There’s a new wine shop at IFC beside Lane Crawford,” read an SMS from fellow foodie and wine enthusiast Cecile Ang. “(They have) super hard-to-find wines on enomatic machines, so you can get a taste of everything.” The businesswoman/ hotelier had just returned from Hong Kong a few days before I was set to fly out, and I had enlisted her recommendations for the newest haunts to check out.
Cecile couldn’t remember the name of the place so I sought Google’s help and came across Amo Eno (Latin for “love wine”). Descriptions on the Internet mentioned it was an interactive wine bar that opened in December 2011. Curiosity and a much-needed catch-up session with Hong Kong girlfriends Leanne Lim and Janice Leung prompted us to meet at the third floor of the International Finance Centre for a pre-dinner tipple a couple of Sundays ago.
While strolling in the mall, Amo Eno, at first glance, gives the impression of a wine shop. Wine stoppers in the forms of Greek gods and goddesses, light bulbs in the form of wine glasses, and heart-shaped decanters are just a few of the accessories that sit for sale on a floor-to-ceiling glass display fronting the wine bar/shop. But stepping inside was literally entering a world of wines. Over 700 vintages are stocked along every wall and corner. The first thought that entered my mind was: “Where to start?”
High-Tech Wine Bar
Luckily, the answer came as soon as I climbed onto the transparent high-backed chair — the table. In today’s day and age where other bars and restaurants are migrating their menus and services onto the iPad, Amo Eno has taken this a notch higher by having the multi-touch LCD table powered by Surface 2.0 technology to act as a menu, guidebook and “sommelier.”
Amo Eno’s affable Singaporean manager/sommelier Vincent Kwong introduced himself to us and explained how the table (menu) works. Guests can decide on their wine of choice by region, color, vintage and price. Each of the wines appears with a photo, description, characteristics and price. I was thrilled to find such a diverse and extensive selection including those from unchartered wine regions like Slovenia, Morocco, Tasmania, Uruguay, and my beloved Tokaj from Hungary. There is even a social media component where guests can rate the wines and share their discoveries and recommendations via Facebook and Twitter using the technology embedded on the table. Vincent told us we were lucky because the screen was very new, and had been installed only four days prior to our visit. And the even better news was that Sunday was their all-day happy hour — which meant it was 20-percent off on the wines! We could not have come at a better time.
The Enomatic Advantage
While enomatic wine bars are no longer a novelty concept, Amo Eno takes this a step further by having a massive selection available on the machine. Over 72 varieties are available to “sip” (25ml), “taste” (50ml) or to have by the “glass” (75ml), ranging from bargains to premiums.
I noticed that the descriptions on top of each wine on the dispenser were not the usual ones found in tasting notes. “We can’t describe all of the characteristics of each wine in just 140 characters, so we decided to make them a little more fun.” Vincent pointed to a 2010 Spy Valley Sauvignon Blanc. “Do I have to describe to you what a sauvignon blanc from New Zealand is like? Everyone knows what it is.” Sure enough, the description above it reads, “Again?” As for the glass of 2006 Tokaji Oremus Dry Furmint I was nursing, Vincent pointed out that while Tokajis are often sweet, this particular one had a honeyed fruit on the nose but was a dry wine — unconventional and rare for its kind. And because of this, the normally sweet treat was tagged as a “Tricky Treat.” Bottles like these that aren’t too typical of the region are an indication that the owners of Amo Eno give just as much importance to the winemaker’s style as they do the terroir.
Amo Eno also has a rare wall which houses Screaming Eagle, Château Lafite, Petrus and Mouton. Speaking of one of the most expensive cult wines from California, Amo Eno also offers a 25ml sip of the 2007 Screaming Eagle Cabernet Sauvignon for HK$1,786 — a bargain! Where else in the world can you have Screaming Eagle by the glass?</p> <p> </p> <p align=" alt="" />The Sommelier Factor
Both Cecile and I agreed that manager/sommelier Vincent was an integral part of what sets Amo Eno apart from the other wine bars. During both our (separate) visits, he personally went around and explained how the table and the wines worked, and was extremely knowledgeable about the wines served. Other wine bars may have more prestigious wines or even larger selections, but they didn’t have a friendly sommelier on hand to explain the wine, winemaker’s style — and even crack jokes to make the atmosphere easy and relaxed — whether the customer was a novice or a connoisseur. And to us, that made all the difference.
Amo Eno is located at Podium Level 3 of IFC Mall, 1 Harbour View Street, Central, Hong Kong. For more information, phone (852)29549922, email info@amoeno.com or visit http://www.amoeno.com
* * *
You can reach me at www.twitter.com/cheryltiu.