Going for gold

Winners of this year's wine awards in Macao deftly illustrate the range and evolution of Chinese offerings, Li Yingxue reports.

No two vintages are ever quite the same — even with the same wine, a shift in climate from year to year subtly transforms the flavor of the grapes. But in the hands of a talented winemaker, even a tough harvest can yield something remarkable.

Kang Kai, a rising star on China's wine scene, proves exactly that. His Renyiyuan Tao Cabernet Sauvignon — both the 2019 and 2020 vintages — took home awards at the 2025 Wynn Signature Chinese Wine Awards, impressing an international panel of judges despite the vastly different growing conditions of the two years.