Recently, I judged wines in Shanghai at the annual “China International Wine Challenge” which is an offshoot of the largest and most prestigious wine competition in the world called the “IWC” based out of London, UK. The competition was founded by world-renowned wine expert and writer Mr. Robert Joseph. I helped him organize the China chapter.
In total, there were over 600 wines from all over the world including most of the 1st growths such as Chateaux Lafitte, Haut-Brion, Petrus, etc. The quality of the entries was spectacular and the judges were world class and famous wine professionals from all over.
In China, it is not always easy to have access to high quality wines without forking over large sums of money. Imported wines here in China are very expensive and not always easy to find and even quality Chinese wines are simply not a good value compared to wines outside of China. Therefore, it is nice to be able to judge at a competition like this and get a chance to taste what most can take for granted in the “Western World”.
With time and continued exposure to imported wines, there will be a greater choice of wines available and competition will begin to drive prices down. This will make wine more accessible to the masses and enjoyed not only by the rich on special occasions but by all on a regular basis.
I raise my glass to all who enjoy wine…Cheers!