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DWWA judge profile: Daisuke Kawai

Daisuke Kawai is a judge at the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA).

Daisuke Kawai

Daisuke Kawai is an independent wine consultant and the CEO and founder of Daisuke Kawai Pte Ltd.

With 28 years of experience in the food and beverage industry, Daisuke began his career at the Imperial Hotel in Tokyo before moving to Singapore in 2010 to become the Chief Sommelier at Michelin 3-Star restaurant, Les Amis. He went on to found La Terre, a luxury wine bar in Singapore, before leaving to focus on his wine consulting business.

Throughout his career, Daisuke has won several accolades, including being named Best Sommelier of the Year three times in the Singapore World Gourmet Series Award in 2013, 2017, and 2019, as well as being inducted into the Hall of Fame for Best Sommelier of the Year. He was also the winner of the Gastromonth Favourite Sommelier by Robert Parker and Michelin 2017, the Asia Best Sommelier Competition in French Wines by SOPEXA 2017, and Singapore’s Best Sommelier for California Wines 2018.

Daisuke conducts wine education classes for professionals and enthusiasts alike and judges in the National Sommelier Competition of Malaysia and Indonesia, as well as Asia’s Best Sommelier Competition by SOPEXA.

He was a judge at the Decanter Asia Wine Awards for several years and joined the Decanter World Wine Awards as a judge for the first time in 2022.

Follow Daisuke on Instagram.

See more judges for the 2024 DWWA. 

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