James Suckling, one of the top wine writers in the world has fulfilled his dream of opening a wine bar. The wine bar on the second floor of Staunton Suites in Staunton Street, Soho, Hong Kong has softly opened its doors and is welcoming people for a glass or bottle of wine.
The brand new wine bar and restaurant is called James Suckling Wine Central and includes a personal selection of wines which have scored between 90 and 100 points by him or his team.
“It’s been a dream of mine for many years to open a wine bar. I want to share my lifelong passion for wine with every single one of you in Hong Kong. I want you to know that whether you purchase a rare old bottle or a good-value wine by the glass at my restaurant, you can be assured of a great experience,” he told readers of his newsletter.
Opening James Suckling Wine Central has taken many months of preparation and careful planning.
“But I felt it was something I had to do as a natural extension of the large-scale consumer events I regularly host in Hong Kong and Mainland China. Now, I can bring a love and appreciation of wine to wine lovers every day in the city I call home. Indeed, many of the wines served at my wine bar are from Great Wines of the World, Great Wines of Italy, Great Wines of the Andes and Bordeaux Confidential. The wine menu comprises more than 500 references from around the world, making it one of the largest wine lists in the city.”
The wine bar will serve a selection of over 300 wines by the glass.
The menu also features a cellar selection, which are literally wines that Suckling has been collecting in his cellar in Tuscany for many years that he has now decided to share with the world.
“Perhaps the most exciting page is the 100-point list, where only wines I gave perfect scores over my four-decade career as a wine critic are featured,” he said.
He said that he could not have realised this project without his wife Marie and his good friend and restaurateur Francesco Lee, both of whom are Korean. “That’s one reason why the food is modern fine Korean dining, the other being that I think Asian cuisine goes so well with the great wines of the world,” said Suckling.
The kitchen is headed by chef Ko, formerly from Jinjuu in London. Offering a number of sharing platters, the sleek bar area and plush lounge allows you to sip, savor and share an array of flavors in a casual setting. For those seeking for a more formal dining experience, Suckling offers individually plated courses in their dining room!
The winebar and restaurant is open from Monday to Saturday from 6pm till late.
James Suckling Wine Central: Reservations: reservation@jswinecentral.com / +852 2539 7999
2/F, The Staunton Suites, No. 22 Staunton Street, Hong Kong
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