On Tuesday 25th April Nimbility hosted an intimate Guided Vertical Tasting of South Africa’s iconic Vin de Constance for a carefully selected gathering of the “who’s who” of China’s importers, sommeliers and influencers at Cellar To Table in Shanghai.

Guests were invited on a journey through space and time, to the historic South African wine estate Klein Constantia. They were first welcomed on the terrace with a glass of Klein Constantia Estate Sauvignon Blanc 2021 and the stunning ‘Metis’ Sauvignon Blanc 2018, before heading inside to be led through an immersive gallery experience of historical figures known for their appreciation of Vin de Constance: from major Head of States of the past to world-renowned artists, guests were taken on a voyage into Baudelaire’s “luxe, calme et volupte” (himself a historical fan of Vin de Constance).

Alongside a tailor-made food-pairing experience by Cellar To Table, guests were given a detailed introduction to Klein Constantia estate and its rich history, followed by a guided tasting of three vintages of South Africa’s most iconic wine – 2019, 2017 and 2009 - by Vin de Constance Brand Ambassadors Ian Ford and Nichole Mao.  

The 2019 was the clear star of the show. “Exquisitely balanced”, “the wine is singing and dancing” “precise, beautiful and delicious” were just some of the comments from the attendees. All details of the event from the art gallery look and feel through to the exquisite food pairings were greatly appreciated by guests. One guest even kept his waxed sealed invitation card and has it hung on the wall of his restaurant! So much was the excitement and appreciation of Vin de Constance, the guests collectively decided to buy and open a bottle of 2018 Vin de Constance from Cellar To Table’s own wine list to add yet another vintage to be tasted and compared.  Following this tasting, Ian d’Agata one of China’s key wine speaker who attended the tasting published an extensive article on his blog on the tasting and his impressions on each wines and the estate.

Touted as “one of the most mythical vineyards in the world” and regularly appearing within the Top 50 World’s Best Vineyards, Klein Constantia is a legendary wine estate. Dating back to 1685, its history is not only long, but perforated by the highest international acclaim. Over the centuries ‘Vin de Constance’ has been savoured by royalty from Frederick the Great of Prussia to Louis XVI of France and perhaps most famously, reserved for the personal enjoyment of Napoleon Bonaparte while in exile on St Helena. Given pride of place in the cellars of the world’s greatest wine collectors, Constantia was also immortalized in the writings of some of the best poets and authors of the 18th and 19th centuries including Charles Baudelaire, Charles Dickens and Jane Austen.

As a result, the legend of Constantia wine lived on long after production was halted in the late 1800s due to a combination of reasons including vine diseases, labour shortages and farm bankruptcies. Wines that had brought pleasure all over the world may have disappeared forever had it not been for their resurrection by Klein Constantia in the 1980s.

The first ‘Vin de Constance’ of the modern era was harvested in 1986 and after four years in oak barrels released in distinctive (and trademarked) ‘old-fashioned’ bottles to almost instant acclaim. Once again gracing royal tables, from Buckingham Palace to Versailles, and the pages of popular fiction, the wine has enjoyed the highest accolades ever since, both locally and internationally.

For more information about Klein Constantia and Vin de Constance in China please contact nichole@nimbilityasia.com

25th of October marked the long awaited launch of Mirabeau Gin in China.

Celebrated with a party co-hosted by importer Anwin and Nimbility, a crowd of approximately 70 people gathered to experience Mirabeau Gin showcased at its best. Transforming Shanghai’s Michelin star restaurant Cellar to Table into a bubble of Provencal Summer, the event brought the spirit(s) of the South of France right into the heart of Shanghai. Both trade and consumers came to enjoy the evening. The highlights of the event were Mirabeau’s delicious and refreshing Gin cocktails complemented with Belle Annee in cans and a limited selection of Mirabeau Wines.

