A hot summer afternoon in Sichuan, China. Five old women sit next to each other. They talk, laugh, enjoy each other's company, AND their favourite snack. Their faces speak volumes: memories, friendship, taste and simplicity. Chinese photographer Xiaoling Li captured exactly this moment - and won the prestigious title Food Photographer of the Year 2025.
Text: Ingrid Larmoyeur (The Wine Institute)| Image: Xiaoling Li, "The Elderly Having Delicious Food"
The power of that photo? Not just the image, but the emotion. The love of food, sharing beautiful moments, cherishing togetherness. "Food makes these people happy; they enjoy a beautiful and joyful life," Xiaoling Li says of his winning photo titled "The Elderly Having Delicious Food".
And isn't that exactly what we also do with wine? A nice glass of wine only becomes truly meaningful when you drink it together. Like a meal, wine connects us to others and to the moment.
So perhaps this is also the ultimate wine photo - even if there is no bottle in it. Because just as a good glass of wine is about more than taste, a good picture is about more than what you see. It is about feeling. And this photo hits exactly the right chord. Santé and congratulations, Xiaoling Li! 🥂
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