HK and Macau Ruinart Challenge 2017 launched

Champagne Ruinart is on the hunt for sommeliers to take part in its fourth Hong Kong and Macau Ruinart Challenge for a chance to win a trip to the oldest Champagne house.

Open to all sommeliers based in Hong Kong and Macau, the Ruinart Challenge will see 35 shortlisters blind taste four wines in 40 minutes, presided over by Ruinart’s Chef de Caves, Frédéric Panaïotis on Friday, 17 February at the Four Seasons Hotel.

The judging panel will also consist of the Consul General of the Ordre des Coteaux (OCC) and the COO of the Guild of Sommeliers.

Applications are open until 10 February where hopefuls are invited to submit their entries via the Ruinart Hong Kong website and also answer a few Champagne-related questions, such as: how many Grands Crus are planted with a majority of Chardonnay? And what was the allowed AOC yield (harvested grapes) for the 2016 harvest in Champagne?

The lucky winner will scoop a three-day trip to Champagne Ruinart in Reims and a gastronomic tour of Paris with other Ruinart Challenge regional finalists.

There will also be a launch event at Aberdeen Street Social next week on 11 January, hosted by last year’s finalist George Wong, who is now sommelier at the Mandarin Oriental’s two-Michelin star restaurant, Pierre.