Korean Launch-- Sleepless in Seoul

Such a terrific trip!  A very professional welcome from Kook Soon Dang, the famous Korean Sake brewery that also has a wine distribution arm.  For the uninitiated,  Korean sake is unique in that it is flavored with traditional herbs and medicinal plants such as ginseng.  Mr. Bae, the Chairman, takes personal pride in having revived this brew, which dates back to 1300AD.   Perhaps because of the quality of the wine professionals gathered together by the company's dynamic marketing team, I was struck by the high level of knowledge and interest of the trade: at the beautifully organised winemaker's dinner for Chene Bleu, I met scores of  top journalists, sommeliers, restauranteurs and collectors, and the quality of questions pointed to a high degree of connoisseurship, very evolved relative to the Bordeaux-centric culture prevalent in some parts of Asia.  Delighted by the reception on the wines, as reflected by the abundant and enthusiastic press.  Lots of question about biodynamic practices.Andrew (Ji Hyung) Kim, the lovely and enterprising Wine MBA  who recently moved back from Bordeaux to Seoul, proved a tireless and attentive guide to Seoul's happening wine scene -- trendy wine bars and top international restaurants (such as Pierre Gagnaire in the Lotte Hotel) being the obvious destinations for Chene Bleu.   One of the unexpected highlights of the trip was realising how our wines also pair well with Hansik (traditional Korean fare).  As I suspected, the versatile Rose' and oaky Aliot were easy matches for multitude of tasty side-dishes.  But we also discovered to my delight that the spicy Grenache and Syrah profile of Abelard and Heloise are a logical match for many of the main dishes and classic hot-pots, because of the generous and complex use of spices which characterises their cuisine.  If you're interested in a succinct virtual tour of Korean gastronomy, click here for one that includes Bibimbap (touted to me as "Michael Jackson's favorite"), and here : for Obama's Royal Hotpot of choice.  And, if you're ever in Seoul, do not fail to visit the restaurant SobanAfter the gastronomic recognizance tour, time for some good ol'fashion' tourism, though with the exception of the occasional temple, Seoul felt more to me like Milan than Hong Kong.  Perhaps it was that behind its grey and notoriously bleak facade one sensed the familiar energy of  the  large, bustling, seemingly confortable middle class.Bottom line on my Korean debut: Kook Soon Dang and its distribution arm made an excellent first impression of being a first rate company, and I can't wait to move ahead full-throttle with this team.