Judges 2018

Bernard Burtschy

Columnist at Le Figaro

Bernard Burtschy is a wine columnist for Le Figaro (a French newspaper and Internet site) and for several magazines in the French press (including Paris-Match, Vigneron, Amateur de Vins et Spiritueux) as well as outside his native France (such as Wands in Japan, Feinschmecker in Germany). He is also President of the French Wine Press and Permanent Member of the Grand Jury Européen, the European wine tasting group. His family has always produced wine, both red and white. Bernard has always been fascinated by wine; he started by taking tasting courses at the Académie du Vin in Paris in 1977, then quickly became a tasting teacher and, from the early 1980s, a main contributor to the Revue du Vin de France, then to Gault & Millau. He also wrote about a number of vintages for the Eponymous Wine guides. Outside the world of wine, Bernard Burtschy is a professor of statistics at the École Supérieure des Télécommunications in Paris.

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Master of Wine

Pedro Ballesteros Torres is a Master of Wine. He got his Agrofood Engineer Degree and his Master Degree in Viticulture & Oenology at Universidad Politécnica de Madrid. He also got the WSET Diploma, the Weinakademiker certificate, and he followed various other wine specialisation studies. He is columnist at Planeta Vino, Selectus Wines, elmundovino.com (Spain), Libre Belgique, De Morgen, Dernière Heure (Belgium), writes regularly for Decanter (UK), and writes occasionally for magazines in Switzerland, Italy, France and USA. He was a co-Chair at Decanter World Wine Awards (UK), and a Chair and Senior judge at many international wine competitions. He was in the Governing Council of the Institute of Masters of Wine, of the Spanish Taster Union, of the International Federation of Wine Journalists, and in the Advisory Board of the Basque Culinary Centre. Expert at OIV for Spain, he has given several hundred lectures and tutored tastings all over the world in Spanish, English, French and Italian.

Robert Joseph

Editorial consultant for Meininger’s Wine Business International

Robert is a wine business consultant and an editorial consultant for Meininger’s Wine Business International, which he helped to launch in 2006. In 1983, after living in Burgundy for five years, he launched the Wine International magazine; set up the International Wine Challenge; became wine writer for the Sunday Telegraph and wrote The Wine Lists, the first of his 25 books. He has chaired and launched over 50 wine competitions in Asia, Europe and the UK. Robert has been in Who’s Who since 2013, and the awards he has received include the Jacob’s Creek ‘Golden Vine’; ‘the Best Wine Guide in the World’; the Glenfiddich (twice); The Wine Guild of the United Kingdom Premier; the Marques de Caceres. He regularly appears on television and radio and has lectured at the Wine & Spirits Educational Trust, Burgundy and Sonoma Wine Business Schools. Joseph is one of the trio behind Hugh Kevin & Robert Wines whose le Grand Noir range now sell over 3.8m bottles per year in over 60 countries. His website is winethinker.com.

Andy Howard MW

Master of Wine, Director at Vinetrades Ltd and Decanter Contributing Editor

Andrew Howard became a Master of Wine in 2011. He worked as a buyer for Marks & Spencer in the UK for many years. He left Marks & Spencer in 2013 an now he runs his own wine business, Vinetrades Ltd., which is involved in education, consulting, buying and investment in wine. Andy is a very active wine judge: he is a Regional Chair for the Decanter World Wine, and also judges at The International Wine Challenge and Bacchus. His major focus is now on journalism: he is a Contributing Editor to Decanter magazine as well as writes for Jancis Robinson.

Monty Waldin

Journalist at Decanter and author of 13 books on natural wines

Monty Waldin became the first wine writer to specialize in organic and biodynamic wines. He has worked in vineyards and wineries in both hemispheres, and was the subject of Chateau Monty, the first TV series to follow the making of a biodynamic wine from pruning to bottling for Britain’s Channel Four in 2008. He has written extensively about wine. His books include Biodynamic Wines, which was published in 2004 by Mitchell Beazley as part of its Classic Wine Library series. Monty Waldin’s Wines of South Africa won the 2004 “James Beard Foundation” award for best wine and spirits book. He also wrote the first comprehensive guide in Britain to organic and biodynamic wine, The Friends of the Earth Organic Wine Guide, which features more than 2,000 wines. He has been a regular contributor to The Ecologist, and writes the entries on organic, biodynamic and natural wine for the Oxford Companion to Wine (ed. Jancis Robinson MW OBE).

Jeffrey Porter

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Beverage Operations Director at Batali & Bastianich

Originally from Texas, Jeffrey’s passion for wine started while at the University of Texas at Austin. He began his career at Central Market in Austin, Texas. After graduating Jeffrey moved to California where he worked as a sales person for a wholesaler in the Bay Area. His sommelier career began in Napa Valley working at Tra Vigne Ristorante in St. Helena, California. He joined the Batali & Bastianich Hospitality Group in 2009 at Osteria Mozza. In 2011 he moved to New York to become the wine director for Del Posto and in 2014 Jeffrey became the Beverage Operations Director, overseeing the beverage programs for Babbo, Del Posto, Esca, Lupa, Otto, Babbo Pizzeria & Enoteca in Boston, MA, and the newest restaurant La Sirena at the Maritime Hotel.

Hayley Black IWE

Fine Wine Specialist at Winebow Imports

Hayley believes that a passion for wine paired with a desire to learn creates a never-ending journey. After a decade of working in restaurants, she dove into the world of wine sales and distribution. Along the way, she found time to earn the highest level of qualification available through the WSET, in addition to the highest level of certification with the Vinitaly Wine Academy. Hayley understands what it means to pursue the pinnacle of quality in the wine industry. Her ability to inspire, educate and connect people through wine has been and continues to be the driving force behind her career.

Michaela Morris

VIA Italian Wine Expert, Wine Writer and WSET Educator

Michaela Morris is an international wine writer, educator, judge and speaker based in Vancouver, Canada. She contributes regularly to Decanter and Meininger’s Wine Business International, as well as Canadian publications Quench and Taste. She educates about Italian wine across Canada and abroad. Besides judging Canadian wine shows like the Lieutenant Governor Wine Awards and Judgement of British Columbia, she participates in international competitions such as the Decanter World Wine Awards, the Australian Alternative Varieties Wine Show and Wines of Portugal Challenge. She holds the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma and is an Italian Wine Expert certified through Vinitaly International Academy (VIA).

