplay of fruit and fat fares against a glass of Napa heritage will be the night’s true test.

G/F, Regent Hong Kong, 18 Salisbury Road, Tsim Sha Tsui. HK$1,880 per person with wine pairing. To book, go to hongkong.regenthotels.com