Asia Wine Ratings is pleased to announce its partnership with the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC) for a special industry panel at the 2026 Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair.

Sid Patel, Founder of Asia Wine Ratings and CEO and Founder of Beverage Trade Network, will moderate the session, “How Suppliers Can Better Connect with Buyers in Asia Through Hong Kong.”

The panel will take place on Friday, November 6, 2026, from 4:00–5:00 pm at The Cellar within the fairground.

Session Details

Topic: How Suppliers Can Better Connect with Buyers in Asia Through Hong Kong
Date: Friday, November 6, 2026
Time: 4:00–5:00 pm
Venue: The Cellar, Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair
Moderator: Sid Patel, Founder, Asia Wine Ratings, and CEO and Founder, Beverage Trade Network
Format: Moderated panel discussion followed by audience Q&A

Helping Suppliers Build Business Across Asia

The session will bring together experienced wine and spirits professionals to discuss how international suppliers can use Hong Kong as a gateway to connect with importers, distributors, retailers, hospitality buyers and other trade partners across Asia.

Key discussion topics will include:

- What Asian buyers look for when evaluating new brands and suppliers
- How producers should prepare before approaching importers and distributors
- Pricing, positioning and route-to-market considerations
- The importance of local partnerships and market knowledge
- Common mistakes suppliers make when entering Asian markets
- How Hong Kong can support wider commercial growth across Asia

“Hong Kong continues to play an important role in connecting international beverage suppliers with buyers across Asia,” said Sid Patel. “This session will give producers practical insights into what buyers expect, how to prepare for the market and how to build relationships that can lead to long-term business.”

A Panel of Experienced Industry Leaders

The session will feature three to four professionals with experience in Asian markets, wine buying, importing, distribution, retail, hospitality and brand development.

The final speaker lineup will be jointly curated by Asia Wine Ratings, Beverage Trade Network and HKTDC and announced shortly.

The session has been scheduled during a prime period when visitor traffic is expected to be near its peak, giving attendees an opportunity to hear directly from professionals actively working across the Asian drinks trade.

Enter Your Wines in the Asia Wine Ratings

Wine producers, brand owners, importers and distributors can register their wines online for the 2026 Asia Wine Ratings.

Held in Hong Kong, Asia Wine Ratings evaluates wines for their commercial potential across Asian markets. Wines are judged by experienced buyers, importers, distributors, retailers and wine professionals who understand what is required for a product to succeed.

Each wine is assessed on three important criteria:

Quality: The overall drinking experience, including appearance, aroma, body, taste and finish
Value: How effectively the wine delivers quality at its selling price
Packaging: How the wine is likely to be perceived by buyers and consumers when presented alongside competing products

Quality receives twice the weight during the final scoring process, ensuring that the wine itself remains the most important consideration.

Winning wines may receive awards including Wine of the Year, Winery of the Year, Best Wine by Quality, Best Wine by Value, Best Wine by Packaging, and Best in Show by country and varietal category.

Producers can register and enter their wines online.

Special Sample-Drop Opportunity for HKTDC Exhibitors

Wineries and wine brands exhibiting at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair will have a special opportunity to enter the Asia Wine Ratings and deliver their samples during the show.

Exhibitors should register their wines online, complete their company and product information, and pay the applicable entry fees. Once registered, they can deliver two bottles of each entered wine directly to the Asia Wine Ratings exhibitor stand at the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair.

This special arrangement gives international exhibitors a convenient way to submit their wines without organising a separate delivery after the fair.

Participating exhibitors should:

1. Register their company and wines online.
2. Complete payment before delivering samples.
3. Download and print the official entry or shipping labels.
4. Bring two bottles of each registered wine to the fair.
5. Deliver the clearly labelled samples to the Asia Wine Ratings stand.

The Asia Wine Ratings stand number, sample-drop times and final instructions will be announced before the event.

About Asia Wine Ratings

Asia Wine Ratings is an international wine competition held in Hong Kong and created to recognise wines with the quality, value and packaging required to succeed in Asian markets.

Unlike competitions that assess wines only on taste, Asia Wine Ratings evaluates each product from a commercial buyer’s perspective. The judging panel includes professionals with current buying or commercial responsibility across retail, wholesale, distribution, hospitality and travel retail.

The competition helps producers:

- Benchmark their wines for Asian markets
- Receive recognition from commercially focused judges
- Build credibility with importers, distributors and buyers
- Strengthen their sales and marketing presentations
- Promote medal-winning wines throughout Asia
- Better understand how their quality, pricing and packaging compare in the market

The 2026 Asia Wine Ratings judging will take place on November 11, with winners announced on November 26. Learn more and enter online at Asia Wine Ratings.

About Beverage Trade Network

Beverage Trade Network is a global business platform connecting wine, spirits, beer and other beverage producers with importers, distributors, retailers, hospitality groups and trade buyers. Through its international competitions, trade shows, media platforms, buyer databases and business intelligence solutions, BTN helps beverage companies gain market recognition, identify relevant buyers and develop new distribution opportunities across the United States, United Kingdom, Europe and Asia. Learn more at Beverage Trade Network.

About the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair

Organised by HKTDC, the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair will take place from November 5–7, 2026, at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre.

The fair connects wine, spirits and beverage suppliers with buyers and trade professionals from Hong Kong, Mainland China and international markets. The 2025 edition featured 621 exhibitors from 23 countries and regions and welcomed 8,219 physical buyers representing 57 countries and regions.

Learn more about the HKTDC Hong Kong International Wine & Spirits Fair.

Also Read:
Asia Wine Ratings Introduces Greater Judge Transparency and Detailed Feedback for Every Entry
Kevin Suen on Hong Kong's Wine Market and Winning Across Asia
Inside Asia’s Evolving Wine Culture With Roberto Duran MS