The Atlantic Ocean has always represented a gulf in the fine wine market, but the gulf has deepened and widened considerably of late. Now that Hong Kong has become such an important centre for fine-wine auctions, not least because American auctioneer Acker Merrall & Condit has been targeting Hong Kong so vigorously, a considerable quantity of fine wine that would once have stayed in the US and moved between American cellars can now be found in Asia, particularly Hong Kong and mainland China.