The Olympic Games, to be inaugurated in Beijing, will be a fitting tribute by the world's longest, unbroken civilization to the ancient games originally celebrated in Greece, another great civilization.

Two and a half months before that, on 23 May, the wine world will also witness the opening of the International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine in Beijing. The inauguration of this annual event comes at a time when the world's most populous country enjoys an economic, cultural and culinary renaissance unprecedented in its modern history.

ICCCW Beijing, the 'Olympics' of Chinese Cuisine & Wine will explore what wines - and their characteristics - best pair with the most popular Chinese dishes from the north, south, east, west and centre of the most diverse culinary culture in the world.

In discovering the ideal wines to pair with the most popular Chinese dishes (and, extrapolating on those discoveries, other dishes that employ the same ingredients) we will also find out what wines are unsuitable with them. As a result, ICCCW 2008 will produce for Chinese cuisine, the first-ever comprehensive guide of its kind in the world that matches Chinese cuisine with wine.

This structure and framework that is the ICCCW Pairing Guide (in Chinese and English) will be disseminated to all the major hotels, restaurant chains, restaurants, wine shops and wine distribution companies throughout China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand. It will also be posted on the following websites:
- www.chinesebordeauxguide.com
- www.chinesechampagneguide.com
- www.chinesewhiskyguide.com

ICCCW, the International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine, is inspired by disappointment, anger, demand, opportunity, timing and inspiration.There has always been, for me, a deep dissatisfaction (bordering on anger) to hear, or see in print,'Gewurztraminer' next to 'Chinese Cuisine' as a wine recommendation.This is both ignorance and an insult.

To the person making the recommendation and to Chinese cuisine. Is Gewurztraminer really such a complex and versatile wine in?the first place to be capable of pairing adequately with even eight (let alone the thousands of) dishes to come immediately to mind in Chinese cuisine.

Truth is, there are more Chinese dishes than there are days in the year or, when you add up all the great branches of Chinese Cuisine, more than all the days in a decade. China has a quarter of the world's population. It has also recently displaced Germany as the world's third biggest economy. The Middle Kingdom is also the world's largest consumer of beer and Cognac(including X.O. and all other categories of Cognac). China is also the world's fastest growing market for steel, copper, hotels, Louis Vuitton bags, cars and air travel.China is also presently the country with the most insatiable appetite for wine training.

We know this only too well because, since 2004, we have been organising Sommelier Seminars that have been attracting capacity crowds of wine professionals every year in Beijng, Shanghai and Shenzhen. The professionals come from international 5-star hotels, restaurants, wine bars, wine distributors and the media. Actually, in our Sommelier Seminars, we have already been making recommendations of wine pairings with Chinese and other Asian foods, including Japanese and Indian.

Through our seminars, we have observed a growing demand and need among professionals for greater guidance on selecting the right wines with different Chinese dishes. Given the fact we were the first people to organize independent wine training in China (and 128 Great Years of Bordeaux Dinners in Beijing and Shanghai with Chateau Cos d' Estournel, Pichon Baron Longueville, Leoville Barton, Palmer, Brane Cantenac, Domaine de Chevalier, Figeac, Petit Village, Suduiraut, and, Champagne Laurent-Perrier and The Macallan Single Malt), we have established a very credible reputation with the most important hotels, restaurants, wine distributors, wine bars and media in China.

The industry in China knows only too well how very committed we are to wine education and the furtherance of pairing wine with Chinese cuisine. Indeed, we have been doing this since 1991, when The Wine Review was launched in Singapore and which is now, as with our other publications including Chinese Bordeaux Guide, also disseminated in Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur, Taipei and China. The timing of the inaugural International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine in May 2008 is to take advantage of Beijing being host to the modern 2008 Olympics next August.

Indeed, ICCCW is already being nicknamed by some people as 'The Olympics of Chinese Cuisine with Wine'. We have also timed ICCCW to co-incide with Vinexpo Asia Hong Kong in order to attract the most number of participants and delegates from throughout the wine world.

