DWWA Tuscany Judging Panel

Rosemary George MW .jpg Rosemary George MW was one of the first ever female Masters of Wine, becoming an MW in 1979. Rosemary has worked as a freelance wine journalist since 1981 and is a Vice President of the Circle of Wine Writers. She has written 11 wine books, including two on Tuscany, most recently Treading Grapes: Walking through the Vineyards of Tuscany. She has a second home in the Languedoc, and writes a blog on the region, www.tastelanguedoc.blogspot.com. She has judged in several top competitions. Nick Adams MW.jpg Nick Adams MW found himself in the wine trade after graduating with a Business Studies degree in 1982, passing the MW exam ten years later. After having the very good fortune to work with a number of the worldâs leading producers â especially in France, Italy and California - he now runs his own wine consultancy company, First Glass Wine Services. Working with a cross-section of both producers and retailers, as well as private individuals, he is revelling in both the challenges and rewards this brings. Paolo Basso.jpg Paolo Basso is a native of Italy currently residing in Lugano, Swizerland. He started his wine career as a sommelier in several gastronomic restaurants in Switzerland, followed by a professional experience within a leading swiss-based fine and rare wines trader where he focused especially on the wines of Bourgogne and Bordeaux. Paolo currently runs his own wine consultancy company, Ceresio Vini. In 1997 Paolo was named Best Sommelier of Switzerland, a title he followed up as runner-up in the Worldâs Best Sommelier Competition in 2000, 2007 and 2010. In 2010 Paolo won the Best Sommelier of Europe Competition. Walter Speller.jpg Walter Speller started his career in wine as a wine buyer and sommelier in an Italian restaurant in the 1990s in Berlin. Before moving to London in 2003, he worked a vintage at ChÃ¢teau Haut-Bages-LibÃ©ral in Pauillac. In London, Speller worked for Terence Conranâs Le Pont de la Tour, first as a sommelier then as a buyer for its wine merchant, a role which involved looking after its 1,400-bin list and organising more than 150 master classes with winemakers from all over the world. In 2008, he set up his own consultancy and works with producers from Italy. Based in London and Padua, Walter also reports on all things Italian on www.jancisrobinson.com, and is currently researching for the Italian chapter of the new edition of the World Atlas of Wine. Mark Cesareo.jpg Mark Cesareo was introduced to hospitality at a young age through his family and studied Hospitality Management at the Malta Institute of Tourism Studies before moving to the United Kingdom. He completed his WSET Diploma studies whilst leading the wine team at Oloroso restaurant in Edinburgh and then Orrery, London before being appointed as Assistant Head Sommelier in Marcus Wareing's 2 Michelin starred restaurant in Knightsbridge. He currently works at The Gilbert Scott and is preparing to take his Master Sommelier examination. Massimo Sacco.jpg Massimo Sacco is the Chef Sommelier at the Fairmont Hotel Monte Carlo. His passion for wine took off in London whilst working at the Dorchester and Halkin Hotels, during which time he also attended the WSET. Named Best Sommelier of Monaco in 2007, Massimo went on to become a semi-finalist in the Worldâs Best Sommelier competition in Greece in 2007. Today he is a member of the Sommeliers' Association of Monte Carlo. He contributes to a few Italian wine magazines, as well as various Italian wine blogs. Mike Harrison.jpg Michael Harrison has been in the wine trade for 32 years and is currently a freelance consultant working with the Hotel du Vin chain. His areas of expertise are Champagne, Australasia, and South America as well as the English wine industry. Michael is a regular judge for major wine events and a frequent wine magazine tasting panellist. Monty Waldin.jpg Matthew Waldin has worked in vineyards and wineries of all shapes and sizes in both hemispheres. A specialist writer, speaker and consultant on biodynamic wine, Monty was the subject of the first ever television series, Channel Four's Chateau Monty, which aired in 2008, to document the production of biodynamic wine from pruning to bottling. Emily O'Hare.jpg Emily OâHare is the wine buyer at Londonâs River CafÃ©. She also consults for British restaurant chain, Canteen. Emily has been a finalist in the Circle of Wine Writersâ Young Wine Writer of the Year competition and has written for national newspapers and trade titles. Emily runs a Womens tasting group - âWomen! Know your Wines!â, and a wine-focused pop-up restaurant whizzbangpop.com. Luciana Lynch.jpg Luciana Lynch held senior positions with companies including Hedges Butler, Findlater Matta, Remy AssociÃ©s and Enotria before setting up her own business and consultancy in the late 1980s. Her entire career has seen her engage in selling and sourcing wines, especially from Italy, although she has also been involved in wine education. She is now retired, having worked in the wine trade for 35 years. Bruno Besa.jpg Originally from Friuli, Bruno Besa has been living in London since 1986. After almost 20 years working in hotels and restaurants, he founded Astrum Wine Cellars in 2001, along with long term friends and former colleagues Max Folli and Stefano Benato from Stafano Cavallini Restaurant at the Halkin hotel in Belgravia. Bruno is currently Managing Director of Astrum Wine Cellars, representing around 50 wineries and distilleries from Italy and Central Europe. Daniele Cernilli.jpg Daniele Cernilli was born in Rome and graduated with a Masters in Philosophy. He entered the wine trade in 1979 at Vini & Liquori, a monthly magazine. He then co-founded what would become the annual Gambero Rosso Vini dâItalia as an aid to wine lovers in 1987. Daniele has held various editorial positions, including Editor-at-large of Gambero Rosso magazine and Wine Travel Food. In 1988 he was named Editor-in-Chief of Vini dâItalia (also published in English as Italian Wines), where he directed the tastings of wines entered from all over Italy â a few hundred in the first edition to over 18,000 in the 2010 edition. In 1999, Daniele started writing for Rai Sat / Gambero Rosso Channel and, in2009, he was made Editor-in-Chief of the programme. Daniele has consulted for the Associazione Italiana Sommelier (AIS) and the Worldwide Sommelier Association (WSA), and is currently working on his own Italian & English web magazine, Doctor WIne (doctorwine.it). David Copp.jpg David Copp trained in all the main European wine regions and joined Bouchard Aine Ltd in London.He later joined G & J Greenall the Warrington based distillers of Greenalls Gin and Vladivar Vodka.He has written four wine books: Hungary: Its Fine Wines and Winemakers, which was shortlisted for the Louis Roederer International Wine Book of the Year Awards, and Tokaj. Australian Wine Walkabout and Bordeaux St Estephe were published in 2011 and 2012 respectively. A judge at several leading European Wine Competitions, David speaks regularly to wine societies in the UK.

DWWA Tuscany Judging Panel

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