Igor Ryjenkov MW is a judge at the at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA)
Igor Ryjenkov MW is a category manager for the European wines category of the LCBO portfolio, having spent seven+ years as a buyer for the LCBO’s premium division. Ryjenkov moved to Canada from Russia shortly after graduating with a degree in international journalism and prior to moving into buying in 2006, Ryjenkov worked in retail in Ontario’s two largest LCBO locations for seven years. His interest in wine was sparked by a tasting at a winery in Ontario wine country, and in a period of just over seven years Ryjenkov went from a complete wine novice to becoming the first Master of Wine in Canada in 2003, receiving Henkell-Sohnlein Award for the best dissertation. He is the only Russian national to gain this accreditation to date. As an MW, Ryjenkov is active in wine education programs, including the IMW’s, where he created the prototype of the introductory IMW masterclass. Additionally, he is a member of the IMW’s board of directors for their North American branch, has contributed to or edited a number of wine books and manuals, and judges, mentors, lectures and consults. Ryjenkov was first a DWWA judge in 2013.