Corinne Keddie IWE

VIA Italian Wine Expert, DipWSET, Architect

Corinne Keddie is a VIA Italian Wine Expert and educator, WSET Level 4 Diploma holder, and Stage 2 Masters of Wine Student. She has her own wine consulting company 365 days of wine, and regularly hosts wine tastings, seminars and educational sessions, leads wine tours, writes about food, travel, wine and design, and is just about to launch her own wine club. She also judges at various international wine competitions and typically spends several months every year traveling to various wine regions around the world to further her wine knowledge. When not busy drinking wine, she works as an architect and has designed award winning architectural and interior design projects both locally and internationally.

Wai Xin Chan

Italian Wine Expert

Henry Davar IWE

VIA Italian Wine Expert, Wine Educator

Henry Davar was born in Moscow and was raised in Queens, New York. After a five-year career in finance in New York City, Henry enrolled at the Institute of Culinary Education, and studied with the American Sommelier Association. He worked as Sommelier, Wine and Beverage Director, Business Development Manager, and Wine Educator. In April 2011, he went on sabbatical, traveling in Italy and working harvest at Vietti in Barolo. In April 2017, Henry became (at that time) the only candidate to be achieve the Expert level in Vinitaly International Academy’s Italian Wine Ambassador course on the first attempt. He joined the VIA Faculty where he helped develop the expanded VIA course curriculum which premiered in Hong Kong in November 2018 and continues to assist in its ongoing development and implementation.

Gill Gordon Smith IWE

Italian Wine Expert, CEO of La Madrina Wines

Gill Gordon Smith IWE is an awarded wine communicator, winemaker and educator with an international profile and a passion for alternative varieties, grapes and wines with extensive experience in judging both in Australia and Internationally.

She is an Italian Wine Expert with VIA, a Certified Specialist of Wine, French and Italian wine scholar, Certified Sherry Specialist, and she is the winemaker and owner of La Madrina wines as well as the lead educator and co-ordinator for the Wine and Spirit School TAFESA and Lecturer for Wines of the World at Flinders university. She was an integral part of the award-winning team who developed the Qantas sommelier in the sky program rolled out in 7 cities, 4 countries and trained over 7000 staff.

Her personal awards and achievements include:

• Qantas airways international achievement award- Qantas sommelier in the sky program
• 2017 WCA Educator of the year
• 2017 WCA Wine communicator of the year
• 2018 finalist AWIWA Winemaker of the year
• 2020 AWIWA Woman of inspiration
• WCA Mentor program: 3 years as Mentor to some amazing women in wine

Team awards include:

• WSET finalist top ten wine schools for WSS TAFE SA 2019
• WCA Educator of the Year
• WSS TAFE SA 2020

Massimiliano Apollonio

Amministratore di Apollonio Casa Vinicola S.r.l.

Massimiliano Apollonio is the chief technical guide of the Apollonio company.  After studying oenology he expanded his professional experience with internships at major Italian, French and Spanish companies. He is in charge of the quality of the wine and all the production operations: the cultivation of the vine, the grape harvest, the vinification and the bottling take place under his supervision, thanks to a level of ability and experience that allow him to to create innovative and superior quality wines. A former delegate of ONAV, former President of Assoenologi for Puglia, Basilicata and Calabria for two terms, today Massimiliano is a member of the Presidential Committee and of the National Council of Assoenologi, as well as an aggregate member of the Georgofili Academy and the Italian Academy of Vine and of wine. Massimiliano is also among the promoters of the chair of Oenology and Viticulture recently established at the University of Salento. He is also a juror in numerous international wine competitions, including the 5StarWines, the Mundus Vini and the Michelangelo Award and current President of the Puglia Wine Tourism Movement.

Richard Kershaw MW

Master of Wine, Founder and Winemaker of Richard Kershaw Wines

Born and raised in the UK, Richard travelled extensively, harvesting in California, Chile, Bordeaux, Hungary, and Germany before settling in South Africa in 1999 to make wine full-time.

He established Richard Kershaw Wines in January 2012 to create clonally selected, site-specific, cool climate wines in the Elgin Valley, and now has a stable of award-winning, much-in-demand wines. In addition to this, Richard was approached by Naked Wines UK in 2012 to make an exclusive range of wines under the Richard’s Label, which is now available to over 400,000 angels. He has recently launched a smaller selection of wines with Naked Wines USA.

One of only 10 Masters of Wine who actively make their own wines and South Africa’s only winemaking Master of Wine, Richard is much in demand when not in the vineyard or cellar. A wine judge for many prestigious competitions around the globe, he is also part of the educational panel for the Institute of Masters of Wine, lectures for the WSET in South Africa, and shares his knowledge with students and consumers via talks, tastings, and blogs. In 2021 he was elected as a member of the Cape Winemakers Guild, which brings together a select number of the top South African winemakers who have demonstrated excellence and innovation in winemaking.

Sarah Heller MW

Master of Wine, Proprietor of Heller Beverage Advisory

Sarah Heller is a wine communicator, designer and consultant based in Hong Kong and at 29 is the world’s youngest Master of Wine. Having graduated from Yale University with a degree in fine art, Sarah began her career in the New York and Hong Kong wine trades and wineries in France and Italy. She was Executive Director of events and education firm Meiburg Wine Media in Hong Kong for three years. Sarah currently writes for the South China Morning Post, Spirito di Vino
and #legend magazine; her educational wine videos on Chinese app ShowMuse have over a million views. She speaks and consults on Asian wine markets, with a special focus on Ecommerce. Her boutique design agency Radix & Folium works with clients in the F&B and wine industries to create market-appropriate packaging, branding and training materials. She recently tried her hand at F&B with a popup wine bar in central Hong Kong. Sarah also regularly judges wine competitions like the Cathay Pacific HKIWSC and China’s Wine100. In 2017, Sarah won the Villa Maria Prize for the Viticulture Paper, Errazuriz Award for the Business of Wine Paper, Robert Mondavi Winery Award for Theory, Austrian Wine Marketing Board Outstanding Achievement Award at the Master of Wine Graduation Ceremony. She was the Drinks Business’ Asian Awards Young Achiever of the Year and appeared in the Prestige Hong Kong 40 Under 40. In 2013, she won the Vintners’ Cup for achievement in the WSET Diploma. She is a SWE Certified Specialist of Wine and Spirits and a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador. As well as English, Sarah speaks German, Italian and French with some proficiency in Chinese and Spanish.

