DWWA judge profile: Cristina Mercuri
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Cristina Mercuri is a new judge at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).
Cristina Mercuri
An acclaimed wine educator & presenter, Cristina is the founder and ceo of Mercuri Wine Club, a consultancy company and innovative wine academy. Through Mercuri Wine Club she delivers wine education and consultancy in wine communication, brand building and marketing for the most prestigious wine brands in Italy. She regularly hosts masterclasses and speaks at leading wine events in Italy and internationally. She is also an international wine judge, consultant for private and promotional events, and a regular contributor to Forbes.
Cristina began her professional career as a lawyer in international law firms before deciding in 2015 to pursue her passion for wine. She achieved the WSET Diploma in 2017 and subsequently embarked on the Master of Wine programme, for which she is now in the final stage. Between 2019 and 2022, she became a Certified Sherry Educator, Cava Educator, Port Educator, and Italian VDP Ambassador. She is currently preparing her research paper as the final requirement of the MW programme.
As an educator, Cristina teaches at all levels, from beginners to WSET Diploma candidates, as well as students of oenology. With a strong focus on sales and marketing, she delivers tailored staff training programmes specialising in sales strategies and marketing tools. Her clients include wine consortia, wineries, distributors, restaurants, and luxury brands, many of which engage her for innovative team-building activities.
In addition to her educational and entrepreneurial ventures, Cristina is among the most-followed wine personalities in Italy on Instagram. She joins the Decanter World Wine Awards judging panel for the first time in 2026.
Follow Cristina on Instagram.
See more judges for the 2026 DWWA.
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Born and raised in India, Shivani is the awards manager at Decanter, managing the 300-strong cohort of worldwide judges for the world's largest wine competition, the Decanter World Wine Awards, ensuring a seamless judging process and driving the competitive integrity of the awards. After earning a master’s in wine management from the Burgundy School of Business, she moved to London in 2016 and completed her WSET diploma. While Burgundy holds a special place in her heart, Champagne is her go-to bottle. Alongside her full-time role, she has been dipping her toes into wine writing, relishing the opportunity to bring wine stories to the surface. She serves on the Drinks United Advisory Council board.