Helga Louise Schroeder MS
DWWA judge, Helga Louise Schroeder MS
(Image credit: DWWA judge, Helga Louise Schroeder MS)

Helga Louise Schroeder MS is a judge at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Helga Louise Schroeder MS

Helga is Germany’s first female Master Sommelier, receiving this honour in 2019. She began her career completing an apprenticeship in a hotel and undertook studies in tourism economics.

She is currently the head of purchasing at ALPINA WEIN GmbH + Co KG, focusing on Bordeaux, Tuscany, Piemont, Burgundy and Rhône. Helga has been in this role since 2022.

Previously, she was the prestige account manager at KierdorfWein, focusing on Burgundy, Rhône & Champagne and the education and prestige account manager at Mövenpick Switzerland.

Helga also worked as a branch manager, head sommelier, and restaurant manager in Stuttgart, Germany.

2025 was Helga’s first year as a judge at DWWA.

See more judges for the 2026 DWWA.

Shivani Tomar
Shivani Tomar
Awards Manager

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.