Michael Garner

Director at Tria Wines Limited, wine writer

Michael joined the Wine Trade at the end of the 1970s and throughout the 1980s developed an interest in the wines of Italy. He went on to combine with his love of writing and had his first articles published in the Wine Trade press. His first book “Barolo: Tar and Roses”, co-authored with Paul Merritt, was published by Century in 1990. In 2003, Michael and Paul set up Italian specialists Tria Wines. These days, he is a regular contributor to Decanter Magazine and Regional Chair for Northern Italy at the Decanter World Wine Awards. His second book on wine “Amarone and the Fine Wines of Verona” was published by Infinite Ideas in 2017. Michael lives in rural Devon in England’s Southwest with his wife and dogs.

Gurvinder Bhatia IWE

VIA Italian Wine Expert, Editor for Quench Magazine

Gurvinder Bhatia is the editor-in-chief and publisher for Quench Magazine – North America’s longest-running and Canada’s most widely distributed wine and food publication. Although he has written for Quench for over two decades and been on the editorial team for the past 15 years, Gurvinder purchased the magazine in 2021, and is committed to the magazine’s evolution to be a much truer representation of our society. Gurvinder is also the wine columnist for Global Television Edmonton, an international wine judge and the president of Vinomania Consulting.  Gurvinder was the owner/founder of Vinomania wine boutique (opened in 1995, closed in 2016), which was named on numerous occasions among the 20 best wine stores in Canada.  In addition, Gurvinder was the wine columnist for CBC Radio for 11 years and is certified by Vinitaly International Academy as one of only 15 Italian Wine Experts in the world. Gurvinder is a recovering lawyer and in addition to his law degree (JD), he also earned his master’s degree in business administration (MBA) with honours. In 2015, Gurvinder was named by Alberta Venture Magazine as one of Alberta’s 50 Most Influential People. He is actively involved in the community and has served in leadership with numerous community organizations including the Edmonton Community Foundation, the Alberta Social Enterprise Venture Fund, and the Edmonton Shift Lab initiative to reduce racism as it contributes to poverty. Gurvinder developed and moderated a roundtable on ‘The Media and Racism’ as part of the Centre for Race and Culture’s Challenging Discrimination through Community Conversations series.

Vincenzo Donatiello

Head Sommielier, Piazza Duomo – Three Michelin Star Restaurant

Vincenzo Donatiello is Manager and Head Sommelier at Ristorante Piazza Duomo at Alba, a Michelin 3-star restaurant. Lucano, Sommelier, class of 1985, he grows professionally between Apulia, where he has attended the Istituto Alberghiero di Vieste, and Romagna, with his first experiences throughout the Adriatic coast. He has been the student of important sommeliers like Gianfranco Bolognesi, Best Sommelier in Italy in 1974, and Roberto Gardini, Best Sommelier in Italy in 1993. Nowadays he is the Restaurant Manager and Head Sommelier of Ristorante Piazza Duomo in Alba, a Michelin 3-star and sixteenth in the The World’s 50 Best Restaurants. He was awarded Best Junior Sommelier in Italy in 2004 and Best Sommelier in Romagna in 2010, Person of the Year 2013 for Italia a Tavola Magazine, Maître of the Year by the Guida Alberghi e Ristoranti del Touring Club 2016 and Maître of the Year in 2018 by the Guida ai Ristoranti d’Italia de L’Espresso.

Luzia Schrampf IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Writer for Der Standard et. al. and Wine Educator

Luzia Schrampf is an Austrian journalist and wine educator for Wine Academy Austria (Rust). She passed the Diploma WSET in 2003. Since December 2015 she is Italian Wine Ambassador of Vinitaly International Academy, Verona. Her articles appear in wine publications in Austria and Germany, but also internationally in „Civiltà del Bere“ or „Decanter“.  From 2007 to 2015 she was wine columnist for the Austrian quality daily „Der Standard“. She is author of several books, her latest „111 österreichischer Weine, die man getrunken haben muss“ (emons Verlag, Cologne) co-written with Austrian wine writer Daniela Dejnega, was published in October 2019.  She was technical consultant for a TV programme on Austrian wine (2012) and she also reports on Austria for Jancis Robinson’s World Atlas of Wine, 7th & 8th edition.

Janna Rijpma

Multiple Wine Book Author and Owner, Ennovision International Media Company

Wine writer and Consultant for over twenty years, Janna Rijpma is the Owner of NOMOH Wine Consulting Web Magazine. She has published five books for the series The Wine Guide for Business People. After a long career as an Executive Producer in Television, Janna Rijpma graduated as a Vinoloog in 1996 at the Dutch Wine Academy. After writing many articles and columns about wine and food in magazines and newspapers, she ‘delivered’ five books of The Wine Guide for Business People for Het Financieele Dagblad. She now mainly writes, consults and creates and is traveling to the wine fields all over the world, where especially upcoming wine areas have her full attention. She teaches often about her favorite wine subjects, burgundy, champagne and northern Italy. Since 2015, she is owner of www.nomoh.nl, the world of the senses that connects wine and food. Her activities includes NOMOH experience, NOMOH activities, NOMOH consultancy & NOMOH concepts. This year she will celebrate her 20 years in the wine business.

Marcia J. Hamm IWE

VIA Italian Wine Expert, Owner of Joy of Wine

Marcia started Joy of Wine in 2013 bringing the Joy of wine to people through home wine tastings and corporate events. She holds the prestigious WSET diploma in Wines & Spirits and is one of only 15 Italian Wine Experts (IWE) in the world through the Vinitaly International Academy (VIA). These days you can find her at Everything Wine and More in Sherwood Park, Alberta, Canada, where she manages the Fine Vintage room, is the floor wine manager and assists in purchasing.

