What these cult wines do is set the benchmark for prices. Nevertheless, even in Hong Kong cult wine devotees and detractors proclaim themselves for or against the trend with almost religious fervour. Webster praises Screaming Eagle, saying it is a must-have wine for any serious collector. Stephanie Hogan, the Hong Kong-based general manager at Windy City, which runs the restaurant chain Dan Ryan's, agrees. Hogan enthuses about the cult wines she has tasted over the years, including Screaming Eagle.
Cult wines are unique.
Screaming Eagle is not multilayered but rather twisted. Many wine-industry executives, however, beg to differ. He points to Screaming Eagle's 500 cases compared with the several hundred thousand cases typically produced by a medium-sized winery. Similarly, Sarah Wong, managing director of Interwines, says cult wines are more about hype than substance. Nevertheless, restaurants and retailers are clamouring for an allocation.