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THE NAI HARN, Phuket’s premier luxury resort overlooking pristine Nai Harn Beach, has enhanced its status as the top epicurean destination on the island hosting the culmination of the ‘Great Wines of Italy’ Asian tasting tour, which is organised by Asia’s leading wine critic, James Suckling.

The exclusive event, held on Saturday 8th December and attended by the glitterati of Phuket’s wine industry and lovers Italian wine, marked the final leg of Mr Suckling’s four-city Asian tour, which visited Beijing, Hong Kong and Bangkok before concluding on the serene shores of Phuket.

Wine enthusiasts had the chance to sample vintages from a record-breaking 47 top Italian wine producers – more than double the total of last year’s event – enjoyed by over 250 people.

Every wine showcased at the event achieved a score of 90+ points out of 100 on James Suckling’s scale of quality – the equivalent of an “A” grade – and come from a variety of Italy’s top wine-producing regions including Piedmont and Tuscany.

Guests enjoyed interacting with the winemakers in stylish ambience on THE NAI HARN’s Reflections rooftop terrace, whilst enjoying chilled out DJ beats as the sun set over the Andaman Sea. The resort’s chefs treated guests to a series of dishes, such as charred leg of merguez-spiced lamb with tabbouleh salad, and spiced braised short rib of beef with sticky glaze and horseradish slaw.

“We are excited to welcome James Suckling’s Great Wines of Italy Asian tour back to Phuket for the third time. The quality of the producers in attendance has never been seen in Phuket before and we are delighted to bring an event of this nature to Phuket and raise the appreciation of Italian wine on the island,” said Frank Grassmann, General Manager of THE NAI HARN Phuket.

Italy is one of the world’s largest wine-producing countries, with vineyards located in almost every part of the country. This gives it a wonderfully diverse selection of wines, including the “Three Bs”, Brunello, Barbaresco and Barolo, which are among the most highly-rated wines in the world.

James Suckling has been described by Forbes Magazine as “one of the world’s most powerful wine critics”. Based in Hong Kong, he organises more than 20 global events every year and is CEO and editor of JamesSuckling.com, the industry-leading wine media platform and events company.