Franco Bernabei

Oenologist at Enoproject Srl

Franco Bernabei, originally from Abano Terme, took his first steps into the world of wine alongside his father; importer/distributor of French and Italian wine, as well as hotelier and winemaker in the Euganean Hills. In 1978 Bernabei decided to freelance in the Chianti area within the region of Tuscany. He collaborated with various companies and made Sangiovese triumphant by interpreting the territory into the wine, helping to launch this vine to international stardom. In 1978 he began with the Fattoria di Selvapiana, from which a great Sangiovese, in purity, Bucerchiale, was born. In 1981, in collaboration with the Manetti family, through their winery Fontodi, Flaccianello della Pieve was launched on the market. Two years later, from the Fattoria di Felsina, Fontalloro was created.

Lorenzo Landi

Winemaker

Lorenzo Landi is a winemaker and wine consultant from Italy. Graduated in Agrarian Sciences and holding a Master in Oenology and a University Diploma in Oenology and Viticulture, he worked for ten years as a responsible oenologist for several companies in Tuscany and Umbria, among which Fattoria del Cerro, Colpetrone and La Poderina. Since 2000, he works as a wine consultant across several regions of Italy, such as Tuscany, Umbria, Friuli and Sicily.

Abi Duhr

Leading Luxembourg Wine Writer, Wine Producer and Journalist for VINO (Luxembourg Wine Magazine)

JC Viens IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Deputy Wine Editor of Grande Passione

Jean-Charles (alias JC) Viens is a Certified WSET Educator, Vinitaly Academy Ambassador and the Franciacorta Ambassador in Greater China. He is also the CEO of Grande Passione Ltd, a marketing and events firm based in Hong Kong. JC is genuinely passionate about the human stories behind each label. Based in Hong Kong for 25 years, he has experienced the fascinating growth the region has sustained, first as an entrepreneur in the export sector and now as an expert in Wine Communications. He also focuses his activities on Marketing Strategies and Public Relation campaigns for Italian wines in Hong Kong and China. He recently received the honour of Cavaliere della Stella d’Italia for the work he has done on behalf of Italian wines in Hong Kong in the last ten years.

Maurizio Castelli

Winemaker

Massimo Claudio Comparini

Chairman, EarthLab Precision Agriculture and Viticulture (Head of the Best Italian Wines Guide)

Massimo Claudio Comparini is a sommellier and wine writer with more than 25 years of experience. He holds a Master degree in Electrical and Aerospace Engineering and he is graduated in Strategy at GSB Stanford University. Co-manager for many years of the International Wine Academy of Rome, today he is the Director of the Italy’s Best Wines Guide. He has a deep knowledge of Italian wines, French and new world wines and wine marketing, and he teaches technology, innovation management and wine business in many universities in Italy and abroad.

Barbara Tamburini

Oenologist

Barbara Tamburini graduated in Viticulture and Oenology from the University of Pisa in 2002 after having already obtained a University Diploma in Food Technology (Viticulture & Oenology) in 2000. During her time at university she was able to undertake various apprenticeships with Tuscan wine producers and subsequently to initiate her working career as a freelance oenologist in 1999 with some important consultancies. Her consultancies, initially exclusively in Tuscany, have grown year on year to include others in Umbria, Piedmont, Lombardy, Emilia Romagna and Sicily. It was during her periods of study that she had the good fortune to meet Vittorio Fiore, a fellow oenologist of long experience and international repute who she came to consider as her ‘mentor’ and ‘teacher’. It was with him that she began a collaborative working arrangement which continues even today. Enlivened by an intense professional curiosity, she has been able to succeed in a multiplicity of directions passing from viticulture to oenology, from Sangiovese to Pinot Noir, from Merlot to Nebbiolo and Barbera, to Aleatico, from Vermentino to Pinot Blanc and to Ansonica, from Moscato Passito to Vinsanto. Whilst doing this, she pays constant attention to ensure that wines express the character of their provenance both in terms of the individual producer and the area of production whilst still aiming to achieve the highest possible quality and address the expectations of the consumer. Furthermore, she does not ignore market issues. Given her increasing notoriety, she has the advantage of being in regular contact with a wide network of leading experts both in Italy and, increasingly, abroad who have specific experience in the distribution and marketing of Italian wines in the world. As a result, the wine sector press comes increasingly to Barbara for news, for her views and for information considered to be of value and importance. Currently, Barbara Tamburini is consultant oenologist for more than 15 different wine producers and has been the subject of more than 100 interviews and articles.

Goffredo Agostini

Winemaker

Winemaker, freelancer. He started working in 1985 at the Ortona Winery in Abruzzo. In 1988 he moved to Cantina Tollo where he stayed working for 15 years and collaborated as the Technical Director. In 2004 he started work as a consultant at the Matura Group. Currently he works as  a Winemaker consultant for Central and Southern Italian Wineries as well as in foreign countries.

Tommaso Mascolo

Head Sommelier at One Michelin Star Indaco Restaurant

Stefano Chioccioli

Winemaker

Graduated in agricultural sciences in 1984, he defines himself as an agronomist before as a winemaker. During the first years of study at the Faculty of Agriculture at the University of Florence, he is attracted by the various disciplines of the world of agriculture. Then comes the shock for viticulture, and for oenology immediately after. He graduated with 110 with honors. Immediately employed as Production Manager by Ruffino, where he will remain for seven years, as first in the establishment of Pontassieve and then in the country to follow the proliferation of corporate ownership. Chioccioli himself defines these seven years as formidable years because they allow him to unravel the complex issues surrounding viticulture and winemaking that will prove to be crucial in his professional experience. Meanwhile, his sons Niccolò and Enrico, were born, today 31 and 27 years old, the first one graduated in viticulture and oenology in Florence in 2009, the second one graduated in law in Milan and Master Distiller. In 1992 Stefano Chioccioli starts to take its first steps alone as winemaker consultant.. It is an exciting period of renewal in the world of wine. He tries to turn the page, to renew the vineyards, to focus on a new approach that brings wealth, value and quality to an area rich in potential but for long time mortified. Since then, the escalation is unstoppable: new consulting and new successes in Italy and abroad, very new wine brands or old brands to be revaluated. Here comes the 1995, an important year, not only for the born of her daughter Ginevra, but also for the begin of new consultings, which still represents nowdays pillars of the italian wine. He has been working for more than 25 years for prestigious estates in Italy, France and Hungary. The wines he signed during his consulting activities have won many awards such as: over 100 wines with three glasses on Gambero Rosso guide, many 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98 points in magazines like Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, Wine Advocat, up to the 100/100 is awarded by Robert Parker and Wine Spectator. He is a member of numerous organizations dedicated to viticulture and oenology and various committees of tasting. He is regularly invited to give lectures at the most important universities of enology in Italy and he is a strong voice in the conferences and the events dedicated to the Wine world.

