The Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards Judging Week Returns for a Third Consecutive Year in March

Release Date: 27 Feb 2026

23 of the world's leading wine experts meet in Macao to judge China's top-tier wines

Macao, February 27, 2026 — The 2026 Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards – a "Wynn Signature" lifestyle brand creation – proudly returns for a third consecutive year to host an intensive judging week at Wynn Palace between March 6 and 10. The five-day event, featuring an esteemed panel of 23 wine judges, will once again ensure the highest international standards are used to evaluate China's top-tier wines. Wine industry professionals will also present a series of insightful masterclasses and Wynn's acclaimed chefs will collaborate with wine judges to host lavish wine dinners.

Highlights of the 2026 competition

Renowned for its visionary principle of "International Standards, Chinese Ingenuity", the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards has grown to become the world's largest Chinese wine competition since its debut in 2024, and remains committed toward promoting top-tier Chinese wines on a global scale. With its rigorous international judging standards, fair and comprehensive grading system, the awards event has firmly positioned itself as a leading benchmark for promoting Chinese wines globally. This year's competition has attracted close to 180 Chinese wineries who have submitted over 800 varieties of wine for the event to showcase the strength and ingenuity of China's wine industry.

This year's judging panel comprises 23 of the world's leading authorities on wine who will conduct blind tastings that strictly adhere to the internationally recognized 100-point scale to determine the winners of 39 individual accolades, including the coveted "Wynn Signature Best Wine of China Trophy". The "Wynn Sommelier's Choice" award category which currently features the Chinese, Japanese, steakhouse and seafood restaurants at Wynn, is also being elevated to include Italian cuisine with the "Fontana Sommelier's Choice" award. The "Wynn Sommelier's Choice" awards are designed to expand the pairing possibilities of Chinese wines throughout the global food and beverage industry by presenting them with a variety of cuisines across different cultures.

On April 24, Wynn will reveal the final winners at the highly anticipated 2026 Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards event. After the competition, the award-winning wines will be promoted in more key destinations around the world to reach a wider audience and rapidly spread awareness about high-quality Chinese wines to international markets.

An international judging panel

This year's competition boasts an impressive judging panel of 23 leading international authorities on wine, including 11 Masters of Wine (MW), 2 Master Sommeliers (MS), and one industry expert with dual MW and MS certifications. The panel also includes individuals from different regions around the world and from a variety of professional backgrounds – from renowned winemakers and educators to wine buyers, and members of the media. All the judges have been carefully screened to ensure that the judging process is conducted professionally and with impartiality.

Judging panel members include:

• Andrew Caillard MW has a distinguished career in the wine industry as an auctioneer, wine producer, corporate advisor and media professional; he served as a judge for the inaugural competition and returns once again for this year's event
• Xing Wei MW is one of China's youngest Master of Wine and dedicates his career toward the promotion of Chinese wines around the world
• Jasper Morris MW is an internationally recognized authority on Burgundy wines, and joins the judging panel for the first time in 2026
• Tim Triptree MW is the International Director of Wines and Spirits at Christie's auction house, bringing Chinese wines to the attention of high-end collectors worldwide
• Dr. Jamie Goode is a trained scientist and acclaimed wine writer who presents a scientific, accessible approach to wine writing
• Terry Xu is a leading wine industry KOL in China, who returns as judge for a third consecutive year
• Ronald Khoo is Cathay Pacific's beverage manager who spearheaded the initiative to introduce top-tier Chinese wines into Cathay Pacific lounges
• Tim Marson MW is a wine industry veteran with 28 years of experience in the industry, and joins the judging panel for the first time in 2026
• Christina Packard is a columnist for the Wine Enthusiast and wine lecturer, and joins the judging panel for the first time in 2026

For the full list of judges and their professional backgrounds, please visit our official website.

Highlights of the judging week

Throughout the judging week, Wynn brings together the world's leading authorities on wines and its own award-winning culinary teams to host a series of engaging masterclasses and beautifully orchestrated wine dinners.

