West Coast Swing Golf Wine Events

Happy New Year and welcome back to golf season.

I'm setting up my schedule of events this year and it starts at the ATT at Pebble Beach. My favorite player on tour Michael Allen is playing so I'll be there rooting him on.

Michael is a good friend and he tells me he's playing great so I'm expecting some big finishes from him early in the year before his 51 year old body tires.

I'm still hammering out the other events but it looks like we'll be in Texas, Ohio, Florida and Southern California too. I'll keep you posted as these firm up.

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Exploring the Wine World in Hong Kong

I'm exploring the Hong Kong Wine Expo and of course with the Olympics and all there is quite a buzz. In almost every restaurant there is a TV switched onto the Olympics with eye balls glued to ping pong matches or some other fringe sport us Americans rarely see.

The evolution of golf and wine in these region go hand in hand. Let's face it both are status hobbies. Enjoying or pretending to enjoy either tells folks you're sophisticated and who doesn't like to be perceived as sophisticated and worldly. The membership manager of the largest golf development in the world, Mission Hills (20 minutes outside of HK with over 12 golf courses) says the new members of the golf club have no idea how to conduct themselves on the golf course. How would you tell a 20 millionaire to "shape up"? How do you tell the same guy buying a bottle Chateau Petrus or Screaming Eagle that you can't mix it with a Coke?


It was very interesting learning from the people at the expo about the winemarket .
here. This is where the majority of the wine market is in Asia. At the same time I have friends in Korea whom I introduced to wine a few years back who have caught up and passed me with their palates. I expect the same to happen here and it's fun to see where it is starting from
On the business end most of you probably don't know that Hong Kong just did away with taxes on wine (before it had been 100% plus). HK wants to be the culinary center of Asia and by relaxing those tariffs, Big Brother or the central government in their infinate wisdom, just opened the door to welcome in more of the top wine producers.

California wines are way behind in the race to market to the Australian, French and other European wines. These countries have been creating relationships with vendors and consumers and the local palate has become very loyal to these wines. California wines are perceived as over priced. Still with some marketing prowess this stereo type will quickly be turned into a positive in the same way status rich brands such as Coach and Armani enjoy.

I'm hoping my first restaurant placement with 19th Hole wine is the City Golf Club driving range on the kowloon side of HK. This four deck ball-whacking haven is situated on some of the most valuable property in HK and the place is full of golfers all day long (6:00 am-midnight). These guys know their wines and also have a world class Thai restaurant on the same property. It might be fun putting a thumb tack on the map for Hong Kong.

Golf and bottling outing during British Open July 19

British Open week is always special to me since I had two good finishes in that tournament in 1985 (25th) and 1986 (72nd). To get everyone in the mood for some great links golf at Royal Birkdale I'm throwing a golf event July 19th up here in the Russian River Valley appellation at a course called Sebastopol.

After a quick round we'll get to some wine fun at my wine production loacation just down the road, Cahill Winery. We'll grill, taste the three wines I have in barrels and then bottle a barrel I have of Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon (24 cases). If you like the wine, we'll have a bottling day special and you can bring home some!

Cost for the day, $60. You can call me at 707-529-6458 to sign up.