DWWA 2013 Port & Madeira Judging Panel

Richard Mayson DWWA 2013 Regional Chair Richard Mayson began his career working for The Wine Society. In 1987, during his time there, he won the Vintnerâs Company Scholarship. Richard specialises in the wines of Iberia, especially fortified wines, and is the author of four books including The Wines and Vineyards of Portugal (winner of the AndrÃ© Simon Award 2003) and Port and the Douro . Richard writes regularly for Decanter , WINE , The World of Fine Wine and Slow , the magazine of the Slow Food Movement in Italy. He also lectures for the WSET and Leith's School of Food and Wine in London. Richard was an Associate Editor of Oz Clarkeâs Wine Atlas and contributes to the Oxford Companion to Wine . Richard is currently writing a book on the wines of Madeira. In 1999 he was made a Cavaleiro of the Confraria do Vinho do Porto in recognition of his services to the Port wine trade. Matt Walls DWWA 2013 Judge Matt Walls is a freelance wine writer and regularly contributes to publications such as Decanter , timatkin.com , Harpers Wine & Spirit and Imbibe . His first book, Drink Me! How to choose, taste and enjoy wine , was published in 2012 by Quadrille, and in the same year he was shortlisted for IWSCâs Blogger of the Year for mattwalls.co.uk . Previously, Matt was Fine Wines Manager at Mentzendorff and also set up, managed and bought wines for the flagship store of The Sampler. When heâs not writing, Matt creates wine lists for restaurants such as The Table in London Bridge, hosts tastings, and judges at the IWC and IWSC. Ben Campbell-Johnston DWWA 2013 Judge Ben Campbell-Johnston has been in the wine trade for 17 years. After a spate at Oddbins, he worked for two years with the Symingtons in Oporto and the Douro, and then as their Brand Manager in the UK. Ben currently works as a freelance consultant, mainly with Portuguese and Fortified Wine producers, and is also the joint-organiser of the Big Fortified Tasting (with fellow DWWA judge Danny Cameron), the biggest tasting of its kind in the world. Peter Cobb DWWA 2013 Judge Peter Cobb has spent his entire working life in the wine trade: in London with Cockburns Port; in Bristol as Export Sales Manager of Harveys and, for 20 years, in Portugal, where he was a Director of Cockburns. Now retired, Peter lives in Oporto and writes on Port and Sherry for various UK and American magazines. He is delighted that his son, Freddie, is following him into the trade, "despite, or perhaps even because of, his father's stringent recommendations to the contrary". Victor Amaro DWWA 2013 Judge Victor Amaro has over 20 yearsâ experience as a professional sommelier. He started his profession in Boston working for Locke-Ober, once one of Bostonâs power restaurants frequented by JFK, Ogden Nash, and the bluebloods of Boston, before returning to his native Portugal to take on the position of Head Sommelier at the Michelin-starred Hotel Fortaleza do Guincho. Following this, Victor moved to the UK, and he currently works at the Hotel du Vin, Tunbridge Wells, previously being part of the hospitality teams at the company's Cheltenham branch and The Bath Priory Hotel. Victor holds qualifications from both the WSET and the Court of Master Sommeliers and judges regularly at both national and international wine competitions. James John MW DWWA 2013 Judge James John MW started working in the wine industry 50 years ago, and prior to Harveyâs production move to Jerez in the 1980s, he was based in Bristol as the companyâs Sherry Buyer and Blender. When the move happened, James went to work as a Blender and Taster at Cockburns Smithies, Harveyâs subsidiary Port company, in Oporto, Portugal, later returning to Bristol in the 1990s. Upon his return, James worked as Fine Wine Buyer and General Manager of John Harvey & Sons, with responsibility for mail order and Harveyâs Royal Warrant, before leaving the company to become Wine Buying Director of French-owned company Champagnes & Chateaux. In 1992, James established the Bath Wine School, and he has been officially retired since 2007. Godfrey Spence DWWA 2013 Judge Godfrey Spence is one of the UKâs most experienced and popular wine educators. Starting in the retail sector, he soon started training staff which led to him becoming a Senior Lecturer at the WSET. Now working freelance, he runs the-wine-school.com , running wine and spirit courses in the UK and internationally, and also writes regularly on Portugal and Port for national and international publications. Godfrey is the author of three books, including the Prix Lanson short-listed The Port Companion , which has been translated into nine languages and described by Bruce Guimaraens, Director of Taylor's and Fonseca, as âthe definitive book on Portâ.

DWWA 2013 Port & Madeira Judging Panel

Latest Wine News

France destroys almost 35,000 soda bottles using ‘Champagne’ name

Tuscany’s Frescobaldi acquires Poggio Verrano wine estate

Keanu Reeves and Sofia Coppola help Suntory celebrate whisky landmark