Christopher Barnes

Founder and Publisher at Grape Collective

Christopher Barnes is currently Editor and Publisher of Grape Collective an online wine magazine that combines high quality wine journalism with a seamless eCommerce experience. Grape Collective has produced over 300 video interviews on location with winemakers around the world and features writing by some of wine journalism’s top stars including former Wall Street Journal wine critic Dorothy J. Gaiter. Prior to starting Grape Collective Barnes was President of The Observer Media Group, publisher of The New York Observer. Barnes was co-founder and Publisher of amNewYork newspaper, New York’s largest free daily newspaper which was eventually sold to the Tribune Company. Amongst other media start-ups he was also involved in the co-founding of the Cocoa Beach/Cape Canaveral Press weekly newspaper and The London Monthly magazine. He has an MBA from Babson College in Wellesley, Massachusetts.

Kara Maisano

VIA Wine Ambassador, Sommelier & Wine Director, Masani Italian Dining & Terrace

Kara Maisano is a Sommelier and Wine Director at Masani Italian Dining & Terrace in Melbourne. Established in 1983 by Chef & Restaurateur Richard Maisano, continues to serve regionally inspired Italian to compliment Kara’s award-wining wine list. Kara is a graduate of the WSET Diploma, Court of Master Sommeliers and a Vinitaly International Academy Wine Ambassador. Alongside serving she continues to strive within her profession by associate judging at local and international wine shows, and hosting wine tutorials for wine lovers in Melbourne. Recent accolades include finalist Gault & Millau Sommelier of the Year 2016, Vin de Champagne Awards 2016, Gourmet Traveller Wine Young Sommelier of the Year 2018. Stay on touch @KaraMaisano @MASANI_DINING

Elise Vandenberg IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Fine Wine Specialist at Vin Sauvage

Elise Vandenberg is an Italian Wine Ambassador and Certified Sommelier based in Reno, Nevada, USA. Elise enjoys wine from around the world but is particularly passionate about wines made from native Italian grapes. Elise works in fine wine distribution with Vin Sauvage. She writes about Italian wine at elisevino.wordpress.com.

Matteo Bernabei

Oenologist at Enoproject Srl

He provides consultant activities for some wineries: Santa Maria alla Pieve Bertani and Villa Mosconi – Bertani, La Bioca, Malavasi, Lornano, Cherri e Ruffini, in addition he follows Enoproject in its activities of managing and coordinating all the other wineries professionals and associates. Enoproject consultancies not only offer assistance for what concerns oenology and viticulture, but also for what concerns marketing aspects and the development of a new productive chain. “ We believe that the strength of this consultant activity relies in the teamwork, that involves everybody, from the family to the analyst technicians of our staff, and that through its professionalism, it is able to spread love for the terroir and the vine.” Administrator of Società Riolite Vini Srl, society that selects and distributes italian wine in the world (Canada, USA, Europe, Russia and China).

Vanessa Green

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Director Crimson Wine, Wine Director at Apples and Pears Restaurant Group.

Vanessa is based in Australia working across Asia Pacific as Managing Director of Crimson Wine and the Apples + Pears Restaurant Group, and Acting CEO of Cliftons Venues. She works as a commercial wine buyer and importer, wine director for the restaurant and venues group, and judges at wines shows in Australia, New Zealand and Europe. Vanessa is a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, has professional accreditations from WSET and the Australian Wine Research Institute, and is a member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux and Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne. Current projects she is working on include running wine and beverage education and appreciation programs for consumers and trade in Australia and New Zealand, sourcing and importing wines to Australia and developing wine and beverage lists across Asia Pacific.

Fabio Ciarla

Journalist, Sommelier and Blogger, Corriere del Vino, Enoagricola

Born into a family of winemakers, he chose to break with tradition and become a journalist. Life, or fate, brought him back into the world of wine. He is a regular contributor to online newspapers like «Il Corriere del Vino», and he created «Enoagricola Blog», an innovative blog with Italian/English posts and downloadable podcasts. He is a certified sommelier and instructor for FISAR (Italian Sommeliers Federation), and an events and wine tastings planner. He’s come to the conclusion that in this world, after all, he feels at home.

Bernardo Pinto

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Technical Director at Zahil Importadora, Instructor at The Wine School, Owner of Prensa Enogastronomia

Bernardo Pinto ha studiato gastronomia in Brasile e ha frequentato una specialistica in Wines and Spirits a Londra. È stato la prima persona in America Latina ad ottenere il WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits. Technical Director al Zahil Wines a San Paolo, gestisce il portfolio della compagnia. Insegna anche ai corsi WSET e fa da consulente per compagnie e privati in Brasile. Bernardo è un Official Sherry Educator e un Vinitaly International Academy Ambassador, nonchè parte integrante del corpo studentesco dell’Institute of Masters of Wine dal 2012.

Jay Hutchinson

Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Advisor at Soutirage

A native of California’s Sonoma County, Jay has accepted roles across the United States over the course of his wine career. From founding a leading culinary events series in Boston, to serving as senior sommelier for Michelin-starred Ai Fiori in New York City, to his current role as private client consultant with Soutirage in Napa, he enjoys finding opportunities to be an advocate for Italian wines. While serving clients coast-to-coast, Jay is based in the Midwest, where he is preparing for the Master Sommelier examination and is a MBA candidate at Ohio University.

María Laura Ortiz

CEO di Winifera

María Laura Ortiz is a leading wine and spirits consultant based in Mendoza, Argentina. She founded Winifera in 2010, a company specialized on the reception of local and international press and wine critics, as well as coordinating rounds
of international businesses.
A graduate of the Argentine School of Sommeliers, Maria Laura holds the WSET’s Advanced Certification; is a Certified Sommelier of the Court of Master Sommeliers CMS; a qualified Sommelier and member of the Marketing Committee at the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI).
Maria Laura is a current member of the Board of Directors of the Argentine Association of Sommeliers (AAS). During her 3-year cycle as Vice President of this Association, she was the General Coordinator responsible for coordinating the World’s Best Sommelier Competition—Argentina 2016.
Ms. Ortiz is a regular columnist of Food Lovers, Wines of Argentina and a collaborator on graphic and online media, such as Master Wine, Caminos del Vino, Tiempo Argentino, Diario Los Andes, Clarín and AOL Brasil.
A jury member of prestigious international competitions, Maria Laura coordinates the tastings in Argentina for Guía Peñín, Palacio de Hierro and actively works with Tim Atkin MW.
She teaches Master Class at Consulates, Embassies and sommelier schools in Argentina, South America and Mexico.

