Robert Parker's opinions on Burgundy Grand Cru such as Le Montrachet and Bordeaux such as Chateau Margaux are so revered in Hong Kong, he will be the star attraction at an upcoming wine event.

Some may even be tempted to suggest his appearance at WineFuture 2011, set to attract over 1,000 people trying in excess of 1,400 bottles drawn from across 13 regions of Spain, will attract more interest than the wine.

Speaking to the Wall Street Journal, Spanish wine expert and event organiser Pancho Campo noted: "In Asia, he's the only wine critic that is known widely and very important to the market here.

"Once I spoke to Bob and he was in, I knew the rest of the speakers would be easy to get."

Campo also called the event "one of the most important tastings of Spanish wine in history", owing to the high level audience.

However, whether Spain can match the popularity of Bordeaux in Asia, particularly its success among Chinese investors, remains to be seen.