Singapore -- (SBWIRE) -- 05/24/2012 -- Raffles Hotel takes great pleasure in announcing that our sommelier Eric Li Xing has been crowned the Winner in the inaugural Rising Sommelier of the Year 2012 award by epicure magazine, beating four other contenders to the coveted title. The shortlisted candidates must be working for not more than 3 years in his capacity as a sommelier in an establishment in Singapore, and preferably possess a professional certification relevant to his trade. The award was presented at epicure’s 2nd Anniversary Gala Dinner held on 5 April.

After an assessment by the judging panel comprising the epicure team (Ms Cecilia Goh, Publisher, and Mr Lin Weiwen, Feature Writer) and wine panellists (Ms Jenny Tan, Wine Journalist, and Mr Kelvin Tay, Former Sommelier-turned-Entrepreneur), Eric’s sparkling personality, together with his intricate knowledge of wines, professionalism, and active engagement won the judges over.

Originally from Hunan Province, Eric Li was a sommelier at the Grand Hyatt Beijing prior to joining Raffles Singapore Hotel (http://www.raffles.com/singapore/).

His passion in wines soon brought him to Singapore shores, to join the international sommelier team at this luxury hotel in Singapore (http://www.raffles.com/singapore/suites-and-rooms/presidential-suites/). Under the careful guidance of Wine Director, Stéphane Soret, his aptitude in wines was skilfully honed and his confidence nurtured.

He has also been selected as a Panellist during the Perfect Pairings Awards 2011 in Singapore. In a short two years, Eric has become a talented sommelier and is a shining star in his field, and is off to a promising career ahead.

Epicure is a local monthly gourmet lifestyle magazine that features the latest dining trends and intricacies of the local and international culinary scene.