The DWWA Judges

DWWA Regional Chair for Piedmont: Stephen Brook

Wine writer and Decanter contributor Stephen Brook is the Regional Chair for Piedmont at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2020.

DWWA Regional Chair for Languedoc-Roussillon: Justin Howard-Sneyd MW

Howard-Sneyd is now global wine consultant to Direct Wines and founder of The Hive Wine Consulting Limited.

DWWA Regional Chair for Switzerland: Paolo Basso

Swiss-Italian Paolo Basso, now a wine trader and consultant, won the Best Sommelier of the World 2013.

DWWA Regional Chair for Portugal: Sarah Ahmed

Sarah Ahmed, aka The Wine Detective, is an independent, London-based wine writer, educator and judge.

DWWA Regional Chair for Middle East & Asia: Poh Tiong Ch'ng

A lawyer by training, Poh Tiong Ch'ng published the world’s first Chinese Bordeaux Guide in 2000 and is the author of 100 Top Chinese Restaurants of the World.

DWWA Regional Chair for Canada: Barbara Philip MW

Barbara Philip MW is category manager at BC Liquor Stores in Canada, as well as a lecturer, radio columnist and consultant.

DWWA Regional Chair for Provence: Rod Smith MW

Rod Smith MW is a wine educator, marketer and salesman, based in the South of France.

DWWA Regional Chair for South & Eastern Mediterranean: Caro Maurer MW

Caro Maurer MW is a wine writer based in Bonn, Germany, with a writing career spanning almost 30 years.

DWWA Regional Chair for Chile: Peter Richards MW

Peter is a TV presenter, broadcaster, author and writer. He has spent more than a decade working with BBC1, Sky One, ESPN, Financial Times, The Guardian, ITV1, Radio 4, www.thetimes.co.uk and BBC2.

DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany: Monty Waldin

Monty Waldin is a British broadcaster, author, and occasional winemaker, specialising in organics and biodynamics.

DWWA Regional Chair Veneto: Richard Baudains

Richard Baudains was born and bred in Jersey in the Channel Islands and trained to be a teacher of English as a foreign language in order to satisfy his wanderlust.

DWWA Regional Chair for Greece & Cyprus: Nico Manessis

Nico Manessis is an expert on the wines of his native Greece and the author of three wine books.

DWWA Regional Chair for Australia: Huon Hooke

Huon Hooke is an educator, international wine judge and writer, having published 19 books on wine.

DWWA Regional Chair for Northern Italy: Michael Garner

Michael Garner is the co-author of Barolo: Tar and Roses, a regular contributor to Decanter, and co-owner of Italian Wine Specialists Tria Wines Limited.

DWWA Regional Chair for Loire: Jim Budd

Jim Budd is a wine writer, having written for Decanter since 1989. He is the former editor of the newsletter of the Circle of Wine Writers, and writes the award-winning Jim’s Loire blog.

DWWA Regional Chair for the UK: Stephen Skelton MW

Stephen Skelton MW is a consultant to the English wine industry and is involved with planting vineyards for the production of both still and sparkling wine.

DWWA Regional Chair for Port & Madeira: Richard Mayson

An expert in the wines of Iberia, Richard Mayson writes regularly for Decanter, contributes to The Oxford Companion to Wine, and has written 5 books.

DWWA Regional Chair for Champagne: Peter Liem

Peter Liem is an American wine writer and author of ChampagneGuide.net, an award-winning online guide to the wines and wine producers of Champagne.

DWWA Regional Chair for Bordeaux: Jane Anson

Jane Anson is a contributing editor and Bordeaux correspondent for Decanter, also writing a weekly column for Decanterchina.com.

DWWA Regional Chair for Germany & Austria: Markus del Monego MW

Markus Del Monego MW, Best Sommelier of the World 1998, is wine advisor to Lufthansa airlines and runs consultancy company tasteTainment GmbH.

DWWA Regional Chair for Burgundy: Jeannie Cho Lee MW

Jeannie Cho Lee MW is an author, wine critic, judge and educator as well as the first Asian Master of Wine.

DWWA Regional Chair for Spain: Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, an active member of numerous wine committees, is a wine writer, consultant and educator .

DWWA Regional Chair for South Africa: Fiona McDonald

Fiona McDonald, trained news journalist turned wine writer, is Regional Chair for South Africa at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2020.

DWWA Regional Chair for Spain: Ferran Centelles

Ferran Centelles is a wine writer specialising in Spanish wine for Jancis Robinson, as well as a wine educator and previous sommelier.

The DWWA Judges

DWWA Regional Chair for North, Central & Eastern Europe: Caroline Gilby MW

Caroline Gilby MW is an author, writer and consultant. She specialises in Central and Eastern Europe and has written a book on the wines of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova.

DWWA Regional Chair for North, Central & Eastern Europe: Beth Willard

After working for Syndicat des Vins de Bordeaux, Beth Willard moved into buying roles, including her time as Buying Manager for Direct Wines.

DWWA Regional Chair for the Rhône: Matt Walls

Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author, blogger and consultant, contributing regular articles to Decanter.

DWWA Regional Chair for the USA & Central America: James Tidwell MS

James Tidwell MS is a wine writer, speaker, and consultant. He is currently consulting Master Sommelier with Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts in Las Colinas, Texas.

DWWA Regional Chair for Australia: Justin Knock MW

Justin Knock MW is co-owner of fine wine retailer Philglas & Swiggot, and runs wine consultancy business The Purple Hand Wine Company.