From the picnic themed decorations to the floating rose petals on cocktails, guests enjoyed their night immersed in the essence of Mirabeau lifestyle. Each with a glass of their classic pink Gin & Tonic or their signature Pink Lady which quickly became the night’s crowd pleaser.

For more info about Mirabeau gin in China, reach out to info@nimbilityasia.com

On Wednesday 10th November, East Meets West and Nimbility launched Mount Rozier at Ce La Vi on The Bund in Shanghai.

The Stellenbosch brand by Journey’s End was presented to over a hundred Trade, media, VIP consumers and KOL guests. A casual walk-around tasting, themed “The Magic of Mount Rozier”, was co-hosted by Olivier Six, COO of EMW and Ian Ford, Mount Rozier Brand Ambassador and co-founder of Nimbility.

A large branded entrance display backdrop, giant peacocks and large blow-up brought the brand to life for the guests who enjoyed the entire selection of Mount Rozier wines, from Petit Rozier to the Reserve range. A magician also entertained the guests, further bringing a sense of “the Magic of Mount Rozier” to the afternoon.

Last week saw the official kickoff of a new and revolutionary campaign to build the Greek wine category in China. Nimbility, in partnership with Tselepos Wines, and with the backing of the Greek Government and the EU, hosted a stunning Gala event - ‘Glorious Greece – A Lifestyle Odyssey’- at the spiritual home for Greek culture and lifestyle, the esteemed Hellas House in the Old French Concession district in the heart of Shanghai.

The event charted a journey through Greece’s history, culture and hospitality, featuring the opportunity to discover Greece’s historic wine regions and their noble, indigenous grape varieties – PGI Arkadia and PDO Mantinia for the Moschofilero grape and PDO Nemea for Greece’s most noble red variety Agiorgitiko.

Bringing these regions and grapes into the global wine industry limelight has been the lifelong mission of one man, one of Greece’s most esteemed winemakers, Yannis Tselepos. Through his two estates – Ktima Tselepos in Arkadia and Ktima Driopi in Nemea - Tselepos is raising the quality of Greek wines to new levels and highlighting the undeniable fact that these wines deserve to be alongside their global peers among the best wines in the world.   

As Plato said, ‘Nothing more excellent or valuable than wine was ever granted by the gods to man,’ and as such, guests at the Gala, dressed up in white, were led through the beautiful rooms and garden of Hellas House, glass in hand, experiencing Tselepos wines paired with dishes inspired by the diversity and exceptional quality of Greek cuisine.

Pavlos Kontomichalos, founder and CEO of Hellas Group, first addressed the 200 strong crowd to express his gratitude to everyone for coming and taking part in what was a first for Greek wine in China. He went on to say that Greece is a country filled with treasures just waiting for people to unearth and that Hellas House is the place in China where that discovery can begin to take place. “It is the mission of Hellas House and this campaign to increase the awareness of the excellent quality of Greek wines amongst Chinese consumers,” he said. He emphasized that Greek wines could be a propelling power to push the Chinese wine market to be more diverse, more multi-faceted and more quality oriented and as such, Hellas House has a big responsibility on its shoulders to showcase the very best that Greece has to offer.

Sophia Kontomichalou, Co-Founder and President of Hellas Group mentioned that the history of Greek wines can be traced back to 6,000 years ago. Wine is inseparably intertwined with the Greece’s ancient civilization and is one of the factors of a healthy and joyful lifestyle in Greek culture. Dionysus, the god of wine created the wine civilization, and Greece, was in fact one of the earliest countries to develop winemaking technology. Until now, Greek wines have been a ‘lost treasure’ and part of Hellas House’s mission is to shine a bright light on the exceptional quality and diversity that Greek wines have to offer.

Vassilis Koniakos, the Consul General of Greece in China, also spoke to the long history of Greece and the fact that although Chinese consumers may know about Greece’s rich mythology, they may be less aware of Greek wines, their quality and diversity. This campaign, with Hellas House and Tselepos Wines as cornerstones of the effort, would be aiming to change that and to elevate Greek wines and the unique and distinctive stories of Greece to a new level not seen in China, or indeed the world. 

