Initiated by Sparkling + Asia, the long-anticipated professional Champagne feast —— 2019 China Best Champagne List Awards is now open for entry. All dining establishments of the Greater China with Champagne wine list included are welcome to apply for the awards. The gala dinner will be held during the 100% CHAMPAGNE China 2019 event.
China Best Champagne List Awards – Key Dates
Entries Closing: 15th September 2019
Judgement: 30th September 2019 (Reims, France)
Awards Dinner: 25th October 2019 (Shanghai, China)
Registration Fee: Free
Organizer: 槟客文化 Sparkling+ Asia
Co-Organizer: L’UDSF Champagne Ardenne (Union de la Sommellerie Française Champagne-Ardenne Division)
Media Partners: Bulles & Millésimes (France); ifeng.com (Mainland China); WineNow (Hong Kong)
INITIATOR
Lei MENG – Founder of Sparkling+ Asia
A leading and influential Champagne specialist in China, Lei MENG was inducted by the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne with the honor of “Dame-Chevalier” and “Dame-Officier” in 2017. Lei was the top three finalist for France during the 2015 European Champagne Ambassadors Competition. She was awarded The Communicator of The Year of “Trophées Champenois” 2017.
In Europe and Asia, Lei regularly organises Champagne tasting events: master class for amateurs and professionals，as well as prestigious champagne dinners in cooperation with top sommeliers in Asia.
ABOUT THE CHINA BEST CHAMPAGNE LIST
The China Best Champagne List Awards was initiated by Ms. Lei Meng, who combines Union de Sommellerie Française Région Champagne Ardenne as Awards Jury. It aims to seek China’s most qualified and professional champagne lists and sommeliers every year; support the development of the Champagne market in Greater China; guide the Champagne service quality in Chinese-speaking area; encourage more and more catering professionals to understand and upgrade “Champagne wine” and “Champagne culture” knowledge.
Over 100 restaurants & hotels applied for the 1st Edition in 2018 and 16 prizes were rewarded. The Best Champagne List Awards is now recognized as the standard of excellence and profession in China.
ABOUT THE JURY
「Who is L’UDSF？ 」
L’UDSF, l’Union de la Sommellerie Française – French Sommelier Union, founded in 1969, consists of 21 regional divisions in France, now is having more than 1,400 registered sommeliers from all over France. It is a part of the International Sommelier Association – ASI since its foundation. L’UDSF has created and organized a number of important national and world competitions, including the every-two-year competitions The Best Young Sommelier of France (MEILLEUR JEUNE SOMMELIER DE FRANCE), The Best Sommelier of France (MEILLEUR SOMMELIER DE FRANCE), and the competition which a number of reputed Michelin chefs are proud of – The French Best Craftsmanship Award (MOF – CONCOURS UN DES MEILLEURS OUVRIERS DE FRANCE). The Champagne-Ardenne division is an important part of the UDSF, consisting of a number of senior sommeliers from Michelin and top restaurants in the Champagne region.
L’UDSF Champagne-Ardenne is co-organizer of China Best Champagne List since 2018.
「 The Chairman of the Jury 」
Eric Arnaud – Maître Sommelier of France
Chairman of the French Champagne-Ardenne Sommelier Union, Mr. Arnaud has worked as a sommelier for more than 20 years and owns the restaurant ‘Le Concept’. He provides wine knowledge training and consulting services for many prestigious hospitality management schools and restaurants.
AWARDS
2019 China Best Champagne List Awards will include following items:
*According to the character of the venue, the venue would enter appropriates awards.
*An audit will be undertaken, and any misleading information will result in disqualification.
REGISTRATION CONDITIONS
The registered establishment has opened before September 1, 2019 and to be in operation;
The registered establishment must be open to public, not only for private or member use;
Hotels with more than one restaurant must submit one entry for each restaurant. Each entry must include the wine list and the menu;
Please submit all wine lists , which must include at least 5 champagne wines(including by the glass) ;
SUPERIORITY FOR AWARDS WINNERS
Champagne Region Discovery Trip
Awarded Sommeliers in 2019 will be invited by Sparkling+Asia & L’UDSF Champagne-Ardenne for a Champagne region discovery trip, exchanging ideas with local top sommeliers and champagne winemakers & owners — a great opportunity for Chinese sommeliers to understand the Champagne culture more deeply.
Authoritative Judging
The awards and certificates of the selection will be issued by L’UDSF Champagne Ardenne. The jury will be led by Eric Arnaud, the Chairman of the union, who will organize the judgement with a jury consisting of senior Michelin restaurant sommeliers and authoritative champagne experts in Reims, France.
Witness of professionals & Champagne houses
The 2nd Edition, 2019 China Best Champagne List Awards Dinner will be held at The Peninsula Shanghai on Friday 25th October, 2019. All organization and representative winners will be awarded at the event, with over 120 honored guests including juries, champagne wineries representatives (who applied for 100% CHAMPAGNE China 2019), authority professionals in catering and media representatives.
Cooperation Priority & Champagne Promotion Month & Media Exposure
The awarded F&B establishments will be considered in priority for future icon champagne events recommended by Sparkling+ Asia, such as Best Champagne List Promotion Month. Sparkling+ Asia will connect fine-dining restaurants & hotels in different cities of China with champagne houses&importers, as well as media partners to collectively promote the best Champagne list in mainland China.
JUDGING CRITERIA
Diversity
Diversity, the inclusion of a rich variety and sufficient depth of champagne selection
Balance
Balance, the inclusion of Champagne house, grower champagne, cooperatives; selection of blanc de blancs, blanc de noirs and other types of champagne
Quality
Quality of the selected champagne wines
Appearance
Design of the wine list; clearness of the category; the easiness to understand, orthography
Completeness
The completeness of information in the wine list, whether including detailed information and clear categorization
*The judging criteria for the wine list is developed jointly with the chairman of the French Sommelier Union Champagne Ardenne and Lei MENG, founder of Sparkling+ Asia. We assess the wine list from aspects of diversity, balance, quality, design, etc. It is worth noting that due to market differences, the price factor is excluded from the assessing criteria.
KEY DATES
Entries Closing: 15th September 2019
Judgement: 30th September 2019
Awards Dinner: 25th October 2019
Registration Fee: Free
REGISTRATION
Candidates must submit application materials listed below:
▪ Completed application form;
▪ The complete wine list of the establishment which includes the champagne list (price information included, in PDF format)
▪ Menu (in PDF format)
▪ Please send the application materials to entry@sparklingplus.com with the subject “city + name of applicant + name of establishment + mobile number”. The organizing committee will review the qualification of applicants within 10 working days and confirm the validity of the application.
▪ For more information and to download the application form, please visit www.sparklingplus.com
**The organising committee will conduct an on-spot investigation before September 20th, to verify the authenticity of applicants’ wine list. In case of inconformity between the actual wine list and the submitted one, the candidate will be disqualified and receive a public warning.
Please enter www.sparklingplus.com to download the registration conditions and Application form.
Please send all required materials (completed application form, all wine lists and menu) to entry@sparklingplus.com.
MORE INFORMATION ：entry@sparklingplus.com
Organizer: 槟客文化 Sparkling+ Asia
Co-organizer：L’UDSF Champagne Ardenne
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