The DWWA Judges

DWWA Regional Chair for North, Central & Eastern Europe: Darrel Joseph

Darrel Joseph is a wine writer, currently working on a wine book with a Central & Eastern Europe focus.

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 the UK: Simon Field MW

Simon Field MW worked for Berry Brothers & Rudd for over 20 years. In 2015, he was admitted into the Gran Orden de Caballeros del Vino.

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 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 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 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.

DWWA Regional Chair for Chile: Peter Richards MW

Peter is a TV presenter, broadcaster, author and writer. His credits include more than a decade on BBC1 plus Sky One, ESPN, Financial Times, The Guardian, ITV1, Radio 4, BBC2 and The Sunday Times.

DWWA Regional Chair for Southern Italy : Anthony Rose

Anthony Rose is an award-winning wine and sake writer, and a founding member of The Wine Gang. He is the Regional Chair for Southern Italy at the DWWA 2022.

DWWA Regional Chair for Beaujolais, Southwest and Rest of France: Dominique Vrigneau

Dominique Vrigneau is Buying Director at Watermill Wines and a Chevalier du Tastevin. A DWWA judge since 2010, he joins the Regional Chair team for 2020 .

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 Australia: Huon Hooke

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

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 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 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 Spain: 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 Switzerland: Stefan Neumann MS

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 Provence: Rod Smith MW

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

DWWA Acting Regional Chair for Burgundy: Charles Curtis MW

Charles Curtis MW writes regularly for a number of magazines and his book, The Original Grand Crus of Burgundy, appeared in 2014.

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

Howard-Sneyd founded The Hive Wine Consulting in 2012 and is now a consultant to a wide range of international businesses.

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 Piedmont: Stephen Brook

Wine writer and Decanter contributor Stephen Brook is the Regional Chair for Piedmont at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2021.

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.

DWWA Regional Chair for Argentina: Paz Levinson

Argentine Paz Levinson is Executive Head Sommelier for Groupe Pic and a wine educator.

DWWA Regional Chair for Central Italy and Canada: Andy Howard MW

Andy Howard MW became a MW in 2011 and runs his own consultancy business, Vinetrades Ltd, which focuses on education, judging, investment and sourcing.

DWWA Co-Chair: Michael Hill Smith MW

Michael, wine producer, international wine judge, wine consultant, and occasional wine writer, is a DWWA Co-Chair.

DWWA Co-Chair: Andrew Jefford

Andrew has been writing and broadcasting about wine since the 1980s, winning many awards for his work.

DWWA judge profile: Silvia Garatti

Silvia Garatti is a Wine Buyer for FortyFive10, a specialised Italian wine company in London.