DWWA 2020 Regional Chairs

DWWA Acting Regional Chair for New Zealand: Rebecca Gibb MW

Rebecca Gibb MW is an award-winning wine writer, author of The Wines of New Zealand and Director of The Drinks Project.

DWWA Regional Chair for Southern Italy and Acting Regional Chair for Argentina: Anthony Rose

Anthony Rose is an award-winning wine and sake writer, and a founding member of The Wine Gang. He is the Regional Chair for Southern Italy and Australia at the DWWA 2020.

DWWA Regional Chair for South & Eastern Mediterranean: Caro Maurer MW

Caro Maurer MW is a wine writer based in Bonn, Germany, with a writing career spanning almost 30 years.

DWWA Regional Chair for Greece & Cyprus: Nico Manessis

Nico Manessis is an expert on the wines of his native Greece and the author of three wine books. In 2020, he was awarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award by the Artisanal Wineries of Greece.

DWWA Regional Chair for the UK: Stephen Skelton MW

Stephen Skelton MW is a consultant to the English wine industry and is involved with planting vineyards for the production of both still and sparkling wine.

DWWA Regional Chair for Port & Madeira: Richard Mayson

An expert in the wines of Iberia, Richard Mayson writes regularly for Decanter, contributes to The Oxford Companion to Wine, and has written 5 books.

DWWA Regional Chair for the Rhône: Matt Walls

Matt Walls is an award-winning freelance wine writer, author, blogger and consultant, contributing regular articles to Decanter.

DWWA Regional Chair for Portugal: Sarah Ahmed

Sarah Ahmed, aka The Wine Detective, is an independent, London-based wine writer, educator and judge.

DWWA Regional Chair Veneto: Richard Baudains

Richard Baudains was born and bred in Jersey in the Channel Islands and trained to be a teacher of English as a foreign language in order to satisfy his wanderlust.

DWWA Regional Chair for Chile: Peter Richards MW

Peter is a TV presenter, broadcaster, author and writer. His credits include more than a decade on BBC1 plus Sky One, ESPN, Financial Times, The Guardian, ITV1, Radio 4, BBC2 and The Sunday Times.

DWWA Regional Chair for Languedoc-Roussillon: Justin Howard-Sneyd MW

Howard-Sneyd founded The Hive Wine Consulting in 2012 and is now a consultant to a wide range of international businesses.

DWWA Regional Chair for Piedmont: Stephen Brook

Wine writer and Decanter contributor Stephen Brook is the Regional Chair for Piedmont at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2020.

DWWA Regional Chair for Alsace: Ronan Sayburn MS

Ronan Sayburn MS is head of wine at 67 Pall Mall and runs the RS Academy, running wine training and events for the trade and public.

DWWA Regional Chair for Provence: Rod Smith MW

Rod Smith MW is a wine educator, marketer and salesman, based in the South of France.

DWWA Regional Chair for Loire: Jim Budd

Jim Budd is a wine writer, having written for Decanter since 1989. He is the former editor of the newsletter of the Circle of Wine Writers, and writes the award-winning Jim’s Loire blog.

DWWA Regional Chair for Australia: Huon Hooke

Huon Hooke is an educator, international wine judge and writer, having published 19 books on wine.

DWWA Regional Chair for Northern Italy: Michael Garner

Michael Garner is the co-author of Barolo: Tar and Roses, a regular contributor to Decanter, and co-owner of Italian Wine Specialists Tria Wines Limited.

DWWA Regional Chair for Germany & Austria: Markus del Monego MW

Markus Del Monego MW, Best Sommelier of the World 1998, is wine advisor to Lufthansa airlines and runs consultancy company tasteTainment GmbH.

DWWA Regional Chair for Spain: Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW

Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW, an active member of numerous wine committees, is a wine writer, consultant and educator .

DWWA Regional Chair for Spain: Ferran Centelles

Ferran Centelles is a wine writer specialising in Spanish wine for Jancis Robinson, as well as a wine educator and previous sommelier.

DWWA Regional Chair for North, Central & Eastern Europe: Caroline Gilby MW

Caroline Gilby MW is an author, writer and consultant. She specialises in Central and Eastern Europe and has written a book on the wines of Bulgaria, Romania and Moldova.

DWWA Regional Chair for North, Central & Eastern Europe: Beth Willard

After working for Syndicat des Vins de Bordeaux, Beth Willard moved into buying roles, including her time as Buying Manager for Direct Wines.

New Regional Chairs to join Decanter World Wine Awards 2020

DWWA Regional Chair for Australia: Justin Knock MW

Justin Knock MW is co-owner of fine wine retailer Philglas & Swiggot, and runs wine consultancy business The Purple Hand Wine Company.

DWWA Regional Chair for Argentina: Paz Levinson

Argentine Paz Levinson is Executive Head Sommelier for Groupe Pic and a wine educator.

DWWA Regional Chair for Central Italy and Canada: Andy Howard MW

Andy Howard MW became a MW in 2011 and runs his own consultancy business, Vinetrades Ltd, which focuses on education, judging, investment and sourcing.

DWWA Regional Chair for Beaujolais and Southwest and Rest of France: Dominique Vrigneau

Dominique Vrigneau is Buying Director at Watermill Wines and a Chevalier du Tastevin. A DWWA judge since 2010, he joins the Regional Chair team for 2020 .

DWWA Regional Chair for Tuscany: Ben Robson

Ben Robson has always worked in the wine trade. In 1994 he opted for self-employment when he established Bat and Bottle, which he still owns.

DWWA Regional Chair for South Africa: Greg Sherwood MW

Greg Sherwood MW is a Regional Chair at the 2020 Decanter World Wine Awards and Senior Wine Buyer for Fine Wines at Handford Wines in South Kensington.

DWWA Regional Chair for Asia: Peter Csizmadia-Honigh

Peter Csizmadia-Honigh is a wine consultant and writer based in Sommerset. In this exceptional year Peter Csizmadia-Honigh will be standing in for the Regional Chair role for the 2020 competition