Alasdair Nicol casts his eye over the drops available at the year’s biggest party

Here it is again folks, that fated last weekend in March where the world’s hardened drinkers are brought to their knees. And while beer – and perhaps Pimm’s – are the traditional drinks of choice at Hong Kong Stadium, there’s also plenty of wine to be consumed at the Rugby Sevens.
As with many a year gone by, Sacred Hill is the wine of the tournament with the Sauvignon Blanc, Merlot, Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and Pinot Noir all available to the somewhat more sophisticated drinker. New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc is a winner as a breakfast accompaniment, but by lunchtime you may be reeling from some serious acid attacks that the white wine can be known to bring on. That would be a good time to crack open the Merlot.

While the prices for wine inside the stadium were yet to be released when we went to print, we did get some prices from the Sevens Village. And surprisingly, the Village wine prices are not as crazy as some of the costumes you’ll see across the weekend. You can pick up a glass for $50, or get even better value by grabbing a whole bottle for just $200. That’s about the same price as the beer pitchers and will leave you feeling less bloated and eager for more.

While the Sevens might be best known for the party atmosphere and the “golden showers” in the South Stand, there’s also a much slicker side that has emerged for those folks who feel like being a little pampered throughout the weekend. Ironmonger Events (www.ironmongerevents.com) are offering a food and beverage package, tickets to the games and entertainment by rugby stars over the weekend. The wines included in the hospitality package are Chateau Potensac from Bordeaux, Penfolds Bin 128 Coonawarra Shiraz 2006 from Australia and the Robert Mondavi Reserve Chardonnay 2006 from California.

Additionally, this year the Champagne tent is sponsored by Louis Roederer ($300 for three nights’ entry) with the famed Cristal available in the V.I.P tent for those who fancy blowing a small fortune, or impressing that little hottie you just met in the South Stand. Red and white wines will also be available in the Champagne tent, including the Shaw and Smith Sauvignon Blanc from Australia. Tickets to the Champagne tent are also available from Ironmonger.

My prediction for this year’s Sevens runs like this: Aussies will win on the consumption of alcohol stakes, Brits will have more ticket touts than any other country, and New Zealand will beat Samoa in the final – but the real winners will be those who spent the day drinking the great wines available.