Wynn Announces Winners of the Inaugural "Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards"

International wine connoisseurs and premium winemakers attend prestigious awards ceremony 
'Wynn Chinese Wine Month' in May

MACAU, April 15, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Before an audience of 500 international wine enthusiasts, winemakers, industry experts and regional media, Wynn revealed the winners of the first-ever Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards on April 13. As the world's biggest Chinese wine competition of international standard, the much-anticipated awards ceremony is part of Wynn's ongoing commitment to showcase the highest quality wines from China on a global stage. Wynn will also host a 'Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Month' in May to celebrate Chinese wine excellence with a symphony of global gastronomy.

Following the rigorous judging process, Fei Tswei Marselan Reserve 2021 was honored with the coveted Best Wine of China Trophy. Its exceptional quality also earned it the titles of Best Red Wine, Best Marselan and Best of Ningxia. Xige Estate N28 Chardonnay 2021 won two trophies, including Best White Wine and Best Value Wine, while Domaine Franco Chinois Petit Manseng 2018 received the Best Sweet Wine, Best Petit Manseng and Best of North China titles.

Ms. Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited said: "The newly launched Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards aims to promote outstanding Chinese wines and showcase Macao and Wynn's world-class hospitality. As the independent hotel brand earning the most Forbes Travel Guide Five-star Awards worldwide, we follow the most authoritative and professional wine grading system. We have created the much-anticipated awards ceremony to serve as a global platform to allow wine experts from various regions in China to collaborate, exchange knowledge and promote Chinese wines on a larger international stage, enhancing the reputation of Chinese premium wineries in the world. This also expands the target regional markets for Chinese products. Through leveraging Macao's strong position as the Creative City of Gastronomy and capitalizing on the city's role as the World Center of Tourism and Leisure, we gather the top Chinese wineries and quality wine industry stakeholders to showcase the edge of Chinese brands. Together, we contribute to the Macao's tourism development with enhanced productivity. "

Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao the Government Tourism Office (MGTO) added, "Fine wines paired with exquisite delicacies are the essence for a banquet. As the "Creative City of Gastronomy", Macao offers a rich culture of gastronomy. MGTO is pleased to see that Macao's integrated tourism and leisure enterprises are proactively organizing a wide range of events and activities together with their industry peers. This strengthens Macao's position as the City of Gastronomy and enriches its offerings as a World Center of Tourism and Leisure, thereby promoting the sustainable development of Macao's tourism industry and related industries." 

The prestigious awards ceremony was officiated by esteemed guests of honor, Ms. Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, Mr. Vincent U U Sang, Chairman of the Board of Directors, Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, Mr. Yang Yi, Deputy Director of the Economic Affairs Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People's Government in the Macao SAR; and Ms. Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited, who were joined by Mr. Eddie McDougall, Chair of judges for Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, Mr. Frederic Luvisutto, Chief Operating Officer and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited, Mr. Julien Boulard MW, Panel Chair of the Awards and Mr. Chris Ashton, Chief of Stewards of the Awards.

A panel of 27 internationally acclaimed wine judges, including seven Masters of Wines, three Master Sommeliers, winemakers, educators, journalists, hoteliers, and wine buyers, conducted a series of intensive blinder tastings assessing more than 700 submissions gathered from nearly 200 premium wineries. Eddie McDougall, Chair of Judges and three Vice Chairs – Fongyee Walker MW, Gus Zhu MW and Andrew Caillard MW – were among the highly respected panel of judges.

All wine submissions were evaluated to win the Gold Medal (95-100 points), Silver Medal (90-94 points) and Bronze Medal (85-89 points). At the same time, winemakers also competed for the Wynn Signature Best Wine of China Trophy as well as an additional 23 trophies spread across three divisions, namely "Wynn Signature Trophies", "Varietals Champion Trophies" and "Regional Champion Trophies." The three special divisions honor China's most talented winemakers while recognizing the breadth of major varietal expressions and regionality in China. Each trophy recipient is distinguished with a 'Best in Class' ranking and sets the benchmark for unsurpassed excellence in their respective category.

Along with the gala ceremony, the weekend-long awards program included a series of Chinese wine pairing tasting events and exclusive masterclasses hosted by world-renowned wine experts. Respected winemaker Ian Dai hosted a masterclass on pairing Chinese wine and wine academic Professor Ma Huiqin educated diners with a masterclass on the premium wines produced in the Shandong region and another masterclass on wines of the Silk Road. The festivities began on Friday with celebrated Master of Wine Julien Boulard welcoming over 400 guests to a Chinese Wine Dinner at Wynn Macau Ballroom. Julien Boulard also moderated a "Chinese Wine Forum" for a discussion on the Chinese wine industry featuring the country's leading winemakers.

Following the announcement of the prestigious award ceremony, Wynn is pleased to announce the registration for the esteemed Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards 2025 starts on May 1, 2024, continuing its role as the global platform to recognize Chinese wineries and winemakers who have set new standards of excellence.

The Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards initiative aims to provide Chinese winemakers with strategic support to enhance their presence in high-end markets. To further this goal, the award-winning wines will receive the prestigious "Wynn Signature Award" label and be invited to participate in national masterclasses, hospitality and consumer events, media tastings, and major banquets.

As part of Wynn's ongoing commitment to champion China's fine wines and premium winemakers, Wynn will host 'Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Month' promotion in May, a celebration of Chinese wine excellence with a symphony of global gastronomy. Throughout the month, guests can experience specially curated wine pairing tasting menus at Wynn's prestigious dining venues, including Chef Tam's Seasons, Lakeview Palace, SW Steakhouse and Mizumi at Wynn Palace as well as Golden Flower, Wing Lei, Lakeside Trattoria and Mizumi at Wynn Macau.

For a casual alternative, visitors can also participate in tasting flights featuring the prizewinning wines at Wynn's various bars, including Palace Reserve Club, Cinnebar, Bar Cristal and Wing Lei Bar.

Throughout the year, guests can discover the wines and cuisine of China's key winemaking regions including Ningxia, Shandong, Shanxi, Hebei, Yunnan, Sichuan and Xinjiang, through a series of masterclasses hosted by acclaimed wine experts, wine and gourmet experiences.

For more information on the winners and details on the upcoming Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Month promotion in May, please refer to https://www.wynnresortsmacau.com/en/wynn-palace/whats-on/wynn-signature-chinese-wine-awards

source: Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace