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The 5th Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition opens for entries and announces Vanya Cullen as International Judge

The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition (HKIWSC), now celebrating its 5th year, is the largest wine and spirits competition of its kind in Asia. The Competition, organised to the highest international judging standards, is now open for entries.
 
The 2013 Competition will welcome pioneering Australian winemaker, Vanya Cullen of Cullen Wines as International Judge, joining the all Asian born and Asian based panel of the region’s leading wine experts – journalists, sommeliers and professionals.

 
Vanya has been winemaking at her family's Wilyabrup estate since 1983. She was appointed Chief Winemaker in 1989 and Managing Director in 1999. Over the past decade, Cullen has transformed her family firm from one of Margaret River's best into one of the country's premium boutique wineries.


Her palate has been honed by judging throughout Australia and internationally, and by her continuous pursuit of a thorough knowledge of the wines of the world. Recently adding the accolade of 50 Most Influential Women in Wine to her Woman of the Year (2008) title from Drinks Business, Vanya is also the winner of the 2000 Qantas/The Wine Magazine’s Winemaker of the Year.
 
. On her appointment, Cullen said: “I’m honoured to be appointed as this year’s International Judge at the prestigious Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition. As the Competition celebrates its 5th year, it remains the authoritative voice on Asian taste preferences. I look forward to judging alongside Asia’s top wine professionals and contributing my winemaking and judging experience to discover which producers are leading the way in the region.”
 
Debra Meiburg MW, Competition Director said: “We are privileged to have someone of Vanya’s experience and stature to join our judging team this year.  She follows the ranks of other luminaries such as US wine educator Karen MacNeil (2012) and Italian oenologist Alberto Antonini (2011) who have worked with our all-Asian judging panels to sip, spit and select award winners.  Vanya will add her valued international perspective in designating wines that will  
please Asian consumers for years to come.”
 
 
HKIWSC Managing Director, Allen Gibbons added: “We are delighted to welcome Vanya to be our 2013 International Judge. Australia has provided our largest number of entries over the last few years and has always been an export -focused country and we look forward to Vanya’s global exposure and winemaking expertise on our judging panel.”
 
Themed “Asia’s Choice, Asia’s Voice’, the competition is a barometer for setting standards that appeal to Asian taste preferences and market. It is the first competition to introduce a wine with Asian food matching component.
 
This year’s judging takes place between 2 – 6 October 2013 with the results announced at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair (7– 9 November 2013).
 
The closing date for entries is Friday 13 September.
 
-ENDS-
 
For further details, please refer to the official website www.hkiwsc.com
 
About the Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition
The Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition (HKIWSC) is organised by the IWSC Group. The Competition has one simple objective: to recognise and reward the best wines and spirits for the Asian market. With leading judges coming from all corners of our exciting region for the judging in Hong Kong, we can ensure that the HKIWSC awards are truly suited to the tastes of Asia – that is why we are proud to be Asia’s Choice, Asia’s Voice.

The 2012 results are available online at hkiwsc.com
 
About the 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 and What Food What Wine? a food and wine pairing competition, in 2011. The Group also owns the brands “The Spirits of Mexico”, “Spirits of the Americas” and “Whiskies of the World”, three signature US consumer tasting events.
 
For media enquiries, please contact:
Anna Grant
Head of Sales & Marketing
IWSC Group
The 5th Cathay Pacific Hong Kong International Wine and Spirit Competition opens for entries and announces Vanya Cullen as International Judge

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