In February 2007, Dr NK Yong from Singapore celebrated his 80th birthday in a very original and generous way. Instead of the usual big birthday party, he and his wife Melinda, long-time wine lovers and collectors, decided to dedicate their time and effort to be of benefit to the community instead of just enjoying themselves: they organized an international wine auction for the benefit of three charities: Singapore Children's Society, Dover Park Hospices, and Kidney Dialysis Foundation. They invited all their vintner friends from Europe and Australia. The response was overwhelming: more than 50 of the most famous winemakers, estate owners and directors gathered in Singapore to answer NK and Melinda Yong's invitation. The Yongs and their friends raised a total of Sing $800,000 − ten thousand times Dr. Yong's age! Singapore-born, NK Yong is a famous heart surgeon who performed the first open-heart surgery in Malaysia and taught for more than 50 years. His contributions to his profession include being the longest-serving (6 years) President of the Singapore Medical Association. During this Presidency he also served a term as President of the MASEAN (Medical Associations of South-East Asia), and President of the Commonwealth Medical Association.

After 52 busy years of private surgical practice, he finally retired at the end of 2004 and is now happily engaged in pursuing his favourite hobby, the study of wine and its many-faceted mysteries. A member of several French wine fraternities, Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin of Burgundy, Commanderie du Bontemps de Medoc et des Graves in Bordeaux, and the Jurade de Saint-Emilion and the Hospitalières de Pomerol, since June 1989, he was also recognized by the Society of Bacchus America with its Lifetime Achievement Award of the Society for his contributions to the art of wine and food. The French Government conferred on him the award of Officier de l'Orde du Mérite Agricole in 1989, and the Officier de l'Orde National du Mérité in 2004. For their contributions to the appreciation and promotion of fine wine and the art of fine living, NK and his wife Melina were awarded the Singapore World Gourmet Summit's Lifetime Achievement Award in 2003.

Needless to say, wine and food are the Yongs' hobbies. For them, a great wine is like a work of art − the result of human endeavour in conjunction with nature. Their collection of wines is very eclectic since NK Yong is always curious about new wines. So while the main part of his cellar is still French, and mostly Bordeaux, NK has wines from all over the world. Among all his wines, Palmer has always held a special fascination for him. NK enjoys its Margaux typicity with its characteristic delicacy and finesse. He still remembers a dinner at Château Palmer where he was served a Palmer '59 − just as great as the Palmer '61! Always a teacher at heart, NK Yong has some advice for young enthusiasts: "Keep your mind (and your senses) open − there are fine wines made all over the world, and while French wines remain the benchmark, there is a whole universe of fine wines out there. They may not be like Bordeaux or Burgundy or Alsace or Champagne or Rhône, but they are fine in their own right and according to their own environment. The important factor is honesty of wine making and the wine maker." To NK and Melinda Yong, wine has one other very important aspect: "Wine is a great unifier, a great leveler, a great common bond. It has brought us many treasured friendships over the years, and hopefully many more in the years to come."