Giovanni Ferlito is a judge at the 2018 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA)
Giovanni Ferlito
Giovanni Ferlito is head of wine and beverage at The Ritz London.
An Italian and French native, Giovanni grew up in Sicily in the wine region of Etna. At an early age he discovered a passion for mixology (from watching the iconic Tom Cruise film, Cocktail) and first began a career in the hospitality industry as a bar tender in 2002.
He went on to become bar manager for an Italian group of hotels and resorts and within this role was able to travel throughout the world.
In 2010, Giovanni moved to London and started his career as a professional sommelier. He worked in several of the city’s most prestigious restaurants before joining The Ritz London in 2014 as the hotel’s head sommelier.
In 2017, having relaunched The Ritz London’s wine list (which now includes approximately 800 references, of which 150 new wine listings have been added during Giovanni’s tenure), he was promoted to his current position as head of wine and beverage at the hotel, overseeing the Michelin-starred Ritz Restaurant, Palm Court, Rivoli Bar and private dining and events as well as a team of 7 sommeliers.
Last year, Giovanni was awarded MCA Master of Culinary Arts.
Follow Giovanni on Twitter: @NanniFerlito
