00 Covers IWSC 2017 Hong Kong_db_april_folio_ 31/10/2017 11:06 Page 1 Let’s Celebrate! 2017 HKIWSC Award Winners Results available on hkiwsc.com xx_IWSCHK_17_Lucaris Glasses_Layout 1 24/10/2017 12:16 Page 1 01 contents MC AA_Layout 1 31/10/2017 15:07 Page 3 contents HKIWSC report 2017 10 06 02 foreword 14 country/region trophies Allen Gibbons on 2017’s competition A trip around the world of wine 04 director’s message 17 variety/style trophies Debra Meiburg MW introduces the judges Wine types come under the spotlight 05 scoring system 21 spirits trophies How the judging process works We round up the spirits with the best scores 06 judges 24 medal directory The team that decides the trophies At-a-glance listings of the top medal winners cover 09 young communicator 32 hkiwsc events HKIWSC Who will be honoured this year? The competition in pictures 10 food & wine 33 test your palate Vietnamese food joins the line-up The public puts their tastebuds to the test 12 food-matching trophies The best wines with Asian cuisine • Editor-in-chief Patrick Schmitt • Managing Editor (Hong Kong) Rupert Millar • Managing Editor Lucy Shaw • Deputy Editor Lauren Eads • News & Website Editor Phoebe French • Sub-Editor Adrian Arratoon • Consultant Jack Keenan • US Consultant Clint Rodenberg • Chairman & Publisher Anthony Hawser • Deputy Chairman David Rose • Art Director Alan MacKenzie-Morris • Director of Sales Spirits Bert Grant • Director of Sales Drinks Andrew Oliver • Marketing Director David Hennelly • Spirits Manager Daisy Jones • Advertising Manager Marcus Clark • Research & Events Sheila Crisp • Events Manager Chloé Beral Published by: The Drinks Business, Printed by: Magnum Offset Printing • Web Designer Matthew Quitter 9B Amtel Building, 148 Des Voeux Road, Hong Kong 11/F., E-tat Factory Building, 4 Heung Yip Road, • Subscriptions Sales Manager Lewis O’Sullivan and Unit 122, 30 Great Guildford Street, Wong Chuk Hang, Hong Kong • Production Manager Mile Budimir London SE1 0HS www.magnumoffset.com.hk 02 foreword AA_Layout 1 31/10/2017 11:09 Page 2 foreword Allen Gibbons Debra Meiburg MW Simon Tam This year’s competition showcased the rising trend for gin and Chinese spirits as well as the ever-growing quality of Asian wines THE WINE and spirits business followed by New Zealand. Entries from globally is a fluid industry in more than Austria increased by 62% compared to one sense of the word. Trends emerge 2016. But what is really exciting is the and change periodically, which is spread of entries we received from across exciting – it keeps us all engaged and the globe. Entries came from 15% more encourages producers to strive to make producers than in 2016, and 33 wine and the very best they can. spirits-producing countries were In 2017, we certainly saw evidence of represented, including Egypt, among the the gin trend still sweeping the globe. entrants for the first time in 2017. Gin entries were up 247%. As evidence I hope you enjoy discovering the of the growing quality and international fascinating mix of results that this year’s ambitions of Chinese spirts, we saw a event has produced, as well as reading fivefold increase in the number of Baijiu more about the competition, its entries in 2017. We also saw a 20% influential judges, wonderful supporters increase in the number of spirit and the rising stars in the Asian wine entries from France. and spirits business. A nod to the serious commitment to quality by Asian wine producers, China ALLEN GIBBONS, GROUP CHIEF proved to be the country with the largest EXECUTIVE, THE IWSC GROUP growth when it comes to wine, with five times the number of wine entries as 2016. Perennial entries leader Australia again took top spot for the volume of entries, Thank you to our media partner for its continued support: 2 HKIWSC Report 2017 xx_IWSCHK_17_Crown Wine Cellars_Layout 1 24/10/2017 12:20 Page 1 04 director's message MC AA_Layout 1 31/10/2017 14:25 Page 4 director’s message AS WE approach the 10th anniversary of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition next year, we’ve had the chance to reflect on the wonderful success of the competition and its impact on the Asian wine-and-spirits market. One of the key successes of the competition has been the systematic growth and development of a wonderful, diverse pool of professional and influential Asian wine-and-spirits judges. From fewer than 20 judges in the first year, to a grand total (and competition record) of 49 judges from 11 Asian countries and 13 Asian cities, the diversity of voices and complex cultural melting pot of opinions involved in the judging process has never been richer, deeper or more expansive. We were thrilled to count five of the eight Asian Masters of Wine in our judging team, including the newly announced recipient, Hong