HK wine critic chosen for NZ Wine Awards

Ronny Lau will join Grossi restaurant group sommelier Mark Protheroe in judging the country’s premier wine competition, the 2015 Air New Zealand Wine Awards.

Ronny Lau, from China, is an independent wine critic and has been the co-chairman of the Shanghai International Wine Challenge since 2011. He is a regular wine and spirits columnist for 10 different publications in Hong Kong, China and Malaysia, has written six wine books and is the editor and author of two wine books for the Greater China Wine Critics Association.

Lau joins the other internationally based judge, Mark Protheroe who heads up the beverage operations for the Grossi group of restaurants in Melbourne.. Last year, Protheroe was awarded Sommelier of the Year by The Age Good Food Guide and was one of three national finalists in the Gourmet Traveller Restaurant Best Restaurants Guide. Protheroe is currently on the national executive for Sommeliers Australia, studying for his Master Sommelier qualification and acts as a mentor for a number of Australia’s up-and-coming sommeliers.

Leading the 26-strong judging panel, which includes some of most experienced wine judges in New Zealand is Chair of Judges, Michael Brajkovich, MW.

“We are thrilled to have Mark and Ronny on the judging panel this year,” he said. “The international judges bring their expertise to the competition as well as discovering our style of wine and what is available here. This is important for New Zealand wine makers and the industry as a whole.”

Organised by the New Zealand Winegrowers Association for the last 40 years, the Air New Zealand Wine Awards are a “celebration of excellence” in New Zealand winemaking and is described as the country’s “most prestigious wine competition”.