MEMBER SPOTLIGHT – LA CABANE

Wine enthusiasts and environmentalists alike will be impressed by La Cabane. Redefining what it means to enjoy a great glass of wine, La Cabane has made a commitment to sustainability. With a focus on natural and biodynamic wines, La Cabane strives to showcase the terroir in every bottle, delivering wine experiences that are both delicious and responsible. To hear more about how La Cabane is shaking up Hong Kong’s wine scene, I chat with co-founder Cristobal Huneeus on La Cabane’s innovative approach to wine and commitment to sustainability.

La Cabane’s charming storefront and delicious food and drink offerings 

From vineyard to city 

Working with artisan growers around the world, La Cabane sources wine directly from producers to ensure that wines are ethical, sustainable and natural. Their unconventional selection of wines falls into several different classifications.

Made with grapes grown without the use of chemical fertilisers or pesticides, organic wines are produced under requirements regarding farming methods and grape-growing. Yet while the organic approach focuses on organically grown grapes, it does not pose restrictions on the winemaking process that follows. 

Meanwhile, biodynamic wines take organic wine to the next level, following Rudolf Steiner’s philosophies to consider the vineyard and winemaking process holistically. With an emphasis on harmony with nature, biodynamic wines take into account concepts such as lunar cycles and natural rhythm during the production of grapes.

Sip, savor, and indulge in La Cabane’s diverse wine selection

Born in 20th century France, natural wine puts an emphasis on using minimal intervention in the winemaking process. In some ways, it is similar to biodynamic viticulture: organic grown grapes are hand-picked and fermented using wild yeast, with little to no added sulfites or other additives. The approach entails making the fruit as good as possible; as Cristobal says, it’s like “keeping the wine as close as possible to the grape”. 

Beyond the label 

At La Cabane, the different classifications are explained through tastings and events. In La Cabane’s bistro, wines are sold by the glass to accompany the perfect meal. In the cellar and online, customers have the chance to participate in wine tastings and learn more about each classification of wine. Finally, La Cabane works with restaurants across Hong Kong, building relationships with sommeliers to offer their wines around Hong Kong. 

According to Cristobal, there’s still a lot to be done. “With water, you have a label that tells you what the water contains: the amount of minerals… You don’t have that with wine; if you look at the analysis on some industrial wines, you’ll find over 200 different chemicals!” The ambiguity of wine labels makes the push for sustainability more difficult, and Cristobal stresses that more awareness is needed. 

Cristobal Huneeus, co-founder of La Cabane

Wine o’clock

Promisingly, the global movement on natural wine has been picking up. Yet Cristobal observes that progress in Hong Kong has been slow: “Hong Kong tends to be a quite traditional market; people are more geared towards investment wines and classic labels”. “We push our philosophy, but sometimes sommeliers care only about the labels”. With La Cabane, Cristobal promotes “looking at where the wine comes from and how it’s made”. Already, La Cabane has found a loyal group of consumers who share Cristobal’s enthusiastic philosophy: “they appreciate the concept and are curious about how our wines are made”.

As sustainable wines become more popular, Cristobal hopes that customers will embrace the product and try the wines out in restaurants and bars. “Even as a small player in the industry, we’re trying our best to address this,” says Cristobal. For wine lovers in Hong Kong… perhaps it’s time to head over to La Cabane, and try something new!

To learn more about LA CABANE head to their website here.

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