Leonid Fadeev

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Executive Director at Cote Rocheuse

Leonid Fadeev began his meteoric wine career in March 2013 by receiving a job offer to run a vine growing and winemaking start-up, Cote Rocheuse, in the south of Russia, the town of Anapa, Krasnodar Region.
In 2014 having a thirst for wine knowledge Leonid committed to wine qualifications. He went to France to study at the World Sommelier Academy of Bordeaux (WorldSom). He successfully passed all 6 final exams, qualified as the Magister Sommelier (so far the only one from Russia) and became Commandeurs d’Honneur of the Commanderie du Bontemps de Médoc, des Graves, de Sauternes et de Barsac.
After that he continued his wine journey with Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET). In 2015 he fared well at WSET Level 2 and Level 3 at Bordeaux Wine Campus, France.
Leonid didn’t rest on his laurels. He enrolled for WSET Diploma International Program (Rust, Vienna, Florence) at Weinakademie Osterreich in Rust, Austria in May 2016. Studying hard he managed to complete the program strikingly fast. It took him 1 year and 3 months to cover all 7 Units, pass all exams at the first attempt and to receive a prestigious WSET Diploma and Weinakademiker qualifications.
The subject of his Thesis at Weinakademie Osterreich was “Brettanomyces in Wine, a Fault or Not” which he defended with distinction.

Kevin Gagnon IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Chief Editor and Content Manager at SnarkyWine.com

Ján Špener

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Head Sommelier, Import & Distribution Manager at Vinimka

Ján Špener studied Marketing Communication at the University of Ss. Cyril and Methodius in Trnava, Slovakia. In 2016, he passed the Diploma of Wine and Spirit Education Trust at the Wine Academy of Rust, in Austria. Year later he passed the final Weinakademiker exam. During his university studies he already worked as sommelier in Michelin starred restaurants in France and leading Slovak restaurants. Currently he is Head Sommelier at Vinimka winebar in Bratislava, Slovakia as well as Import and Distribution Manager. In November 2017 he passed the exam for Italian Wine Ambassador of the Vinitaly Internationl Academy. He is also Certified Sommelier by Court of Masters Sommeliers, Certified Sake Sommelier and Certified Sherry Educator.

Brie Dema

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Director at The Bruce Hotel

Brie Dema is a Professional Sommelier, Wine Director for The Bruce Hotel, VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, and WSET Educator.

Stephanie Guth

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Sommelier

After completing an H.B.Comm with a focus in Hospitality Management she attended culinary school and spent years working in kitchens before making the jump to front-of-house. Upon completing the CMS certification she moved to London in 2012 to work as assistant sommelier at Michelin-stared restaurant Pied a Terre. After a few years working back home in Toronto helping develop and manage beverage programs she decided her travels weren’t over and moved to Auckland in 2017 where she is currently working as Sommelier at The French Café. She is currently working on her WSET Diploma and is enrolled in the INSEEC MBA Wine Marketing and Management program at the University of Bordeaux in the Fall. Until then she’s having fun discovering all that New Zealand has to offer.

Jessica Tan

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Journalist at Singapoured LLP

Jessica Anne Tan is an independent wine journalist, founder of Singapoured.com., and contributing editor to www.ChngPohTiong.com. She is a Certified Specialist of Wine, Italian Wine Ambassador by the Vinitaly International Academy, and had received her Napa Valley Wine Specialist certification.
Jessica has represented Singapore in international and local wine judging competitions. She is also a brand Ambassador for Schott Zwiesel in Singapore.

Laura Donadoni IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Founder of La Com Wine Agency, journalist and wine educator

Laura Donadoni is an Italian wine writer, published author and journalist based in California, where she founded years ago “The Italian Wine Girl” blog and online community (today counting more than 60.000 followers) and La Com Wine Agency, a strategic P.R. and Communications firm focused on the wine industry. She is a contributor for the Slow Wine Guide America, a columnist for SommJournal and Tasting Panel Magazines, the only Italian woman member of the International Circle of Wine Writers and of the Los Angeles Wine Writers Association and the Director of the Wine Education Program at the Pacific National Food and Beverage Museum in L.A. She is a certified wine educator, a professional wine judge in national and international competitions such as the historic San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition, she is a Vinitaly International Ambassador, a certified Sommelier with merit with the North American Sommelier Association and the World Sommelier Association, a WSET advanced sommelier. In her book “Come il vino ti cambia la vita” meaning “How wine can change your life” (published by Il Cairo), she includes her story and the stories of inspiration, courage, and rebirth of six Italian wine producers. Her first book was awarded with the Premio Bruno Lunelli for the wine literature. The book was translated into English and published in the USA by Prima Living publisher. After the success of the first edition, Laura has worked on a second, ambitious project: “Custodi del vino”, the stories of a resilient and rebirthing Italy, published by Slow Food Editore, one of the top seller wine books on Amazon and at bookshops in 2021.

Nikolay Chashchinov IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Director at Millesime Wine School

Nikolay Chashchinov is a professional wine educator and representative of the wine trade industry, who has been in the wine business for 16 years. Nikolay Chashchinov worked as a sommelier in a 5* hotel from 2005 to 2006, thereafter, he won the Saint Petersburg Sommelier Contest for two consecutive years; 2006 and 2007. In 2007 Chashchinov also began working in wine imports, all the while, together with some friends, he opened a sommelier wine school in 2010. Already a WSET Diploma holder, he also tackled and successfully completed the Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador Course in 2015 in addition to becoming a Weinakademiker in 2018.

