Summary of the 27th Interwine Grand Challenge by Dr. Jiajia Pan

• China National Senior Oenologist

• Supervisor

Hello everyone, I am Pan Jiajia, the Executive Chairman of the 27th IGC International Wine Competition. The following is my summary of this year's IGC International Wine Competition.

The 27th IGC International Wine Competition has concluded successfully after rigorous evaluation. A total of 20 wines were awarded the Double Gold Medal, 80 wines received the Gold Medal, and 100 wines were honored with the Silver Medal. Additionally, 10 wines were recognized as the Most Cost-Effective Wines due to their outstanding value for money, 3 fruit wines stood out and were awarded the title of "Best Fruit Wine," 2 wines won the Annual Flavor Innovation Award for their unique flavor innovations, and another 2 wines were honored with the Innovative Light Drinking Award for their innovative light-drinking characteristics.

This competition adhered to detailed scoring criteria established by myself, conducting comprehensive and meticulous evaluations and ratings of each participating wine from three dimensions: sensory quality, cost-effectiveness, and food pairing index. To ensure fairness, impartiality, and transparency in the evaluation process, we specifically live-streamed the entire process, accepting supervision from all sectors of society.

The competition was held at the prestigious Michelin one-star restaurant, [Yu, Min Cuisine Mansion], attracting widespread attention from the national catering industry. We specially invited senior judges from the catering industry to participate in the evaluations, including chefs from Michelin starred restaurants, Black Pearl restaurants, Chinese culinary masters, and heads of industry associations such as the provincial culinary association and the provincial culinary technician association. With their professional knowledge of food pairing and extensive practical experience, they conducted in-depth and detailed evaluations of the wine's food pairing index, providing strong support for the promotion of participating wines in catering channels.

It is worth mentioning that half of the participating wines in this competition came from Chinese regions, fully demonstrating the vigorous development and strength of China's wine industry. In addition to well-known regions such as Ningxia, Huailai in Hebei, and Xinjiang, the high-altitude regions in the cool and cool areas of Sichuan also emerged, showcasing the diversity and richness of Chinese wines. In this competition, Chinese wines performed excellently, with 10 out of the 20 Double Gold Medals awarded to wines from Chinese regions, fully proving the competitiveness and influence of Chinese wines on the international stage.

Furthermore, this competition innovatively decided to include wines that received the Silver Medal or above in the "IGC Annual Wine Guide." This wine guide will serve as the first authoritative wine guide published and distributed by a wine competition in China, promoting wine culture to the national catering industry, providing an important reference for wine selection in the catering industry, and also offering consumers a professional guide to wine consumption.

Here, I would like to express my special gratitude to "China Wine Information Web" and its general manager, Mr. Qu Xing, for his strong support of this competition. I also thank Chef May, the Michelin one-star chef of [Yu, Min Cuisine Mansion], for providing free venue sponsorship; Vice President Mai Quansheng, Master Chef Zhang Zhiqiang, Master Chef Li Muming, Master Chef Yu Yongwen, CHEF MAY, and Dr. Zhong Yan for serving as judges and providing technical support for the competition as well as the 7 students from Guangdong Nanhua Industrial and Commercial College, Guangdong Ecological Engineering Vocational College, Guangdong Engineering Vocational College, and Shunde District Vocational School for their professional wine service. Their diligent work and selfless dedication provided strong support for the smooth progress of the competition.

Looking ahead, we will continue to strive to enhance the professional level and credibility of the IGC International Wine Competition, building a broader platform for exchange and cooperation in the global wine industry. The 28th IGC International Wine and Spirits Competition will be held in October 2025, and we look forward to the appearance of more excellent products, jointly promoting the inheritance and development of wine culture.

Pan Jiajia

Executive Chairman

of the 27th IGC International Wine Competition

January 21, 2025