On September 26, Asia Wine Service & Education Centre (AWSEC), Asia’s leading professional wine, sake, spirits, and beer education provider, celebrated its 30th anniversary with a gala dinner at The Langham Hong Kong.
Established by the couple Stephen Mack and Jennie Mack in 1994 out of their passion for wine, AWSEC has provided classes for more than 150,000 students in Hong Kong. As one of the 190 Approved Programme Providers (APPs) of Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses in Asia, AWSEC covers everything from beginner training to WSET Diploma courses in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin.
WSET, the largest global provider of wine and spirits education and qualification, places great importance on the Asia region, with Hong Kong recognized as one of its key wine hubs. In November 2016, WSET opened its first international office in Hong Kong to enhance its support for the Asian community.
Although WSET suspended its operations in mainland China from January 2021 to July 2022 due to policy shifts, students in the Greater China region (mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan) still accounted for 10% of the total 117,000 students in the academic year 2021 – 2022.
The gala celebrated graduates’ achievements during the award ceremony for the top-performing students, highlighting AWSEC’s commitment to its students. Each awarded student had attained one or more advanced-level accolades from WSET and the Wine Scholar Guild (WSG).
“Tonight, we celebrate not just our milestones as an institution, but the incredible talent and dedication of our students,” Mack remarked during the ceremony.
450 outstanding students were acknowledged in the event booklet, including seven WSET Diploma graduates with special global recognition, two of whom were WSET Vintners Cup winners from 2021 and 2019. Additionally, 135 alumni graduated from their Wine Scholar Guild (WSG) qualifications with Highest Honours.
During this dinner for wine enthusiasts, the gala featured an exciting blind-tasting challenge that engaged attendees with varying levels of wine expertise. “The blind tasting is a fantastic way to enhance tasting skills and foster a deeper appreciation for wine,” Mack said.
Julien Camus, the founder and president of WSG, also attended the gala and expressed his enthusiasm for wine education in Asia. WSG provides in-depth wine education and has more than 130 APPs in over 30 countries.
“It is inspiring to see so many passionate individuals flourish in their wine studies and careers, demonstrating the profound impact that a well-rounded education can have,” Camus continued. “Asia is truly privileged to have such an inspiring wine school dedicated to spreading not just knowledge, but also a genuine love for wine.”
The attendees raised their glasses to toast with a 1994 Vintage Port, produced from the establishment year of AWSEC, to conclude the night. “This Port represents not just our history, but our aspirations for the future,” Mack said during the toast.
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