Sarah Dewar

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Cocktail and wine bar co-owner/sommelier

Snezhana Revchuk

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Import Director at Diletant.wine, Sommelier at Molto Buono Restaurant

I am WSET Diploma student and VinItaly Ambassador 2017. I had a chance to open my own wine restaurant in 2014 in Saint-Petersburg. And in 2017 i with my partners open the wine trading company Diletant. I have a strong passion for wine and I am eager to learn as much as possible about the wine world. My enthusiasm and initiative have allowed me to get some knowledge through self-education, completing training courses (e.g. Viti Agro Lycee in Beaune, France – CFPPA). Also my other passion is  organizing wine and gastronomy tours to Italy, France, Germany.

Anna Baranova IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Educator at Millesime School

Anna Baranova is from St. Petersburg, Russia. She graduated as a Human Resources Manager from the Higher School of Business Administration; this is when she realised her love of wine, she especially identified with the phrase “in vino veritas”. She dove into the wine business in 2005, working as both a sommelier and a wine-seller in different companies within St. Petersburg. In 2018 Baranova finished her studies at the Weinakademie Österreich earning her WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits. Now she is a Weinakademiker (wine academic) and WSET Diploma holder. Baranova also attended and completed the Vinitaly International Academy, Italian Wine Ambassador course twice, in 2017 and in 2018. Her website can be viewed at www.winecode.ru. Currently she is lecturing at wine schools’ “Millesime” and “Marine Express”. She is also the chief-sommelier at “Caffe Italia”, an authentic Italian restaurant in St. Petersburg.

Alexandra Alexandrova IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Deputy Managing Director at Gourmet Alliance Group

Robert Miller

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Sales, Sommelier

Rob Miller has over twenty years experience in the beverage industry. A certified Sommelier with the International Sommelier Guild, Miller also holds accreditation with The Wine & Spirits Education Trust in the UK, the American- based Society of Wine Educators and the Court of Master Sommeliers, as well as a Certificate in Oenology & Viticulture from the University of Guelph. Rob has also completed the rigorous Vinitaly International Academy Ambassador certification. He currently works with wine distributor The Vine Agency, as well as working the floor as Sommelier at Canada’s finest restaurants including Langdon Hall, George and Alo.

Mike Madaio

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Journalist

Mike Madaio is a wine journalist and Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador. He currently serves on the editorial board for Palate Press, and his writing has appeared in publications such as Wine Enthusiast, Undiscovered Italy and Edible Philly.

Daphne Feng

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Financial & Business Analyst

Daphne Feng is an Italian Wine Ambassador and a Stage 2 Master of Wine candidate. She works at US importer Folio Fine Wine Partners where she delights in optimizes any manner of measurable metrics as a Business & Financial Analyst. She holds a WSET Diploma and teaches at the Napa Valley Wine Academy.

Hugh L. Preece IWA

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Operating Partner at Salt Creek Grille

Hugh L. Preece IWA is a Restaurant Executive and Director with over 30 years of successful experience providing fiscal, strategic, and operations leadership in uniquely challenging situations. He is Founder of Native Grapes, LLC, Italian Wine Ambassador – Vinitaly International Academy, Italian Wine Scholar – Wine Scholar Guild, Certified Educator through VIA Educator Program, Sommelier, and 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls judge. He is also author to “Counting Castles in Abruzzo”. He is featured on WPST 94.3 Radio, ABC NY, ESPN Television, NY Daily News, Buck’s Life Magazine, Princeton Magazine, Univision.com, and US News and World Report.

Rose Johnson

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Sommelier

I grew up in a small town outside Las Vegas called Boulder City. I fell in love with wine during college after studying abroad in Spain. My love for Italian wine grew from working as a sommelier at an Italian restaurant.

Li Xiang

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Educator at Ease Scent

Xiang Li was graduated from Lincoln University New Zealand in 2007 and successfully completed bachelor degree in viticulture & oenology. He then worked in the wine industry for 5 years across different regions in New Zealand, Australia, USA.
Coming back home in 2012, he then worked for Grace Vineyard in Shanxi Provence as vintage assistant winemaker. In 2013, he joined Ruby Red Fine Wine as sales manager based in Beijing, he suceesfully helped create Ruby Red Beijing Branch. During this period, he completed WSET diploma. In May 2015, he joined Ease Scent and quickly became one of the most sought-after educators in China. Xiang Li is currently pursuing Master of Wine Title. His favorite subjects include wine, food, travel, culture & history.

Shelly Lee

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador

Shelly Lee is a Shanghai-based wine educator and trainer. She completed her WSET Diploma in Vancouver in 2013 and had a solid background in marketing before entering wine trade. She is currently a WSET Certified Educator and has hosted hundreds of presentations throughout her wine career.

Sabina Yang

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Wine Education Director – SIPPERS Wine & Spirit Academy

杨平 Sabina, PING YANG
MW Candidate
DipWSET
WSET Certified Educator & Assessor
VIA Italian Wine Ambassador
FWS Highest Honors
Wine Judge

Liu Jia

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Blogger

LIU Jia, aka Freddo, has been a wine enthusiast since almost 20 years ago.
Four years ago, he started his own project to visit Italian wine regions annually, and now he has measured some of the most interesting regions by foot.
On his first attempt on the VIA exam, he finally got recognized as one of the Italian Wine Ambassador by Vinitaly in 2017.

Luca Di Vita

Sommelier and Co-owner of the Osteria alle Testiere

He’s born, lives and works in Venice. Co-owner of the Osteria alle Testiere of Venice since 1997 (The World’s 50 Best Restaurants according to the magazine Restaurant and Top 100 Restaurants Worldwide according to Foodie guide). Professional Sommelier (Italian Association Sommelier awarded). Master of Food beer, olive oil and cheese, courses held by Slow Food Italy. Author of Venice, food and wine (A table, à Venise) published by Lineadacqua. He has contributed to numerous articles and radio broadcasts made by journalists of: The Wall Street Journal Europe, The Sunday Times, Etoile, The New York Times, Der Feinschmecker, Saveur, Gourmet, Travel Telegraph, The Guardian, Sphere, Louis Vuitton City Gude, InTime Magazine, Radio France Culture. Winemaker for passion, leads a tiny vineyard property in Valdobbiadene (TV) and obtains’s Vineyard Ada, 1000 bottles of Prosecco “sur lie”, an honest wine.

