Lisa Granik MW is a new judge at the 2026 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Lisa Granik MW 

Having worked in both the importing and distribution channels, she currently advises European wineries, regions, and importers on strategies for the US market. As a specialist in Russian and Soviet studies, she first encountered Georgian wines in Moscow and Tbilisi in the late Soviet period, when it was more enjoyable to savour memories of Burgundy and Bordeaux wines than to partake in the industrial wines then on offer. As Georgian wines improved following the nation’s (re)independence, she saw a need for a definitive book on the region; “The Wines of Georgia” (Classic Wine Library) was published in 2020. A fourth edition of her annual companion volume, “Granik’s Guide to Georgian Wine” arrived in 2025.

She has been a Master of Wine since 2006, winning the Villa Maria Award for her writing on viticulture. Her shorter works have appeared in The New York Times, SommJournal, SevenFifty Daily, The World of Fine Wine and other wine-focused publications. She is based in New York City, where she is also the wine director of Askili Orchard, a restaurant serving elevated Georgian cuisine.

Lisa joins Decanter World Wine Awards judging panel for the first time in 2026.

Follow Lisa on Instagram.

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.