ABSTRACT
The new moneyed class adopts imported beverages with gusto, not always just because they are expensive. An unusual practice, from the Western stand point, is the dropping of a salted plum into a glass of, say, Scotch or vintage Chateau Lafite-Rothschild. Hong Kong, now officially an autonomous admin istrative region of China, continues the long tradition of serving cognac in tumblers but is paying increasing attention to good grape wines. Western wine and spirit books are read, and there are some good books on wine selection and matching in Chinese. Cognac and imported wines are also popular in Taiwan. Under the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau high-quality, grainbased wines and white liquors are being made for an appreciative public. The Taiwanese are also fond of their own excellent beer.
