36 Annual Awards Unveiled, a 20-Hand Feast Celebrates Glory
Global Promotion Journey for Award-Winning Wines Begins Brilliantly
MacauApril 26, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — The award ceremony of the “2026 Wynn Signature China Wine Competition,” fully created by Wynn Resorts’ premium experience brand “Wynn Signature,” was held grandly at Wynn Palace on the evening of April 24, with support from the Macao Government Tourism Office, the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute, and the Cultural Affairs Bureau of the Macao Special Administrative Region Government. Over two hundred wine experts, representatives of Chinese wineries, industry professionals, international media, and wine enthusiasts gathered in Macau to witness the unveiling and crowning of 36 annual top awards. This year’s competition saw “Zijing Manor Petit Manseng Sweet White 2024” stand out, winning the highest honor of “Best Chinese Wine of the Year.”
All 36 Annual Awards of the “2026 Wynn Signature China Wine Competition” Go to Esteemed Winners
Coinciding with Wynn’s significant milestone of 20 years deep-rooted in Macau this year, the award ceremony specially gathered Wynn’s top-tier restaurant and bar lineup to present an unprecedented 20-hand feast, composing a triumphant chapter of success with gourmet food and fine wines. Following the ceremony, Wynn immediately launched a global promotion plan, continuing to drive the brand communication and commercial expansion of Chinese premium wines, represented by the award-winning vintages, in the international market.
The award ceremony of the “2026 Wynn Signature China Wine Competition” unveiled the 36 annual awards one by one, witnessed by over two hundred wine experts, top Chinese winery representatives, industry professionals, international media, and wine enthusiasts from around the world
Grand Ceremony Scene: Celebrating the Annual Glory of Chinese Wines Together
The award ceremony venue was filled with distinguished guests and a lively atmosphere. Key officiating guests, including Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office; Elina Wong, Acting President of the Macao Trade and Investment Promotion Institute; Shu Huan, Chief Representative of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Macao Representative Office; Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman of the Board, and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited; Michael Weaver, Chief Communications Officer of Wynn Resorts, Limited; and Eddie McDougall, Chairman of the Wynn Signature China Wine Competition, kicked off the ceremony with a simple yet grand opening ritual. Guests present, including Yang Yi, Deputy Director of the Economic Department of the Liaison Office of the Central People’s Government in the Macao SAR, and Wu Huawei, Executive President of the Macao Chamber of Commerce, jointly welcomed and witnessed the birth of the 2026 annual awards for Chinese wines.
Key officiating guests performed a simple yet grand opening ceremony for the awards, witnessing the glorious birth of the 2026 annual awards for Chinese wines
Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes, Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office, delivered a speech at the ceremony, stating: “The successful continuation of this year’s competition in Macau allows the Chinese wine industry to ‘connect over wine,’ deepen industrial exchanges and cooperation, and also effectively promotes Macau as a shining business card of ‘Creative City of Gastronomy.’ The Tourism Office is pleased to see industry peers actively organizing diverse events, developing unique tourism products and services, providing tourists with diverse travel experiences, and expanding broader source markets.”
Linda Chen, President, Vice Chairman of the Board, and Executive Director of Wynn Macau, Limited, stated: “Since its inception in 2024, the ‘Wynn Signature China Wine Competition’ has consistently adhered to the concept of ‘International Standards, Chinese Expression,’ combining the unique charm of Chinese terroir with international-level dining and wine tasting standards. This actively responds to the Macau SAR government’s development direction aligned with the national 15th Five-Year Plan, helping to promote Chinese cuisine going global and injecting new momentum into economic diversification and sustainable development. Looking ahead, Wynn will continue to use Macau as a window, playing a bridging role connecting China and the world in deepening international exchanges and cooperation. We will focus on ‘understanding the strategic blueprint for the development of the service industry,’ help cultivate more ‘Chinese Service’ brands, enhance the global competitiveness and influence of the service industry, continuously improve the people’s sense of fulfillment, promote the overseas expansion of Chinese culture and industry, transform the global windows of Hong Kong and Macau into the nation’s international showcases, and join hands with more Chinese brands to step onto a broader international stage.”