ICCCW will take place 23 to 25 May 2008 and Vinexpo Asia Hong Kong from 27 to 29 May 2008. Following the weekend of four panel discussions in which wines from around the world will be placed in front of four dishes in each workshop, we will launch 'ICCCW PAIRING GUIDE'. This user-friendly reference will be published in an A4 format and distributed to all delegates and participants, Sommeliers, 5-star hotels, leading restaurants, wine bars, wine shops, wine distributors and the media throughout China, Hong Kong, Taiwan, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Vietnam and Thailand.

The inaugural International Congress of Chinese Cuisine & Wine will be conducted in Chinese and English. Delegates and participants will include Chinese restaurateurs from throughout the region including Hong Kong, Singapore, China,Taiwan, Vietnam and Malaysia.There will also be Sommeliers and Food & Beverage professionals from 5-star hotel chains, wine shops and wine bars from the region. Wine distributors will also be attending. At the same time, wine brand owners and the international, Chinese and Asian media will also be flocking to the world's first 'Olympics of Chinese Cuisine & Wine'.

About the Founder & Chairman of ICCCW

A lawyer by training, Ch'ng Poh Tiong is the publisher of The Wine Review, the oldest wine publication in South-East Asia,China, Hong Kong and Taiwan.Ch'ng also publishes, since 2000, the world's first Guide to Bordeaux in Chinese. A columnist for Decanter, he is also Regional Chairman of Asia, Middle East & Far East for Decanter World Wine Awards. Ch'ng is also founder of Sommelier Seminars which, since 2004, has been conducting independent wine training to professionals in Kuala Lumpur,Singapore, Shenzhen, Shanghai and Beijing (which he first visited in 1988).

Ch'ng also publishes Asian Sommelier Guide and Tables - A Restaurant Guide to the Greatest & Great Tables of Beijing, Shanghai, Hong Kong, Kuala Lumpur & Singapore. He also works as a wine consultant and speaks on the subject internationally.

Events:
Tutored Tasting on 24th May 2008 by Peter Gago, Penfolds Chief Winemaker
Penfolds Grange 1977
Penfolds Grange 1980
Penfolds Grange 1982
Penfolds Grange 1990
Penfolds Grange 1994
Penfolds Grange 1999
Penfolds Grange 2002

Tutored Tasting on 25th May 2008 by Paul Pontallier, General Manager & Winemaker, of Chateau Margaux Pavillon Blanc 2006
Pavillon Rouge 2004
Pavillon Rouge 1996
Chateau Margaux 2004
Chateau Margaux 2001
Chateau Margaux 1999
Chateau Margaux 1995

The panelists:
Christian Seely: As Managing Director of AXA Millesimes, the wine property arm of insurance giant AXA Assurances, Seely is unique in the wine world for being in charge of wine estates in Portugal (Quinta do Noval), Hungary (Disnoko), Burgundy (Domaine' Arlot), and, of course, Bordeaux (Chateaux Baron Pichon-Longueville, Petit-Village, Suduiraut and Pibran).
Tomoko Ebisawa: The Senior Editor of Japan's first and most respected wine magazine, Vinoth'que, is based in Tokyo.She was also a founding member and Assistant Director of Japan's first specialized wine school L'Academi e du Vin in Tokyo. Ebisawa also lectures on wine, including for the Japan Sommelier Association for which she is also an Advisor.
Li De Mei: China's finest winemaker graduated in oenology from the prestigious ENITA (Ecole Nationale d' Ingenieurs des Travaux Agricoles) in Bordeaux where, for the harvest, he worked at Chateau Palmer. Li Demei is presently the Deputy General Manager, Technical Director and Winemaker of CFM, the joint-venture Sino-French winery vineyard outside Beijing. He is also consultant to several wineries in China and Secretary of the Chinese Viticulture & Enology Association.
Thomas Rooch: This European Food & Beverage professional speaks and writes German, English, Chinese, French and some Japanese. Rooch has worked in Taipei, Tianjin and Shanghai at The Portman Ritz-Carlton. His last position was as Director of Food & Beverage at The Ritz-Carlton Dubai. In 2006 and 2007, he also served as a judge for Decanter World Wine Awards.Thomas Rooch is presently the Director of Food & Beverage at The Peninsula Hong Kong.
Huon Hooke: Australia's foremost independent wine writer currently has two weekly columns in the Sydney Morning Herald Good Living and Good Weekend magazine. Hooke also pens a monthly column in Australian Gourmet Traveller and contributes regularly to Decanter and Gourmet Traveller Wine Magazine. Hooke is also co-author of the bestselling annual Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide and has been Chairman of Judges for Australian Restaurant Wine List of the Year Awards since its inception in 1994.

