Flying Winemaker announces second AWR

Muscat Bailey A, Koshu and Cabernet Gernischt are among some of the Asian grape varieties that will be in the spotlight at the second annual Asian Wine Review (AWR) which will be launched on 8 February.

Judged by a panel of local experts, including the ‘Flying Winemaker’ Eddie McDougall, Jeremy Stockman of Watson’s Wines, and Yvonne Cheung of the Swire Group as well as Australian wine critic, Dean Gastin, the AWR aims to educate wine consumers on Asia’s varying wine styles and highlight the ranges of international and local grape varieties grown across the region.

Around 100 wineries based in 10 countries around Asia submitted nearly 300 wines this year and 171 medals have been awarded to those winning Bronze, Silver, Gold or Best in Class with the AWR guide launched online on Saturday, 8 February and the awards gala dinner taking place on Tuesday, 18 February.

China submitted the bulk of the wines, but McDougall commented on the presence of other countries in the competition, including India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lebanon, Myanmar, Russia, and Thailand and also local Japanese grape varieties Muscat Bailey A and Koshu and the widely planted Cabernet Gernischt in China.

“It is the remarkable progress of tropical viticulture and winemaking that have inspired the beginnings of the Asian Wine Review,” he said.

“The wines that stood out really came down to the winemakers’ understanding where their terroir is coming into play, especially their sense of place in terms of the soil and climate. Increasingly, regional expressions are becoming more important.

“That being said, there are a lot of international experience coming into Asia, so quality is forever improving and people are now benchmarking themselves against the world’s best.”