DWWA judge profile: Tim Hall
Get our daily fine wine reviews, latest wine ratings, news and travel guides delivered straight to your inbox.
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Tim Hall is a judge at the 2025 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).
Tim Hall
Tim Hall caught the wine bug and joined the wine trade in 1993, switching from a successful career in education to work for an importer. He then founded Scala School of Wine in London, running courses, events and trips to Bordeaux and Champagne.
He was named ‘best communicator on the wine circuit’ by the Observer. He came to specialise in Champagne, making in-depth visits to hundreds of producers. In 2013 he won the CIVC Champagne Ambassador UK competititon and was runner-up (Vice-Lauréat) of the European final in Champagne against the champions of 9 countries.
In 2014 he was made an officier of the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne.
He now runs Scala Wine, importing single estate champagnes to the UK. He organises Champagne events and tours too and writes about champagne.
Along with his family, he loves cooking, coaching rugby, reading and following West Ham United.
Follow Tim on Instagram @scalawine
Get our daily fine wine reviews, latest wine ratings, news and travel guides delivered straight to your inbox.
See more judges for 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.