http://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/food-wine/article/1098122/ask-foodie-xania-wong
Ask the Foodie: Xania Wong
Xania Wong, who was born in Toronto, Canada, but raised in Hong Kong, started pursuing a career in the wine industry four years ago when the government reduced the duty to zero. Now training to become a master of wine, she has just launched the Wine2Go app that allows wine lovers to search for and buy bottles with their smartphones.
She has also founded the Xantana Wine Society, an organisation that hosts tastings and other wine-related events. With a master's degree in business administration, Wong previously worked as a banker in Canada and a management consultant in Hong Kong. She still does management consulting on a project basis.
When did your interest in wine become serious?
I got into wine appreciation in 2001 after drinking Amarone at my birthday dinner. The sommelier suggested this "rich seductive wine with a chocolate flavour and a burned almond finish", a phrase that got me to try the wine. I really liked it.
Why pursue the difficult master of wine accreditation, which only about eight candidates pass per year?
One reason is that it's a personal challenge. The other is that I'm passionate about wine. I've visited trade shows, where I've met many winemakers. You see a lot of tradition in winemaking and a lot of passion from the winemakers about what they do. I see them as artists: winemakers produce bottles the way artists paint their passions. It really resonated with me, as it's hard nowadays to find people passionate about what they are doing.
What was the reason for developing the Wine2Go app?
The idea came from the many calls from my friends seeking guidance. Prior to going to a wine shop, they'd call for pairing recommendations for a particular occasion. Or at a store, they'd call asking things like: "I see this brand and this brand. Which one do you recommend?" I realised how useful it would be to launch something so they could get this information automatically. That's what sparked this concept. Also, I was in Kowloon one day, looking for a wine shop, but I didn't know where the nearest one was. That's when I thought a location-based system embedded in the app could help people find stores so they can get a bottle for a party or dinner.
Christmas is around the corner. What do you usually uncork?
Amarone, since it has sentimental value for me but also because it has such an interesting story. It's made from raisins - grapes that were dried first before they were fermented - a process that results in a rich wine with coffee and chocolate flavours. It's also very sweet. It's a great dessert wine to go with chocolates. It's also a good post-meal wine after a big meaty feast like Christmas dinner.
How are wine buying habits evolving in Hong Kong?
It will take more education for Hongkongers to shop using apps, but it's definitely the future. I was in Singapore a few weeks ago to assess the market there, and I found they are more open to ordering or paying for things via apps. For example, they use apps to order taxis; all my friends over there do that. Singaporeans are very open to shopping with apps in general. I hope Hong Kong catches up soon.
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