Why do we care about wine glasses? Without getting too scientific, or pretentious, think of a glass as the loudspeaker for your wine - it’s there to amplify all the best features of the drink. Take the Aussie designed Plumm 1 universal glass (HK$495 for a pack). A universal glass doesn’t have as large an aroma collector like a white wine glass, or an oversized bowl for red wine aeration - it is a compromise, which when you are short of space in a Hong Kong apartment is more important than 20 different glass sizes for wines “just in case”. A thin rim for sipping with ease, thin crystal stem, and pouring enough wine to allow a good swirl without spilling all over the house poodle is the way to go when it comes to glassware. Pour, inspect, swirl, sniff, think, taste, enjoy! It’s not all that hard, just don’t use a coffee mug.

Everyone has a different opinion on what to order when it comes to wine. A wine you have tried before and know is a great place to start - crisp sauvignon blancs, shiraz with a steak, everyone has a style or a pairing that’s a ‘go-to’. But we like using home drinks to try new wines, especially against varied finger food where you can see what goes and what doesn’t. Plus - trying a new variety is such a great talking point with friends, a rabbit hole for you to go down googling tasting notes, or just something to mix it up if you’re tired of the usual suspects.

A great glass of wine needs the right music. The Hong Kong construction site sounds don’t quite cut it - and equally so turning it up to 11 and drowning it all out with trance won’t do. It’s called sensory masking - if the tunes are too loud your other senses get drowned out. Also, some studies have shown the sense of smell is the quickest to tire. This means all those aromatics and flavours will be lost! So crank up the beach vibes, acoustic sessions, or something to let your mind wander, the wines open up and the good times roll.