Although the Greek wine industry had setbacks in the 1960s and 1970’s, since the 1980s Greek wine has been modernizing and innovating, pushing to the forefront of quality production, exemplified by the extraordinarily high scores and accolades that Greek wines, such as Tselepos’s Nemea Ktima Driopi Reserve 2017, have recently won at internationally renowned competitions such as the Decanter World Wine Awards 2021.

Ian Ford, Founding Partner of Nimbility, and Nichole Mao, Partner and Director of Sales and Marketing North Asia at Nimbility, delved into more depth about the historic regions of Greece being featured in the campaign and their indigenous varieties, namely PGI Arkadia and PDO Mantinia for the aromatic ‘Chameleon’ white grape Moschofilero, nicknamed as such because of its pinkish hue, and PDO Nemea and the famed Agiorgitiko or ‘blood of Hercules’ as it is also known.

Ford pointed out that Greek wines are unique in the wine world because of their link to such ancient history and mythological origin. According to legend, Hercules drank a glass of Agiorgitiko wine to give him the strength he required to confront the lion of Nemea which he finally managed to defeat in an epic battle. The mythological stories that surround Greek wine are powerful and fascinating and bring a unique element when enjoying a glass of Greek wine as people are immediately immersed in the rich history of Greece. Hellas House has created a unique haven where these stories can be brought to life and resonate in people’s hearts, creating a bond and a bridge to promote Greek wines that will push the forward momentum of the Greek wine category in China.

Guests stayed drinking and discussing Greece in all its glory until late, with many commenting that the event had opened their eyes to the stunning quality of Greek wines, their diversity and charm.

For more information about Tselepos Wines in China and the ‘Glorious Greece – A Lifestyle Odyssey’ campaign in China, please contact info@nimbilityasia.com

Last Wednesday April 28th, over a hundred trade buyers, importers and distributors gathered in Guangzhou, to attend Wine of Chile’s second Business Summit of 2021, continuing the effort to drive sales and marketing opportunities for Chilean wines in China.

Wines of Chile Asia Director Nicolai Samsing, and Chilean Consulate Genenral in Guangzhou Rodolfo Montecinos gave opening speeches. Ian Ford, Nimbility’s co-founder, and Mario Aron, COO of ASC Fine Wines, introduced the advantages and market competitiveness of Chilean wines to the guests, along with their respective experience working with Chilean wines in China.

Following the business seminar, Julien Boulard MW gave an in-depth Chilean wine masterclass, where Viña Casa Silva’s Microterroir Carmenere 2011 formed part of the line-up and really shined!

2pm saw the start of an afternoon of tailored business meetings, with 26 wineries participating, each engaged in a one-on-one conversation with importers and distributors from the region.

Upon completing the business meetings, a walk-around wine tasting of 30 Chilean wineries was also on offer where guests could not only taste different Chilean wines from each winery, but also have a deeper conversation with the winery representatives and learn more about the history and unique stories of the wineries.

For more information about wines of Chile in China please contact Wines of Chile China Office on WeChat:

For more information about Viña Casa Silva wines in China please contact nichole@nimbilityasia.com

Nimbility’s first “Nimbilitivo”, our unique twist on “Aperitivo hour”, took place last Monday at Bar Mu, one of Chengdu’s hottest cocktail bars, with its fantastic space and atmosphere, perfect for the first edition of this brand-showcase event.   

With its traditional courtyard area where guests could stand and soak up the evening sun, glass in hand, several comfortable booths for sitting back and relaxing as well as the long bar, behind which our resident BA, Edward Gao, was busy shaking up delicious drinks, Bar Mu was the ideal space to showcase our diverse portfolio in its many guises.