International Judging Panel: Evaluating Chinese Wines Through Blind Tasting
The professional judging panel for this year’s competition consisted of 23 top global wine experts, including 11 Masters of Wine (MW), 2 Master Sommeliers (MS), 1 expert holding both MW and MS certifications, as well as several internationally renowned winemakers, educators, and professional media personnel, forming an authoritative and professional panel.
The judging panel evaluated over 800 participating wines from nearly 180 top Chinese wineries through blind tasting. Strictly adhering to the internationally recognized 100-point system, awards were selected based on score tiers: Bronze for 85–89 points, Silver for 90–94 points, and Gold for 95–100 points. From all Gold award-winning wines, the “Best Chinese Wine of the Year” was determined. Additionally, multiple individual awards under the three major categories of “Wynn Signature Award,” “Outstanding Variety Award,” and “Regional Champion Award,” as well as honors under the “Wynn Sommelier Selection” and “Outstanding Young Winemaker” categories, were decided, totaling 36 annual awards.
Multiple Regions Stand Out: Major Awards Reflect the Diversity of Chinese Wines
After rigorous selection, this year’s award-winning wines spanned multiple representative regions, showcasing the rich landscape of Chinese wines in terms of varietal expression, style exploration, and terroir interpretation. Some key awards include:
- “Zijing Manor Petit Manseng Sweet White 2024” (Hebei): Won the “Best Chinese Wine of the Year” title, and also secured the “Best North China Wine” and “Best Sweet Wine” awards.
- “Helan Hong Dry Red 2019” (Ningxia): Simultaneously won four honors: “Best Ningxia Wine,” “Best Red Blend,” “Best Value Wine,” and “Best Cabernet Blend.”
- “Shangri-La Holy Land Winery Dry Red 2019” (Yunnan): Earned three major awards: “Best Red Wine,” “Best Cabernet Sauvignon,” and “Best Southwest Highland Wine.”
- Li Guojun, winemaker at Xueshan Mijing Winery: Awarded this year’s “Outstanding Young Winemaker” for his exquisite skills, writing a new chapter in the inheritance of Chinese winemaking craftsmanship.
List of Winners for the 36 Annual Top Awards of 2026:
“20-Hand Feast” Celebrates 20th Anniversary; Forum and Tasting Event Explore the Future
To celebrate this year’s competition and Wynn’s 20th anniversary in Macau, a special “20-Hand Celebration Feast” was presented at the award ceremony. Ten culinary masters from Wynn’s portfolio joined forces, including Tan Guo Feng, Executive Chef of Tan Hui at Wynn Palace; Yuki Maeda, Executive Chef of “Hiro” Japanese Restaurant; Zhu Guangpan, Executive Chef of Yong Cui Gong; Helder Sequeira Amaral, Executive Chef of Wynn Steakhouse; Marco Pacetta, Executive Chef of Café Atlantico; Chen Deguang, Executive Chef of Wynn Macau’s Wing Lei; Zhang Zhicheng, Executive Chef of Jiu Kun; along with Mark Lloyd, Bar Director of Wynn Macau and Wynn Palace; Cyril Dupuis, Executive Pastry Chef; and Bob Tay, Pastry Master. They collaborated to pair exquisite gourmet dishes with freshly awarded “Wynn Sommelier Selection” Chinese wines, embarking on a culinary journey centered on Chinese wines.
