四 7 11月 2013

2013 Results Released

Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition 2013

Results Announced

Australia triumphs with 13 trophies and 32 Gold medals awarded in a record year for the competition

(7 November 2013) Asia’s first and most widely-respected wine and spirit competition, the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition (HKIWSC), today released the results of this year’s fifth anniversary Competition. The results were announced at the HKTDC’s Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Fair at Hong Kong’s Convention and Exhibition Centre.

Judges from across Asia flew in to Hong Kong in October to blind taste wines and spirits from over 30 countries including Barbados, Canada, Chile, Dominican Republic, England, India, Japan and Mexico. This year’s star-studded judging panel saw the addition of VIP judges, Australian winemaker Ms. Vanya Cullen, and Burn Stewart’s Master Blender and Head of Distilleries, Mr. Ian MacMillan alongside some of Asia’s top industry figures.

Australia led the medal tally with an astonishing 538 medals overall, following a 19% increase in entries from 2012. The Southern Hemisphere country picked up 5 food and wine pairing trophies as well as 8 other trophies including Best Shiraz for McGuigan’s Hand Made Shiraz 2010 and Best Dessert Wine for De Bortoli Wines, Noble One 2009.

Entering its fifth year, HKIWSC was the first, and still remains the most authentic, wine and spirit competition in Asia. Created by the IWSC Group, Debra Meiburg MW and Simon Tam, the Competition has led the way in showcasing world class wines to the Asian market. The HKIWSC, not only selects the best, most established wines, for the Asian taste preferences, but also aims to introduce some less well-known wines to the Hong Kong market, providing even more choice for the region’s wine lovers.

Debra Meiburg MW, HKIWSC director, commented on the results:

“The quality of this year’s entries was outstanding with a record number of gold medals awarded to some very deserving wines and spirits. Our judges were impressed with both the quality and quantity of entries submitted and were excited to see some really interesting entries including Ancestor Shaokang Liquor 40 YO from China which was awarded a silver medal and Chalong Bay Rum which received a Bronze medal.”

The wines entered into the food and wine matching categories also achieved fantastic results, with a noticeable increase in medals year-on-year. Gold medals doubled, with 15 compared to last year’s 7 and the number of Silver medals tripling from 35 to 118. A Thai wine, Siam Winery Tradings’ Monsoon Valley White Shiraz 2012 was decided by judges as the best match with Pad Thai and was awarded the Best Wine Paired with Pad Thai Trophy.

Austria impressed the judging panel, with a 100% success rate on entries submitted. Hafner Family Estates Hafner Blaufrankisch 2012 performed particularly well with the blind judging panel and was awarded the coveted Best Wine with Peking Duck Trophy.

France once again, performed well in both the wine and spirits categories, winning 12% of all gold medals. Champagne P&C Heidsieck scooped the prestigious Best Sparkling Wine and Best Sparkling Wine below HK$400 trophies for their Piper-Heidsieck Rare 2002 and Charles Heidsieck Brut Reserve NV respectively. In addition, Cognac François Voyer won the Best Cognac trophy for their XO Gold François Voyer.

New Zealand also demonstrated its rightful position as one of the world’s leading wine producers, scooping 5 trophies in total, including Best New World Pinot Noir for Cobblestone Vineyards “Te Muna” Pinot Noir 2011 and Best Sauvignon Blanc for Matua’s Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2013, along with 185 medals including 11 coveted Gold medals.

Scotch Whisky achieved huge success in the Spirits category with over double the amount of entries received compared to 2012. The category was awarded by judges with an amazing 15 gold medals and 36 silver medals. Scottish Leader Supreme Deluxe Blend Scotch Whisky, Ardbeg Uigeadail Islay Scotch Whisky and Bunnahabhain Islay Single Malt Scotch Whisky 25 YO all picked up coveted Scotch trophies.

Outside of Scotch; Rum impressed the judges, of the four Gold medals awarded in the category; Barbados’ St. Nicholas Abbey Golden Rum received one for the 10 year old and one for the 15 year old.

Allen Gibbons, IWSC group chief executive officer and HKIWSC director commented:

“To see so many countries represented in our results is fantastic; from India to Italy, Mexico to Martinique and Slovenia to Switzerland, our competition truly judges the world’s best selection of wines and spirits to find the perfect match for the Asian market and consumers.”

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“Winning a silver medal in the HKIWSC has truly helped my product to achieve international credibility regarding its taste. This has positively affected decision making of several new merchants who now carry my product.”Kaustav BagchiOwner, Lamai Thai Spirits
“Louis Royer Cognac has been entering the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition for many years. This competition is regarded as the most respected in Asian countries. Winning an award is a high honour for our brand and a further seal of quality for our multi-award winning Cognac.”Carol FrugierMarketing and Communications Manager, Louis Royer Cognac
“Adding to our success over the past few years at the HKIWSC, winning a trophy means so much to us as we have just recently entered the Chinese market with our brandies. The Chinese market is unique, which makes it even more exciting to know that Oude Molen VOV Brandy is well accepted.”Kobus GelderblomBrandy Master, Oude Molen Distillery
“It is a great honour for us to receive this award and we are very thankful about the reputation from wine enthusiasts in China. This award is a testament to the fact that our white wines not only match the traditional Austrian food but also matches perfectly with the Asian cuisine.”Katja PflogschWinemaker, Domäne Wachau
“To get recognition from such a prestigious panel is vey rewarding indeed, and proves that our wines are made in a style that is truly food friendly. The HKIWSC has become one of the year’s most well-respected wine competitions globally. For us, the food match component is a fantastic chance to demonstrate how well our wines compliment so many different flavours. Moreover, it is a competition known and valued by our customers so a trophy can be hugely influential.””Susanna MayerWinemaker, Yealings
“Awards and medals at the HKIWSC have been like a stamp of approval to the quality of our wines. Because it is an Asian-focused competition, I know that my wines are being judged and measured by the same yardstick as all the other wines, given our viticultural conditions are quite unique compared with the rest of the world. These medals give me and, more importantly, my consumers the confidence that my wines stand apart from the competition.”Kalash GurnaniWinemaker, York Winery
“We are very proud of our results. One of our key focuses is the Asian market, so we really want to make our wines special and desirable for this market. That’s why we want to enter this competition and be evaluated by the expert judging panel.”Sofia Cajewski Winemaker, Cremaschi Furlotti
“We at Yealands Estate Wines are proud to be recognized by the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition. The organization is held in the highest regard and our success in the competitions has become a strong voice for our quality around the globe.”Avram DeitchGlobal Marketing Manager, Yealands Wine Group
“Winning awards in reputable international wine shows such as the Cathay Pacific HKIWSC is one of the many ways of educating our consumers and giving them confidence in purchasing the Saint Clair brand. This enhances brand perception an in turn increases sales across our entire portfolio of wines.”Maria EastonWinemaker, Saint Clair Family Estate

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2013 Results Released