Just few days away from the biggest May’s festival - Le French May 2016. It is an annual arts and food festival organized by the Consul General France in Hong Kong & Macau and has become a significant and iconic cultural festival in Hong Kong. Themed “Dreams & Wonders” for the 24th edition of Le French May Arts Festival and the region Alsace as the 8th edition of Le French GourMay Food and wine Festival, will be launched different events across Hong Kong.

• 30 April – 2 May: Le French May * Le French GourMay 2016 Opening Celebrations@ PMQ

• 7 May: Le French GourMay 2016: Le Voyage de Musique et Vin @ HMV Flagship Store

• 14 – 15 May: French Traditional Market @ Stanley Plaza

During the whole month of May this year, up to 200 partners (compared to 130 last year) – Michelin-starred chefs, restaurants, as well as food and wine importers, distributors and retailers in Hong Kong and Macau – will join hands to honour Le French GourMay 2016 by dedicated menus to match with Alsatian wines, and various wine tastings, promotions and workshops. An impressive number of 111 restaurants will transport the local food scene to Alsace! With an increase in casual-dining and fine-dining restaurants, especially those serving Asian cuisines (e.g. Cantonese, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese, etc.), this year’s festival aims at touching not only Francophiles but a larger public with diverse tastes. From your favorite next door deli to your most convenient stores, find all the best delicacies of Alsace in more than 80 retail locations, and learn how to cook them in a variety of workshops.

Wines in Alsace

The vibrancy and purity of the wines of Alsace are closely linked to their origins: a favorable climate, terroirs of exceptional geological diversity and exacting wine-making expertise.
The uniqueness of Alsace’s terroir lies in its distinguished characteristics of the climate and the geological diversity. Alsace’s viticultural zone is located on the eastern slopes of the Vosges Mountains, which creates a natural barrier to shelter the vineyards. The favorable semi-continental climate – sunny, hot and dry – in Alsace contribute to the development of complex aromas, vivid acidity and rich fruit.

Alsace has also witnessed its geological evolution throughout more than 150 million years. Nowadays, most of the viticultural communes in Alsace are situated on four or five different rock formations, all combining to form a mosaic of soils with an unparalleled richness and diversity. There are in total 13 geological configurations deployed across Alsace’s three structural units: the slopes of the mountains, with very varied, fragmented soil types; the foothills of the Vosges, which feature the most complex range of soil structures; and the plains are characterized by more recent, less developed soil structures.

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These entire configurations help to create the exceptional variety of Alsace Wines out of 7 main grape varietals,after which Alsace Wines are named (not named after the villages or vineyards):
• Alsace Pinot Blanc: light-bodied wines with subtle fruit and notes of peach and apple, with floral nuances.
• Alsace Sylvaner: refreshing, light-bodied wines with delicate fruit.
• Alsace Riesling: dry and extremely elegant wines with subtle fruity and floral notes.
• Alsace Muscat: crispy wines notable for their vivacious fruit, their intense aromas and their dryness
• Alsace Pinot Gris: opulent and round wines rich in aromatic complexity of dried fruit, apricot, honey, beeswax and gingerbread.
• Alsace Gewurztraminer: powerful and highly aromatic wines with tropical fruit, flowers, citrus and spices.
• Alsace Pinot Noir: Alsace's only red wine - fresh, light and fruity.