At the award ceremony, ten renowned chefs from Wynn jointly created a 20-hand celebration feast, paired with award-winning wines from the “Wynn Sommelier Selection” to compose a highlight moment for Chinese wines
On April 25, one of the competition’s judges and China’s new-generation Master of Wine, Xing Wei MW, hosted the Chinese Wine Forum “Signature Dialogue: After the Honor, Where to Next?” He engaged in in-depth discussions with representatives from multiple award-winning wineries, sharing observations and reflections from participating in this year’s competition from the perspective of Chinese wineries, and exploring paths and possibilities for the long-term development of the industry. Meanwhile, the “2026 Wynn Signature China Wine Competition” award-winning wine tasting event held on the same day gathered all Gold award-winning wines and winery representatives, allowing industry professionals and wine enthusiasts to taste multiple fine wines in a relaxed and interactive atmosphere, truly experiencing the quality and diverse styles of Chinese wines.
That same evening, Wynn Palace’s Cantonese restaurant Tan Hui and the new-style Jiangnan cuisine restaurant Yong Cui Gong simultaneously hosted themed tasting dinners featuring the award-winning wines. Through carefully designed dishes paired with selected fine wines, they showcased the diverse pairing flavors of Chinese wines at the table.
Post-Competition Promotion Plan: Using Macau as a Window to Connect Chinese Wines with the World
Adhering to its founding vision and purpose, the “Wynn Signature China Wine Competition” will continue to leverage Wynn’s and the judging panel’s global resource networks to drive effective brand communication and sales expansion efforts, paving a solid path for Chinese wines to go global.
This year, more award-winning wines will be included in the daily wine lists of Wynn’s top-tier dining establishments for guests to enjoy. Award-winning wines will also participate in various themed culinary events organized by Wynn, including wine tastings, regional themed feasts, and food and wine pairing banquets as part of the annual culinary promotion activities. These efforts aim to continuously enhance the brand visibility of Chinese wines from multiple scenarios and deep-experience perspectives. Additionally, building on the previously covered cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Singapore, this year’s plan will further extend to more key domestic and international cities, strengthening the deep connection between Chinese premium wines and the international market, allowing wines from Chinese terroirs to shine on the global stage.
For more details on the winners and promotion activities of the “2026 Wynn Signature China Wine Competition,” please refer to the official competition website.
About Wynn Macau
Wynn Macau is a luxury integrated resort located in the Macau Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China. Wynn Macau features two iconic hotel towers, offering a total of 1,014 hotel rooms and suites, a shopping area of approximately 76,900 square feet, 11 dining outlets, two spas, a hair salon, and a swimming pool. Wynn Macau is the ultimate destination for vibrant entertainment, featuring Macau’s first meticulously designed Performance Lake, where towering water jets, dazzling LED light effects, and flames gracefully dance to Broadway classics and beloved Chinese golden oldies.
Operated by international resort developer Wynn Resorts, Wynn Macau holds five Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star awards. Wynn Macau opened on September 6, 2006, and its second hotel tower, Encore at Wynn Macau, opened on April 21, 2010. For more details about Wynn Macau, please visit press.wynnmacau.com.
About Wynn Palace
Wynn Palace, under the Wynn Resorts group, is the second luxury integrated resort developed in the Macau Special Administrative Region, following Wynn Macau. Located in the Cotai district of Macau, Wynn Palace is a 28-story property featuring 1,706 elegantly appointed rooms, suites, and villas, multi-functional meeting facilities, the Wynn Esplanade shopping area spanning approximately 107,000 square feet, 12 dining outlets, a high-end gourmet destination housing 6 independent restaurants and various additional dining options, Macau’s largest spa, a hair salon, and a swimming pool. The vibrant entertainment experiences at Wynn Palace include an eight-acre Performance Lake combining water, music, and light; a unique sky-cab ride; an immersive entertainment center; giant floral sculptures; and a collection of Western and Asian art displays.
Wynn Palace opened on August 22, 2016. It is the world’s largest Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star resort, holds the most Forbes Five-Star restaurants globally, and is the only resort in the world to have earned six Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star awards. For more details about Wynn Palace, please visit press.wynnpalace.com.