Kong’s Sarah Heller MW. First-timers Sonal Holland MW (India) and Ying Tan Hsing MW (Singapore), join returning Japanese Master of Wine Kenichi Ohashi, and me (Hong Kong), along with Sarah Heller MW from Hong Kong. We truly had the pan-Asian experts among our record- breaking judging panel. Guest international VIP spirits judge, Desmond Payne, the master distiller from Beefeater, offered a vast amount of experience, wisdom and wonderful stories from his 50 years in the industry. Our VIP international wine judge, Johann Fourie, is one of South Africa’s dynamic winemakers. He was at the helm of the country’s largest producer before moving to Benguela Cove Wine Estate, and he shared plenty of insights into winemaking in South Africa and the UK. In 2017, we welcomed some of the most influential retailers and importers to the This year’s judging panel boasted quality in depth, judging panel for the first time, as well as educators, influencers, sommeliers, food- and featured 49 judges from 11 Asian countries, and-beverage professionals and critics. They know the market, and here are including five Masters of Wine their results. DEBRA MEIBURG MW DIRECTOR, CATHAY PACIFIC HKIWSC 4 HKIWSC Report 2017 05 Judging MC AA_Layout 1 31/10/2017 18:43 Page 5 judging A NOTE ON THE JUDGING The judges are the Cathay Pacific HKIWSC’s most important asset, here’s how they go about scoring the thousands of wine and spirits entered every year A NOTE ON THE JUDGING SCORING SYSTEM another panel for a second tasting. Gold, The competition’s esteemed panel of The judges are first separated into panels Silver and Bronze awards are then judges hail from countries all over Asia, and are then presented with flights of allocated depending on the product’s including China, India, Taiwan and wine organised by region, area, variety, score out of 100. The highest marks in Thailand, ensuring the competition style, type, vintage, age and so on. All each category are passed on for a second remains truly “Asia’s Choice, Asia’s voice”. wines are blind-tasted to ensure tasting to compete for the national and The judges are all key influencers in the impartiality and judges are not permitted international trophies. Asian wine and spirit market, and their in the preparation area at any point expertise in the industry is second to none. during the tasting. Judges are provided 90+ GOLD Judging integrity is at the heart of the with score sheets on which they mark Outstanding example; the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International their respective samples individually, benchmark Wine and Spirit Competition, and the without comment. rigorous judging process is designed to Once all judges have finished tasting 80+ SILVER ensure that every year the competition is and scoring their flight, the panel and Fine example; excellent quality able to provide Asian consumers with a panel chairman congregate to openly guide to purchasing wines and spirits discuss the scores. If there is any 75+ BRONZE recognised for their quality by the finest significant disagreement over one Good example; well above Asian palates. particular sample, it may be referred to average 06-08 Judges MC AA_Layout 1 31/10/2017 11:11 Page 6 judges MEET THE JUDGES All of the wine and spirit judges were either born in Asia or live here. They include key influencers in 11 Asian markets, and now count five Masters of Wine among their, ever-growing, number International judges Johann Fourie, Head Winemaker, Benguela Cove Wine Estate and Desmond Payne, Master Distiller, Beefeater Gin, Chivas Brothers – Mannings Heath Golf & Wine –South Africa UK MWs Judging Chair Debra Meiburg MW, Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Kenichi Ohashi MW, President, Red Bridge – Japan Competition and Meiburg Wine Media – Hong Kong MWs Left to Right: Sarah Heller MW, Proprietor, Heller Beverage Advisory – Hong Kong; Sonal Holland MW, Founder and Director, SoHo Wine Club & Sonal Holland Wine Academy – India; and Ying Hsien Tan MW, Executive Director, Taberna Wine Academy –Singapore 6 HKIWSC Report 2017 06-08 Judges MC AA_Layout 1 31/10/2017 11:11 Page 7 Sarah Wong Ian Dai Thomas Ling Wine Columnist, South China Morning Post Founder, You Meng Principal Partner, Entwine Consultancy Hong Kong Shanghai, China Malaysia Wine Panel Chairs Panel Wine Rebecca Leung Kent Tsang Wine Writer and Journalist, Wine is Wine Writer and Journalist, Beautiful, Hong Kong Guangzhou, China Chairs Spirits Panel Spirits Panel Eddie Nara Ron Taylor Stephen Notman Whisk(e)y Educator and Consultant, Barrel Independent Wine and Spirit Educator Founder and Whisky Educator, Whisky L! Concepts, Hong Kong Hong Kong China Alex Thinh Billy Yeung Chris So Christian Zhang Eugene Tan Head Sommelier, Daloc Wines Sommelier, Lung King Heen,