Programmes in detail:
Friday, 23 May 2008
7 PM Cocktails
7.30 PM Welcome Buffet Extravaganza

Saturday, 24 May 2008
10 to Noon: Morning Panel Discussion* - Cantonese Dim Sum - Prawn Tempura - Salmon Sushi
Lunch: 12.15 to 1.45 PM
2 to 4 PM: Afternoon Panel Discussion* - Steamed Prawns - Tandoori Chicken - Beijing Duck - Lamb Curry
4.15 to 6 PM: Great Growth Tasting Tutored Tasting by Penfolds Chief Winemaker Peter Gago of:
- Penfolds Grange 1977
- Penfolds Grange 1980
- Penfolds Grange 1982
- Penfolds Grange 1990
- Penfolds Grange 1994
- Penfolds Grange 1999
- Penfolds Grange 2002

Sunday, 25 May 2008
10 to Noon: Morning Panel Discussion* - Deep-Fried Beancurd - Stir-Fried Fish Slices with Ginger & Spring Onion - Cantonese Roast Pork Belly - Xinjiang Roast Lamb
Lunch: 12.15 to 1.45 PM
2 to 4 PM: Afternoon Panel Discussion* - Cantonese Roast Chicken - Hakka Mei Cai Pork - Sichuan Mala Beef - Lo Han Vegetables
4.15 to 6 PM: Great Growth Tasting: Tutored Tasting by Directeur Generale of Chateau Margaux, Paul Pontallier of:
_ Pavillon Blanc du Chateau Margaux 2006
- Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 2004
- Pavillon Rouge du Chateau Margaux 1996
- Chateau Margaux 2004
- Chateau Margaux 2001
- Chateau Margaux 1999
- Chateau Margaux 1995
- Chateau Margaux 1988
7 PM Gala Farewell Dinner: Featuring The Four Great Cuisines of China programme
N.B. 1. The venue for the Panel Discussions, Great Growth Tastings, lunches and dinners will take place in the Grand Ballroom of China World Hotel Beijing.
2. All Panel Discussions will be conducted in Chinese and English. The food items will be served with wines of the offi cial sponsors.
3. The Great Growth Tastings will also be conducted in Chinese and English. * At all four Panel Discussions, Ch'ng Poh Tiong will devote 10 minutes (in Chinese & English) to each of the following topics:
- Screw-Cap. Is This a Good Enough Seal for Wine
- Chinese Tea. Where to Place it with Wine in a Chinese Meal
- Planning the Wines for a Multi-Course Chinese Dinner
- How to Sell More Wine in a Chinese Restaurant?

For registration details, please contact:
The Wine Review 8 River Valley Close, Unit 14-08, Singapore 238432 Tel: (65) 6732 2591 Fax: (65) 6733 4229 E-mail: wine@pacific.net.sg

Choice of 3 packages for participants:
A. EARLIEST BIRD PACKAGE Book before March 28. Pay the ICCCW full price of S$1,800 nett or 900 pounds nett. Then, when you also book for two nights at China World Hotel at RMB 1,900 (Deluxe Single Room) or RMB 2,100 (Deluxe Double Room) per night + 15% service charge and prevailing taxes, your third night stay (worth S$450 or 225 pounds) will be complimentary. Room reservation is subject to availability.This Earliest Bird Package is therefore priced at S$1,800 nett or 900 pounds nett plus RMB 3,800 + 15% (Deluxe Single Room) or RMB 4,200 + 15% (Deluxe Double Room) for 3 nights stay.
B. EARLY BIRD PACKAGE Book before March 28. You will receive 10 per cent discount on the ICCCW full price of S$1,800 nett or 900 pounds nett. ICCCW full price of S$1,800 nett or 900 pounds nett includes admission to all lunches, dinners, Panel Discussions and Great Growth Tastings.
C. STANDARD PACKAGE Book before 23 April 2008 for the ICCCW full price of S$1,800 nett or 900 pounds nett.