The DAWA 2015 judging panel
The Decanter Asia Wine Awards (DAWA) was set up in 2012 to offer wine lovers across Asia a reliable source of wine recommendations. Since the launch of the competition, Decanter has recruited a judging panel of Asia’s most influential and expert wine palates.
Coming from mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan, Singapore, India, Indonesia, Korea, and Taiwan, the DAWA 2015 judging panel consists of over 40 judges, ranging from sommeliers to wine writers, wine educators to importers. The panel is chaired by Steven Spurrier, and led by a group of experienced and internationally renowned vice-chairs including Shinya Tasaki, Li Demei, Andrew Jefford, Michael Hill Smith MW, Gerard Basset MS MW, and Ch’ng Poh Tiong. The entire panel’s extensive experience of the wine industry in Asia makes them ideally placed to taste and score the wines entered into the Decanter Asia Wine Awards in order to give recommendations to wine lovers across Asia.
The results are released on Decanter.com in October each year and are supported by a series of retail promotions and special events. Results include detailed wine information and are published alongside available stockist information so that readers wanting to enjoy the wines themselves know where to purchase them.
Read more about the credentials of individual Decanter Asia Wine Awards judges.
DAWA vice-chair: Shinya Tasaki
Shinya Tasaki is the President of the Japanese Sommelier Association and the A.S.I. Best Sommelier of the World 1995.
DAWA vice-chair: Gerard Basset MS MW
Vice-Chair Gerard Basset MS MW was Decanter’s Man of the Year 2013.
DWWA Judge profile: Li Demei
Li Demei is a DecanterChina.com contributor and a professor and director of Enology Engineering at Beijing Agriculture College.
DAWA vice-chair: Michael Hill-Smith MW
Michael Hill-Smith MW is a wine producer, international wine judge and wine consultant.
DAWA vice-chair: Poh Tiong Ch’ng
A lawyer by training, Poh Tiong Ch'ng published the world’s first Chinese Bordeaux Guide in 2000.
DAWA vice-chair: Andrew Jefford
Andrew Jefford who has been writing about wine since the 1980s, contributes a column every month to Decanter magazine.
DWWA judge profile: Moonsong Bang
Educator and founder of Winevision in Seoul. Based in South Korea.
DAWA judge profile: Gurjit Singh Barry
Gurjit Singh Barry, a sommelier and wine educator from India, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Bhatia Dheeraj
Bhatia Dheeraj, Head Sommlier at Merivale Group in Sydney, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DWWA judge profile: Julien Boulard MW
Julian Boulard MW, a wine educator in China, is a judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards 2022
DAWA judge profile: Suzanne Brocklehurst
DAWA judge profile: Ignatius Chan
Ignatius Chan, a sommelier and restaurateur from Singapore, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge: Nigel Chan
DAWA judge: Nicolas Deneux
DAWA judge profile: Eric Desgouttes
With an international career spanning 30 years, Eric Desgouttes is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Fabien Duboueix
Fabien Duboueix, Head Sommelier of The NCO Club Singapore, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Elliot Faber
Elliot Faber, Beverage Director at Yardbird, Ronin, and Sunday's Grocery restaurants in Hong Kong, is a judge at the Decanter
DAWA judge profile: Marcus Ford
Marcus Ford, Asia Market Manager for Wines of South Africa, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Mathieu Gaignon
With a wealth of experience in Michelin starred hospitality and some of the world's most famous restaurants, Mathieu Gaignon is
DAWA judge: Alvin Gho
DAWA judge: Rajeshwaran Gopal
DAWA judge: Ying Guo
Ying Guo, senior sommelier for Four Seasons hotels in China, is a judge in the Decanter Asia Wine Awards (DAWA).
DAWA vice-chair: Hiroshi Ishida
Hiroshi Ishida, three times winner of Best Sommelier of Japan, joins the Vice Chair team at the 2019 DAWA.
DAWA judge profile: Yohann Jousselin MS
Yohann Jousselin MS, Area Sommelier at Island Shangri-La Hong Kong, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Hayato Kojima
Hayato Kojima CWE, a certified wine educator and specialist from Japan, is a judge in the Decanter Asia Wine Awards
DAWA judge profile: Chee Wee Lee
Chee Wee Lee, a wine specialist based in Singapore and founder of Vino Cave, is a judge at the Decanter
DAWA judge profile: Denis Lin
Denis Lin, a wine and food journalist based in Shanghai, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Maxime Jiang Lu
Founder and Chief Wine Editor of Beijing based Wineonline.cn, Maxime Jiang Lu is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine
DAWA judge profile: Hiroki Matsumoto
With Decanter's first Asia Wine Awards taking place in September, find out more about new judge Hiroki Matsumoto, a wine
DWWA judge profile: Eddie McDougall
Founder of modern-era négociant The Flying Winemaker and Greater China business expert. Based in Macau.
DAWA judge profile: Hervé Pennequin
DAWA judge profile: João Pires MS
João Pires MS, Director of Wine at Melco Resorts & Entertainment in Macao, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine
DAWA judge: Donghyuk Shin
DAWA judge profile: David Shoemaker
Global Director of Hotels and On Premise for Treasury Wine Estates in Shanghai, David Shoemaker is a judge at the
DAWA judge profile: Magandeep Singh
Magandeep Singh, a sommelier, TV presenter and acclaimed wine writer from India, is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine
DAWA judge profile: Chris So
Chris So, from winelist.hk, a wine media, education, and consultancy company in Hong Kong, is a judge at the Decanter
DAWA judge: Stéphane Soret
DAWA judge profile: Jeremy Stockman
Jeremy Stockman, general manager of Watson's Wine in Hong Kong, is a judge in the Decanter Asia Wine Awards (DAWA).
DAWA judge profile: Dorian Tang
National Education Director for ASC Fine Wines, Dorian Tang is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Sarah Wong
Sarah Wong, a freelance wine writer from Hong Kong is a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards 2019
DAWA judge profile: Yin How Wong
Yin How Wong, Managing Director of Vintry Group Wine Bars and Restaurants in Malaysia, is a judge at the Decanter
DWWA judge profile: Catherine Yen
Wine educator & judge, works very closely with the Chevalier du Tastevin Burgundy association. Based in Hong Kong.