Four insightful Masterclasses:

• March 6 – "Icons of Australia Wine"
  Hosts: Andrew Caillard MW, Iain Riggs AM and Annette Lacey MW
  Topic: An in-depth analysis of Australia's wine terroir and the region's legendary wines
• March 7 – "Beyond the Classic: The Expanding Palette of Chinese Wine"
  Host: Professor Li Demei (College of Food Science and Engineering at the Beijing University of Agriculture)
  Topic: Exploring the rich flavor profiles of wines from China's distinctive grape varieties and diverse terroirs
• March 8 – "Journey through Bolgheri - Ornellaia"
  Host: Denise Cosentino (leading Italian winemaker)
  Topic: Savoring the classic wines of Ornellaia, a renowned winery in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany, Italy
• March 9 – "Inside Burgundy Wine"
  Host: Jasper Morris MW
  Topic: Morris MW will introduce his book Inside Burgundy and share his extensive knowledge of the Burgundy wine region in France

The chefs from the award-winning restaurants at Wynn will also collaborate with the world's top wine judges to host a series of unparalleled wine dinners. The dinner collaborations include:

• SW Steakhouse – Guest judge Andrew Caillard MW and SW Steakhouse Executive Chef Helder Sequeira Amaral are teaming up to prepare an exceptional wine dinner that pays homage to the flavors of Australia. Caillard MW has meticulously selected the finest wines of Australia to pair with Executive Chef Helder's themed dishes which will feature local ingredients from the Land Down Under.
• Lakeview Palace – Three of the world's leading wine judges – Gus Zhu MW from China, Christy Canterbury MW from the United States, and Yohann Jousselin MS from France are partnering with Lakeview Palace Executive Chef Kevin Zhu and Drunken Fish Executive Chef Henry Zhang in a very special four hands wine dinner collaboration. A thoughtful selection of premium Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Ningxia, Bordeaux, and Napa Valley will be paired with Jiangnan-style cuisine and succulent seafood dishes from Chef Zhu and Chef Zhang.
• Chef Tam's Seasons – Jasper Morris MW, the world's leading expert on the wines of Burgundy will partner with Executive Chef Tam Kwok Fung, the brainchild behind the two-Michelin-starred Chef Tam's Seasons. Together, the Master of Wine and Master of Cantonese cuisine will present an exceptional evening where some of the finest vintages from Burgundy are paired with beautifully prepared dishes from southern China.

Global marketing initiatives and international partnerships

The Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards in 2024 and 2025 have gained substantial policy support from local governments and considerable recognition from industry organizations across China. In January 2026, the Forestry and Grassland Bureau of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region in conjunction with the Finance Department of the Autonomous Region, issued a "Special Subsidy for the Development of the Wine Industry in the Autonomous Region in 2026". The 2025 Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards was once again among an elite few global wine competitions to be selected as part of the subsidy program, placing it on par with four of the world's most widely respected wine awards events.

The Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards has also garnered a number of global marketing accolades including the Gold Award for "Marketing and PR Campaign Case Study" from the 2025 Golden Flag Awards, the Silver Award for "Campaign of the Year in Integrated Marketing" from the 2025 Top Touch Global Business Innovation Awards; the Bronze Award for "Best Corporate Affairs Strategy" from the MARKETING-INTERACTIVE PR Awards 2025; the "Outstanding Contribution to Wine Culture Award" from TARGET Elite Select Awards; and the "Best Wine Marketing Award of the Year" from the 2025 Golden Prestige Awards organized by China's lifestyle media Gan Lan Hua Bao. This recognition from global marketing industry leaders is a significant milestone for boosting awareness about Chinese wines on an international level.

To implement tactical and impactful marketing initiatives on a global scale, the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards has tapped into Wynn's vast global marketing network and the wealth of knowledge from world-renowned wine judges. Wynn has successfully provided award-winning wines the platforms they need to elevate their profiles and expand their outreach to global markets through a series of ongoing, targeted brand promotions and retail campaigns. Most recently in December 2025, Wynn officially launched a new partnership with Cathay Pacific to display and serve award-winning wines from the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards at its Hong Kong International Airport VIP lounges to boost exposure among high-end travelers. High-quality Chinese wines are also recommended to Cathay members through targeted e-newsletters and online content which are viewed by high-net-worth individuals from around the world. Over the past two years, Wynn has also continued to host a series of exclusive, overseas wine-tasting events and boosted online and offline retail channels by working closely with globally renowned partners such as Christie's, 67 Pall Mall and Watson's Wine, paving the way for increased international expansion for China's top-tier wineries.

In parallel with these promotions, the award-winning wines are featured on the wine lists of many signature restaurants at Wynn Resorts, while also being showcased at high-profile food and wine events. Wynn's award-winning restaurants are highly regarded by the international food and beverage industry and set the stage for high-end diners to discover the intriguing culture and diverse flavor profiles of Chinese wines.

For more event details and the latest updates on the Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, please visit Wynn's official website.

The 2026 Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards Judging Week Event Calendar: