DWWA judge profile: Nicolas Clerc MS

Nicolas Clerc MS is a judge at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Nicolas Clerc MS

Previously, he worked at Fields, Morris and Verdin as an account manager after working in the restaurant industry for 14 years.

He was restaurant group D&D London’s beverage manager from 2009 until February 2014, where he oversaw the running of Le Pont de la Tour’s restaurant and wine shop, as well as the wine lists at neighbouring restaurants The Blueprint Café, Cantina del Ponte and Butlers Wharf Chop House. In 2012, he added Fish Market, Old Bengal Bar, New Street Grill and New Street Wine Shop to his portfolio of restaurants.

Clerc started his career in 2000 in his native France at Michelin-starred restaurant La Barbacane in Carcassonne. Clerc was named UK Sommelier of the Year 2007, won Best Sommelier and Best Wine List at the Tatler Awards in 2010, he was awarded Champagne List of the Year at the 2011 Louis Roederer Wine List of the Year Awards, and passed his Master Sommelier exam in 2010.

Clerc is currently president of the sommelier arm of the Academy of Food and Wine Service UK and a board member at the Court of Master Sommelier Europe.

Clerc was first a DWWA judge in 2013.

See more judges for the 2025 DWWA.

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.