Ramona Ragaini

Maître at Ristorante Andreina Loreto

Since 2009 Ramona Ragaini is maître at Ristorante Andreina Loreto and chef Errico Recanati’s wife. Her passion is born by chance in a very crowded Sunday when she proposed to lend a hand to serve. Her desire to know the world of wine grows and she attended 3 AIS courses and since then, every day, she looks for more new territories and “new emotions that you can give with a chalice.” In fact, besides to welcome guests, she takes care of the wine list Andreina Restaurant and she is Marche delegate at “Noi di Sala”.

Simone Romano

Restaurant Manager, Tordomatto

David Way

Wine Qualifications Developer

David Way entered the world of wine through wine tourism and offering informal courses to consumers interested in learning more about wine. He created and writes for www.winefriend.org with a focus on the wines of Italy and France. With a background in adult education, he then studied at WSET in London and latterly as a Master of Wine student, currently Stage 2. He now works for the WSET where he is engaged, with colleagues, on writing new student study guides for the WSET Level 4 Diploma.

Claire Kyunghwa Nam

Owner Director of GARAM

Claire Kyunghwa Nam joined the wine trade in 2005 from PR. Since then, she has worked on various sides of business from buying and selling to marketing and education in Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, France and the UK. She worked as a Wine Consultant at Berry Bros & Rudd Hong Kong and a freelancer for the Decanter Tasting Team. Claire set up a micro-négociant GARAM in Bordeaux and has been producing a micro-cuvée Graves Blanc ‘Les Trois Mains’ since 2016 while continuing to consult, write and judge at wine competitions. Claire holds a Master’s degree in Wine Business from the University of Adelaide, Australia, a Certificat de Spécialisation Commerce des Vins from the CFPPA, France, as well as a WSET Diploma. Currently, Claire is pursuing the Master of Wine studies, and passed the practical part of the exam in 2015 at her first attempt.

Livia Merlo

Freelance Wine Writer

Susan Gordon

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Freelance Writer

Susan H. Gordon is a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador and WSET Diploma student with an MFA in Writing from The New School in New York City. She has written about wine for ForbesLife, Eater, The Daily Meal, and Wine Advocate online.

Ying Guo

VIA Italian Wine Ambassador, Sommelier at 67 Pall Mall

Ying Guo just had joined the sommelier team at 67 Pall Mall London.She was the Senior Sommelier of Luxury Four Seasons Hotel Group China. As a native Chinese sommelier, Ying has organized numerous wine tastings, from the first growth Chateau Margaux to the smallest champagne growers. In addition to these tasting events, she has been involved in other high-profile events, including Robert Parker’s Grand World Tour, Dinner in the sky. Ying has been a Decanter Asia Wine Awards Judge since 2013, and Decanter World Wine Awards since this year, and many other wine awards and sommelier competitions. Ying is a Advanced Sommelier by Court of Master Sommeliers, the very few Chinese Master Sommelier candidate. Ying’ many accolades include winner of the China National Sommelier Competition 2012, Champion of China’s best Sommelier of French Wine 2011, and 4th place at the World’s Best Young Sommelier competition 2013, also Champion of China Youth Sommelier Team Service Competition. China’s Best Hotel Wine List 2014 by China Wine List Award.

Cristiano Morini

Winemaker

Regine Lee MW

Master of Wine, National Account Manager at Liberty Wines

Regine Lee is currently working as Customer Services Head of Operations at Liberty Wines, a leading UK importer / distributor to the on and off-trade which specialises in Italian wine. She has had roles at Liberty Wines in trade marketing, education, and sales analytics, and at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) in Asian market development. Regine is also a co-founder of Women in Wine London, a wine trade networking group with over 600 members which launches initiatives to develop women professionally and provide a forum for discussing key topics in the industry. She achieved her Master of Wine in 2018, and wrote her research paper on the commercial effectiveness of relationship building through customer trips.

Andreino Addis

Director and oenologist at Cantina Gallura

Andreino Addis is the director and oenologist at Cantina Gallura. He is also President of the commission for the evaluation of the suitability of DOC and DOCG wines at the Sassari Chamber of Commerce. From 2010 to 2019 he was President of Assoenologi – Sardinia Section.

Sandro Cavicchioli

Oenologist

Sandro Cavicchioli is the technical director of Cavicchioli Winery, Italian Wine Group, San Prospero, Modena. In 1990 he founded the Azienda Agricola Castelfaglia in Calino di Cazzago San Martino in Franciacorta, where he is currently the technical director, as well as the owner. Since 2004 he has been the technical director and owner of the Francesco Bellei company in Bomporto (Modena) which produces exclusively wines made with the classic method and the traditional bottle fermentation method. For six years he was a member of the Appeal Commission of the Designations of Origin of Northern Italy, at the Ministry of Agriculture. He is also a member of the Board of Directors of the Consortium for the Protection of Lambrusco and the Board of Directors of the Consorzio Marchio Storico dei Lambruschi Modenesi.

Federico Defilippi

Winemaker

Vincenza Folgheretti

Winemaker and Wine consultant

Pierluigi Zama

Winemaker

Alberto Lazzarino

Winemaker

Patrizia Marenco

Oenologist

Josef Romen

Winemaker

Goffredo Pasolli

Winemaker

Faustini Andrea

Winemaker

Mattia Filippi

Winemaker

Valerio Fuson

Oenologist

Leonardo Palumbo

Winemaker

Poser Celestino

Oenologist and Director of the Enochemical Laboratory

Celestino Poser is the Director of the Enochemical Laboratory for Former Students of the Conegliano Enological School. Since 2012 he has held the position of President of Assoenologi for the Veneto-Central Eastern Section. He is also a member of the Technical Committee of Veneto Agriculture for Assoenologi, the body responsible for the development and promotion of agricultural activities in the Veneto Region. A frequent speaker on topics of tasting courses, oenological practical events, and analytical techniques, he holds webinars and conferences organized by companies, organizations, and associations. He was appointed as an expert witness for the technical assessment activities for the wine sector in the Courts of Treviso and Trento.

Rocco Vallorani

Winemaker

Vendrame Gino

Winemaker

Thomas Mayr

Winemaker

Martinico Salvina

Winemaker.

Marcello Vaona

Winemaker

Valetti Stefano

Winemaker

Jennifer Carraro