The fresh and relaxed format allowed guests to escape the hustle and bustle of the hotel fairs, enjoy a few early evening drinks and discover what the Nimbility portfolio of wines and spirits has to offer.

Our Shanghai team was out in force, hosting and entertaining guests throughout the late afternoon and early evening: Nimbility Co-Founder Ian Ford, our Sales & Marketing Director for North Asia Nichole Mao, our Brand Ambassador Edward Gao and our Events Manager Candace Chen.

A walk around tasting was set up for those interested to discover the full diversity of the Nimbility range, as well as one-on-one sit downs with the team for more in-depth business conversation to take place if desired, and of course a top selection of cocktails and wines by the glass for those who just wanted to sit back, relax and enjoy a few drinks after a hard day’s fair!

Brands showcased at the event and presented to Nimbility guests were:

1-      Wineries

·        Journey’s End – Stellenbosch

·        Viña Casa Silva – Colchagua

·        Bodegas Verum – Castilla-La Mancha

·        Born Rosé – Barcelona

·        Tenuta di Trinoro – Tuscany

·        Passopisciaro – Sicily

·        Buglioni – Valpolicella

·        Greystone – Waipara

·        Altos Las Hormigas – Mendoza

·        Mirabeau – Provence

·        Mulderbosch – Stellenbosch

2-      Spirits烈酒

·        Capel Group – Pisco

·        Stolen X – Whiskey

·        Heaven’s Door – Whiskey

·        Tanglin – Gin

·        Dangerous Don – Mezcal

·        Adelaide Hills Distillery – Gin, Vermouth and Bitter Orange

·        Lawrenny – Gin, Vodka, Coffee Liqueur and Whisky

·        Four Fox Saké – Saké

·        Black Tears Rum – Dry Spiced Rum

For more information about any of our brands in China, please get in touch at info@nimbilityasia.com

And stay tuned for our next Nimbilitivo installment, coming soon to a city near you!

A Nimbility webinar for NZWG that gave the latest on what’s happening in key Asian markets - China, Japan, Singapore and Hong Kong. The webinar covered import data, trends, consumer buying behaviour, channel analysis and Covid-19 impacts and recovery. Using a mix of hard data, analysis and anecdotes from key market players, including a run-down of preliminary Chinese New Year sales trends, this webinar hosted by Nimbility was the ideal way to keep across what’s going on in NZ’s core Asia export markets.

Get in touch to get access to the report at info@nimbilityasia.com

Wednesday 6th January saw more than a hundred wine experts, wine importers and distributors invited by Wines of Chile Association to join the 2021 Wines of Chile Business Summit at W Bund Shanghai. Co-organised by Nimbility, this summit’s format was designed to create more business opportunities and to strengthen the cooperation and connection between wine importers and wineries!  

During the summit, in addition to the speeches from the organizers of the event, the Chilean Wine Association and the Consul General of Chile in Shanghai, Ian Ford, Nimbility’s co-founder, and Mr. Wu, General Manager of Fond Wines, were also invited to give speeches to introduce the advantages and market competitiveness of Chilean wines to the guests, along with their respective experience with Chilean wines.

B2B meetings took place following the speeches from key note speakers. The meetings were arranged by Wines of Chile in advance and 30 Chilean winery representatives were seated to meet with wine importers on a one-to-one basis every 20 minutes for a full exchange of views and wine tasting, helping to strengthen and give more substance to the communications between winery and importers.

Throughout the event, a walk-around wine tasting of 30 Chilean wineries was also on offer where guests could not only taste different levels of Chilean wines from each winery, but also have a deeper conversation with the winery representatives and learn more about the history and terroir of the wineries.

A Chilean wine dinner followed in the evening. During the dinner, Nicolai Samsing, Asia Pacific Director of the Chilean Wine Institute, thanked guests for coming and for their love of Chilean wines, celebrating a great foundation for the new development of Chilean wine in China in 2021.