Held between 28 October and 1 November 2022, the five-day exclusive premium event gathers the who’s who in the industry as well as celebrates diversity, excellence and innovation in the world of wines which then culminates into a prestigious wine awards ceremony featuring 52 nominees over 18 categories.
SINGAPORE, 12th September 2022 – Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) will present the Wine Pinnacle Awards again in a second edition from 28 October to 1 November 2022. Returning in-person after a brief pandemic-related hiatus, the much-anticipated prestigious five-day event celebration is set to take place at Singapore’s first integrated resort, once again showcasing RWS as the premier gastronomic haven for epicureans and wine connoisseurs.
Following its 2019 debut, this year’s program is entirely new, and has been meticulously curated to distinguish the awards as Southeast Asia’s most prominent and unprecedented wine festival for oenophiles. As Scott Peterson, Vice President, Lifestyle, Resorts World Sentosa says, “The Wine Pinnacle Awards has always been positioned as an avenue to celebrate diversity, excellence and innovation in the world of wines. Throughout these five days, guests at RWS will not only discover and appreciate the art of winemaking, they can even enjoy intimate and exclusive wine pairing dinners, pairing exceptional wines with exquisite menus from world-famous celebrity chefs; a Masterclass Experience for enthusiasts and investors to discover new gems; and a two-day Wine Industry Symposium for wine and hospitality professionals. Second to none, the Wine Pinnacle Awards complements RWS’ suite of award-winning attractions, luxurious accommodations, mesmerizing entertainment, MICE facilities, as well as myriad of food and beverage offerings, in positioning the lifestyle integrated resort as Asia’s top premium lifestyle destination for all audiences.”
As the world’s first wine awards based solely on nominations, this event will recognize the finest wines and wine professionals the world has to offer, representing the opinions of 61 jury members from around the globe – comprising Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, wine professionals and luminaries and the illustrious five-member Technical Committee headed by Jeannie Cho Lee, the first Asian Master of Wine.
The Technical Committee
The Technical Committee comprises five internationally renowned wine experts, namely Committee Chairwoman Jeannie Cho Lee (Hong Kong), Andreas Larsson (Sweden), Doug Frost (USA), Kenichi Ohashi (Japan), and Oz Clarke (UK). They are responsible for establishing the award categories, forming a credible panel of jury members, and overseeing the nomination process to ensure there is focus on diversity, quality and merit.
Jeannie Cho Lee, Wine Pinnacle Awards Technical Committee Chairwoman and Master of Wine says, “Participating in the creation of the inaugural awards and its ground-breaking platform is truly an extraordinary experience. I am honored to continue the search for the most deserving wine producers and wines in the second edition of the awards, with its refreshed program and brand-new categories. This year, I am most looking forward to the comfort wine category – this category was added because of the pandemic and social distancing when most people were enjoying wine at home. It will be fun to find out what red, white and rosé wines below S$56 ($40 USD) provided the most comfort to the jury members.”
The Nomination Process
The Wine Pinnacle Awards are pioneering accolades that consider wines from every region without restrictions on origin and without the need for entry fees. An esteemed panel of Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, and premier critics are assembled into an expert jury, responsible for nominating the most deserving of wines.
“The Wine Pinnacle Awards allows a different range of wines to rise to the top than from traditional wine competitions, where only the wines submitted can be awarded. The Wine Pinnacle Awards nominees tend to be from producers that do not or rarely submit to traditional wine competitions. Moreover, for the Mature Wines categories, the Wine Pinnacle Awards can showcase categories of wines that are showing well now. This is particularly useful for collectors keen to know whether bottles in their cellars may be ready to enjoy,” said Christy Canterbury, Wine Pinnacle Awards Jury Member and Master of Wine, on the nominees for the second edition of the Wine Pinnacle awards.
The Award Categories
Meticulously defined to highlight the best wines without the conventional restrictions, the 18 inclusive award categories include ready to drink ‘Mature Wines’, ‘Best Recent Releases’, ‘Best Friend of the Earth’, and the inclusion of new categories ‘Comfort Wines’ and ‘Pandemic Hero’.
Doug Frost, Wine Pinnacle Awards Technical Committee Member, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, added on the special significance of the Wine Pinnacle Awards: “I have judged in dozens of competitions over my four plus decades in the wine business. This is inarguably the most credentialed and, more importantly, the most likely to be best informed of any corps of judges I have ever seen.”
