'Let the Washington wines do the talking'

By Kim Ji-soo

John Kimmey, Asia’s division manager of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates

The size of the Korean wine market and its studious consumers make it an important one, Asia’s division manager of Ste. Michelle Wine Estates says.

“The Korean market is developing in the sense that you can see where the demographic lends itself to a younger consumer. They are really enjoying the Moscatos,” John Kimmey said.

The natural maturation process of a wine drinker starts out with sweeter wines and then, as one drinks more, one’s palate craves drier wines.

“We’re really excited about the next wave of wine drinkers in Korea, especially young upwardly looking individuals whose palate will develop more and more toward finer wine,” Kimmey said.

The company featured Rieslings and reds from Chateau Ste. Michelle and Columba Crest in Washington State at a “vino trivia” event at @kitchen in the W Seoul-Walkerhill hotel in Gwangjang-dong, Seoul, last week. Kimmey was in Seoul to host the event. Ste. Michelle also owns other leading brands including Stag’s Leap Wine Cellars.

The company’s broad portfolio means it is well set to meet the demands of maturing wine drinkers in Korea. The sweetness and body complexity of its Washington Riesling also pairs well with spicy food, especially kimchi.

“Korean food is the toughest to pair with wine in the world, but that’s where we have strength with the Rieslings,” Kimmey said.

“We are looking to launch a new type of Riesling called ‘ANEW,’ which we hope to put on the shelf in Korea around May and June.”

He said Washington wines are the “next wave”. The Ste. Michelle’s 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet was voted wine of the year in 2009 by Wine Spectator magazine.

Koreans began adopting wines around the mid-2000s, and continue to consume wine with its market estimated to be worth 500 million won ($448,149) a year.

Kimmey who drinks “soju” and “baekseju,” Korean rice wines, recommended Columbia Crest Grand Estates Moscato for Korean wine drinkers. It has a heavier body with residual sugar, a lot of pear and honey aroma and is slightly floral with a slight essence of cantaloupe, he said.

“If you’re a soju drinker, I would say start out with a Moscato and Riesling because it’s approachable.”

Kimmey said, however, that the best wine is whatever one likes.

“Critics make it intimidating,” he said. He suggested drinkers experiment with wines, starting out with low-priced bottles with friends, like a quasi-wine club.