Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2015 opens for entries

The search for the best wines on sale in Asia has begun after the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2015 opened for entries, with DecanterChina columnist professor Li Demei appointed as a vice-chair for this year’s competition.

Entries are now open for the fourth annual Decanter Asia Wine Awards (DAWA). The competition gives wineries a chance to gain independent recognition for quality, while offering the region’s consumers a guide to the best wines available in their area in a range of styles.

Promotions with winning wines and wineries are already planned with Amazon China, Watson’s in Hong Kong and Enoteca in Japan – with more expected to follow across the region.

There is a strong focus on recruiting local judges and more than 40 of the best palates from across Asia will blind taste entrants and award medals during the DAWA 2015 judging week to be held in Hong Kong later this year.

Decanter China columnist professor Li Demei, one of the region’s leading authorities on wine and a Chinese wine specialist, is a vice-chair at this year’s awards.

Other vice-chairs include writer and critic Ch’ng Poh Tiong plus Shinya Tasaki, a previous winner of best sommelier in the world and who is currently both president of the international sommeliers’ association and vice-president of the Japan sommeliers’ association.

They will be joined by Decanter consultant editor Steven Spurrier, who will chair the awards, and Gerard Basset OBE MW MS, also a previous winner of world’s best sommelier, and who will be a vice-chair.

Decanter columnist Andrew Jefford and Michael Hill-Smith MW, Australia’s first Master of Wine, will also be vice-chairs at DAWA 2015.

Entries for DAWA 2015 are open until 10 July. The deadline for wine samples reaching the Decanter warehouse in Hong Kong is 3 August.

Click here to enter the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2015.

Click here to view DAWA 2014 winners.