[Source] : Singapore Exhibition Services by 2010-01-05  via wines-info.com

Singpore will host hundreds of wines from around the world in April, with the fourth annual WSA Wine Challenge.

The WSA Wine Challenge 2010 (formerly known as the Wine & Spirits Asia Challenge), seeks to promote knowledge, prestige and value of world-class wines to Asia. The competition will feature the participation of wineries, winemakers, wine importers and traders from all over the world.

Submissions will be judged by country, region and varietal. Special awards will be bestowed to the Best Red, Best White, Best Sparkling and Best Wine of Challenge.

The event is now open for entries.The deadline for entry is March 15 2010, and all entry wines must be shipped to the competition venue by April 6 2010. The wines will be judged on April 17 to 19 at the Raffles Town Club, and final results will be announced on April 19 2010.

The WSA Wine Challenge was formed as a part of WSA (Wine & Spirits Asia), an international trade event dedicated to wine and spirits products and services. The exhibition serves as a platform to connect wine and spirits buyers from Asia with international sellers. Winning wines will be prominently displayed and opened for tasting at the WSA2010 show floor from 20 to 23 April 2010, presenting winning wines the chance for exposure to potential wine buyers from Asia’s food and hospitality industry.

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(Newswire:  businesstimes.com.sg)

When Hong Kong slashed its alcohol taxes to zero last year, it put a dent in Singapore’s attempts to grow as a wine business hub of Asia. Without the huge mainland Chinese market in its backyard, wine businesses have also found it a challenge to grow the local industry, even as Singaporean palates become more sophisticated and the demand for more variety increases.

However, recent activity has shown that the industry is not being stymied by Hong Kong. It has instead found several niche areas that are showing some promise.

Wine conferences and fairs

This is turning out to be an area of growth as organisers see greater interest from consumers in learning more about wine while distributors, retailers and restaurateurs reap benefits from visibility, networking and co-operation.

This week, for example, sees the International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine (ICCCW) and Wine For Asia (WFA), running back-to-back, while the Singapore Wine Fiesta starts at the end of the month.

The ICCCW conference was founded last year by local publisher and columnist Ch’ng Poh Tiong, and it’s a feather in Singapore’s hat that after its first year in Beijing, he brought it here instead of tax-free Hong Kong, although it will be touring there next year.

‘The choice of venue is not dictated by local tax regimes vis-a-vis wine,’ explains Ch’ng. ‘Our goal is to spread the concept, and culture, of wine with Chinese cuisine wherever Chinese cuisine is highly appreciated.’

…

Click here to access complete article from Businesstimes.com.sg

[Source] – Businesstimes.com.sg Written by Christopher Lim and additional reporting by Melissa Lwee

The second Australian Wine and Food festival, with over 150 kinds of wine and dishes of Australia, will open in late May in the New World Saigon Hotel.

“We want to prove that Vietnam is a country where tea, beer and whiskey are popular. This event is a chance to popularize Australia to South East Asia”, said Jim Cawood, chief executive officer of Vino Vietnam, the Australian wine importer and distributor and the host of the event.

The festival will have the participation of numerous restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.

Australian well-known chef, Paul McMahon, from Catalina Restaurant Rose Bay in Sydney will make a perfect menu for lunch and dinner for the whole week, in which Australian food matches the correct wine.

In addition to the two day festival, held by the Australian General Consul and co-sponsored by ANZ, Jetstar, New World Hotel Saigon, RED and the World Magazine, the first Australian Wine Competition will be on May 28th, aiming to name the best Australian wine on the market.

The winning wine will be served at the Gala Evening scheduled for the following day.

[Article Source] — HNM

Translated by Mai Huong

Luxury Travel Magazine — Beijing Newswire

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing hosts an unprecedented weekend of food, wine and culture at the inaugural 2009 Beijing Wine Classic.

The Classic is an annual event which will focus on different wine regions around the globe. This year’s showcase features California’s most notable producers in a three-day festival marked by extensive panel discussions hosted by winemakers, tastings, dinners and a silent auction.

Guests can choose from a menu of ticket offerings ranging from a three-night stay at the resort and full festival participation to day passes for attendance at specific events. This is an extraordinary opportunity to meet and mingle with renowned winemakers while enjoying the luxurious setting of Aman’s resort located on the fringes of Beijing’s iconic Summer Palace.

The Classic begins on Friday, 13 November with a welcome reception followed by a Gala Opening Ceremony and Dinner featuring many of California’s finest sparkling and still wines. The evening is capped by a whisky tasting and cigars in the Bar.

The following day, guests may participate in an early morning tai chi class followed by a breakfast buffet. The first lecture covers “Anything but Chardonnay” and will explore the other white grape varietals grown in California. A dim sum lunch with distinctive wine pairings will be followed by an afternoon of lectures including “California Chardonnay – Napa vs. Sonoma,” “Pinot Extravaganza – Napa vs. Sonoma” and “Imperial Culture Workshop (served with “afternoon wines”).”

Late afternoon leaves ample room for a relaxing spa treatment in the resort’s extensive spa and recreational facilities. Dinner this evening will highlight Kobe beef and cult Cabernets. Day Three features an early tai chi class, followed by breakfast and two lectures on “Quirky Reds & Whites” and “Charbay Vodka & Whisky Cocktails.” An early afternoon brunch precedes a live auction and closing ceremony.

Tastings during each of the seminars include single vineyard and regional offerings as well as varietal comparisons and are hosted by the winemakers themselves in casual, interactive panel-style discussions.

Participating wineries include Harlan Estate, Bond Estates, Chateau Montelena, Staglin Family Vineyard, Flowers Vineyard & Winery, Honig Vineyard & Winery, Calera Wine Company, Fisher Vineyards, Howell Mountain Vineyards, Gargiulo Vineyards, Claudia Springs Winery, Schramsberg, Peay Vineyards, Lail Vineyards, Patz & Hall and Rudd Winery and Vineyards along with Charbay spirits.

Reservations may be made by phone at (86) 10-5987-9999 extension 7601/7606 or by email to Cecilia Leong, Reservation Manager at cleong@amanresorts.com. For specific event inquires please contact wine@amanresorts.com. Several participation opportunities exist to suit the interest of wine connoisseurs and explorers alike.

The Imperial tier begins at $2,800 for single occupancy and $3,600 for double occupancy and includes two nights accommodation, attendance at six seminars, all breakfasts, lunches and dinners, a spa voucher and salon treatment, Pilates consultation, transfers to and from the resort to the airport, and access to all Aman at Summer Palace facilities. The Royal tier is $1,200 and includes attendance to six seminars, the dim sum and wine pairing lunch, brunch and silent auction, cult Cabernet dinner, one salon service and spa treatment, a Pilates consultation and access to all Aman facilities.

The Palace pass is a two-day pass for $500 which includes six seminars, lunches on both festival days, and access to all Aman facilities. The Aman pass at $300 includes access to two seminars, one lunch and all Aman facilities. Tickets to the Gala Dinner may also be purchased separately for $500 each.

The 2009 Beijing Wine Classic is the first event of its kind under the umbrella of Amanresorts’ new wine and spirits programme launched just last year. The programme sees Aman partnering with handpicked family and boutique producers from every corner of the globe to make available some of the world’s most coveted wines and spirits at select Amanresorts properties worldwide. Exclusively for Amanresorts, a select group of producers have developed reserves and single-vineyard bottlings of their finest vintages. Others producers in the programme have made their previously ‘off-limits’ caves, private reserves and personal library selections available to Amanresorts.

Aman at Summer Palace, Beijing is housed in a series of pavilions, some of which are over one hundred years old. This tranquil retreat adjacent to the East Gate of the Summer Palace is an ideal base from which to discover the multi-faceted city of Beijing.

The resort offers a variety of accommodation which pays homage to traditional Chinese architecture and celebrates the courtyard style of Imperial China. Guests can enjoy an expansive Spa and recreational facility which include a state-of-the-art gym, a dedicated Pilates and yoga studio, an on-site juice bar serving freshly-squeezed juices and smoothies, two squash courts and a 25-metre indoor lap pool graced by a wide deck with reclining daybeds. The Aman Spa features nine self-contained double treatment rooms offering a variety of wellness and beauty treatments and a hair studio by celebrated stylist Kim Robinson. Other facilities include three restaurants serving Chinese, French kaiseki and Western cuisine, a lounge for relaxation and wine tastings, a bar, library, 37-seat cinema and boutique.

Source: [http://www.luxurytravelmagazine.com/news-articles/beijing-wine-classic-to-be-hosted-at-aman-summer-palace-13604.php]