“After participating in wine judging competitions for the last 10 years all over the world, I can truly say that the Wine Pinnacle Awards is the most innovative competition celebrating both excellence and diversity in winemaking,” added Dr Liz Thach, Wine Pinnacle Awards Jury Member and Master of Wine.
The Masterclass Experience, Wine and Dine Sessions, and Wine Industry Symposium
Wine lovers can look forward to the Masterclass Experience on 29 October and 30 October 2022 – where Technical Committee members Jeannie Cho Lee, Master of Wine, and Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, drive deeper conversations in a series of masterclasses for potential investors, featuring hidden gems of the wine world including Henschke, Maison M. Chapoutier, Château Haut-Brion and Château La Mission Haut-Brion, and Tempos Vega Sicilia. Delegates can delve into the people, history, and stories behind each bottle of wine, and learn about wine investment in Asia from market leaders.
When it comes to fine dining, few are as luxurious and indulgent as a wine pairing experience. Every day from 28 October to 31 October 2022, the resort will play host to decadent wine affairs where guests can partake in carefully curated food and wine pairing brunches and dinners. With special lunches featuring vintages from Maison Champagne Salon, Maison Champagne Delamotte and Penfolds; and bespoke dinners featuring vintages from prestigious wineries such as Château Angélus, Château Margaux, Château La Mission Haut-Brion and Maison M. Chapoutier, guests can be sure of a memorable gastronomic adventure.
Fine wines will be complemented by equally fine food crafted by the world’s best Michelin-starred chefs including:
- Guillaume Galliot (three Michelin stars, Caprice Hong Kong)
- Olivier Bellin (two Michelin stars, L’Auberge des Glazicks)
- Thomas Groot (one Michelin star, table65)
- Scott Webster (Osia Steak and Seafood Grill)
- Arnaud Dunand Sauthier (Bangkok)
- Cedric Vongerichten (New York).
Guillame Galliot, Chef de Cuisine at Caprice Hong Kong, and holder of three Michelin stars says, “To have the opportunity to participate in the Wine Pinnacle Awards – with its amazing program featuring an impressive lineup, is an incredible honor for me.”
Over two days on 31 October and 1 November 2022, delegates of the Wine Industry Symposium will leave better prepared to navigate a more dynamic future for the wine industry by discussing key topics like new areas of economic growth and the impact of climate change with wine professionals from all sectors. There will also be panel discussions to help related businesses position themselves to thrive amidst contemporary market trends led by the world’s thought leaders – this includes Karen MacNeil, Author, Journalist, Wine Educator & Consultant; Prue Henschke, Head of Henschke; Jamie Ritchie, Global Chairman Sotheby’s Wine; Augustin Missoffe, Managing Director Asia Pacific for SOPEXA; Kenichi Ohashi, Master of Wine & President of Yamajin Co. and Oz Clarke, leading wine writer and broadcaster.
The Wine Pinnacle Awards Gala Dinner and Ceremony
Concluding the five-day celebration of prestige and innovation in the world of wines is the Wine Pinnacle Awards Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony on 1 November 2022. Held in the Resorts World Ballroom, the black-tie soirée will gather key industry experts, influencers, sponsors, peers, and wine luminaries from across the globe.
Tickets are limited and open for reservations from 16 September 2022. For the latest news about the event, please visit: www.winepinnacle.com.
ABOUT RESORTS WORLD SENTOSA
Resorts World Sentosa (RWS), Asia’s premium lifestyle destination resort, is located on Singapore’s resort island of Sentosa. Spanning 49 hectares, RWS is home to world-class attractions including Universal Studios Singapore, S.E.A. Aquarium, Dolphin Island and Adventure Cove Waterpark. Complementing the adventure and adrenaline of its theme parks and attractions are six unique luxury hotels, the world-class Resorts World Convention Centre and a casino. RWS offers award-winning dining experiences and exciting cuisines from around the world across its many renowned celebrity chef restaurants, establishing itself as a key player in Singapore’s vibrant and diverse dining scene and a leading gourmet destination in Asia for epicureans. The integrated resort also offers world-class entertainment, from concerts to public shows. RWS has been named “Best Integrated Resort” since 2011 for nine consecutive years at the TTG Travel Awards which recognizes the best of Asia-Pacific’s travel industry.
RWS is wholly owned by Genting Singapore, a company of the Genting Group. For more information, please visit www.rwsentosa.com.
