Singapore Children's Society fund-raising wine dinner

Dr N K Yong will be organising a fund-raising wine dinner this coming January for his 85th birthday. He has given Singapore Children’s Society 15 tables to sell, and they have approached me to help spread the word for the public to participate. It is anticipated that about 30 vintners from Austria, France, Germany, Italy and Spain have shown interest.

The dinner will be held at Capella Sentosa, 6th of January 2012 at 7.00pm. Guest chefs includes Tetsuya Wakuda (Waku Ghin, Marina Bay Sands Singapore), Nam Nguyen (Les Amis Restaurant Group) and Dr. Yong’s wife Mrs. Melina Yong, who is known for whipping up dinners that complement Dr. Yong’s wine.

Ms. Serena Sutcliffe, M.W., Head, International Wine Division, Sotheby’s, London and New York and Mr. David Peppercorn, M.W., Wine Consultant, London, will also be present and there will be an open auction conducted during the dinner and a silent auction, where the items up for auction will be on display at the banquet hall.

Interested parties should approach :-

Tan Jianqi Jenks

Executive, Community Relations
Singapore Children's Society
Tel: +65 6273 2010
www.childrensociety.org.sg

Wine News : US director Coppola likens film with wine-making

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HONG KONG - US film director and multi-Oscar winner Francis Ford Coppola on Sunday likened movie-making to his other great passion, wine, as he attended a prestigious trade fair in Asia's new wine hub Hong Kong.

The director of modern classics such as "Apocalypse Now" and "The Godfather" trilogy told reporters at the opening of the Winefuture expo that the process of producing a fine wine had features in common with directing a great film.

"Cinema and wine-making are similar in three areas," Coppola told a packed room of journalists. "You have the gathering of source material, choosing from the material, and the adding of the finishing touches."

But, he added, he had no immediate plans to give the subject the big screen treatment.
"I am Italian American, I recall wine at the table since my earliest memories," Coppola said. "I got into wine purely because I love it, not as a businessman."
Hong Kong became a regional wine centre after the southern Chinese city's government abolished duties on wine imports in 2008, helping the market expand beyond a handful of local connoisseurs and expatriates.

"I am very impressed by the changes (in Hong Kong) and gladdened by the removal of the duties (on wine)," Coppola said.

Winefuture is an annual gathering of some of the most important wine personalities around the world.

The three-day conference this year features one of the world's most influential wine critics, Robert Parker.

Hong Kong has become a gateway to the booming wine market in mainland China, which is expected to be the world's sixth largest wine consumer by 2014, according to leading global wine and spirits promoter Vinexpo.

[Commentary : The punch line in the wine industry, "How do you make a small fortune in Wine Making? Start with a Large fortune."]