一 29 10月 2012

CHÂTEAU MERCIAN SCOOPS FOUR TROPHIES AT THE 2012 CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION

HONG KONG, 17 OCTOBER 2012 - JAPANESE WINE PRODUCER CHÂTEAU MERCIAN HAS HAD AN OUTSTANDING SUCCESS AT THE 2012 CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION WINNING FOUR TROPHIES.

The producer’s Château Mercian Sparkling Katsunuma no Awa 2011 was awarded three food and wine matching trophies including Best Wine with Sashimi, Best Wine with Tempura shrimp and Best Wine with Yakitori grilled chicken. The Yamanashi based winery also was awarded the prestigious Best Wine from Japan trophy.

Judging of the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition took place on 4-8 October and judges from across Asia blind tasted over 1,800 wines and spirits from across the globe. This year’s competition saw guest VIP judges Karen MacNeil and Dr Bill Lumsden attending tasting sessions, giving the competition global stature.

Expanding the competition’s Asian appeal, new Asian food and wine tasting categories were added to this year’s judging making the competition truly “Asia’s voice, Asia’s choice”. Dishes included popular Chinese dishes Peking Duck, Cantonese Dim Sum, Kung Pao Chicken and Braised Abalone. Within the Japanese category were Tempura Shrimp, Sashimi, Yakitori Grilled Chicken and Beef Teppan-Yaki. The judges also matched wine with Chicken Tikka and Pad Thai.

Australia scooped the board winning nine trophies. Notable producers included Wolf Blass winning both Best Australian Shiraz and Best Shiraz/Syrah for their Wolf Blass Platinum Label Shiraz 2007 as well as Accolade Wines receiving the Best NW Chardonnay and Best Chardonnay trophies for their Hardy’s Heritage Reserve Bin Chardonnay 2010.

On the heels of Australia was New Zealand winning eight trophies. Three New Zealand wineries scooped two awards – Sileni Estates won the Best New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc and Best Sauvignon Blanc trophies for their Greyrock Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc 2012; Cobblestone Vineyards received Best NW Pinot Noir and Best Pinot Noir for their Cobblestone Pinot Noir 2009; Seifried Estate was awarded Best NW Riesling and Best Riesling for their Seifried Nelson Winemakers Collection "Sweet Agnes" Riesling 2012.

Best Red Wine in Hong Kong below HK$200 was awarded to Georgian producer Kindzmaraulis Marani for their Kindzmaraulis Marani Mukuzani 2009.

Due to the high quality Semillon wines entered into the competition this year, a new trophy was introduced – Best Semillon and this was won by Australian Vintage Ltd for their McGuigan Vineyard Select Semillon 2005.

In the spirits category, Best Grape Brandy was won by South African Oude Molen Distillery PTY Ltd for their Oude Molen VOV and Best Liqueur was awarded to German producer Radeberger Destillation & Liqueurfabrik GmbH for their Original Radeberger Bitter.

Debra Meiburg MW, HKIWSC director commented: “A medal win in the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition helps wineries and distilleries set themselves apart in this exciting, competitive market.”

“Because the judging is based on Asian taste preferences, winners are recognised for their appeal to the Asian market,” Ms Meiburg concluded.

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ABOUT THE CATHAY PACIFIC HONG KONG INTERNATIONAL WINE & SPIRIT COMPETITION

The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition is a unique event and now in its fourth year. Run in partnership with the London-based International Wine & Spirit Competition, which has been running for 40 years and is the world’s premier platform for recognising quality in the industry, the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition is created specifically for the Asian market by those who know and are intimately involved in the region.

It is the first truly Asian wine and spirit competition in the world, supported by key factors such as: Chinese food and wine pairing awards; an award for Best Wine produced in China; and judging will be conducted by Asia’s most esteemed wine and spirit judges from China, Singapore, Japan, Malaysia, Korea, Macau, Taiwan and India – including the competition’s Director and Master of Wine, Hong Kong-based Debra Meiburg MW.

ABOUT IWSC GROUP

The IWSC Group is the world leader in organising wine and spirit competitions around the globe. Along with the International Wine and Spirit Competition, which is considered to be the world’s premier competition of its kind, the IWSC Group launched the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition in 2008. The Group also owns the brands “The Spirits of Mexico” and “Whiskies of the World”, two signature US consumer tasting events.

ABOUT DEBRA MEIBURG MW

A Hong Kong resident for nearly 25 years, Debra Meiburg MW is an award-winning author, TV personality and corporate speaker. A widely respected wine judge and champion of the wine trade in Greater China, she is author of the Guide to the Hong Kong Wine Trade and Tasting Wine with Debra. She is host of the television series Taste the Wine and her one-minute wine tip videos called Grape Moments reach 60 million viewers per month via China’s metro-city taxis. A long-time columnist with the South China Morning Post, Debra has worked at wineries on four continents and is a voice of the Asian wine industry.

For further information please contact:

Shuk Han Pong Anna Grant

Marketing Manager, Hong Kong IWSC Group

IWSC Group Head of Marketing

Shukhan.pong@iwscgroup.com annag@iwscgroup.com

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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