Decanter World Wine Awards judges: Top wine experts
at the world's leading wine competition
at the world's leading wine competition
The 2025 Co-Chairs
Award-winning wine writer and Master of Wine, Sarah Jane Evans is a Contributing Editor to Decanter and divides her time between writing books and for magazines, consulting and hosting masterclasses internationally.
Based in the UK
Australia's first Master of Wine, wine consultant Michael Hill Smith is co-founder of several Australian wineries and chair of the Tranche Wine and Food Scholarship. He was awarded an Order of Australia (AM) in 2008 for his contribution to the industry.
Based in Australia
Andrew Jefford is an accomplished and well published author; he is a Contributing Editor and a regular columnist for both Decanter and The World of Fine Wine, as well as Academic Advisor to the Wine Scholar Guild.
Based in France
With over 30 years' experience in the wine trade, Master Sommelier Ronan Sayburn has led and trained wine service teams in some of the most prestigious restaurants in the UK. He is currently CEO for the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe.
Based in the UK
An accomplished wine buyer with experience sourcing quality wines across the globe, Beth Willard's buying roles have covered the UK, US and Australian markets with key responsibility for wines from Spain, Eastern Europe, South America and France.
Based in Spain
The 2025 Regional Chairs
Regional Chair, Argentina & Rest of South America (excluding Chile)
Director of Wines of the PIC Group, an acclaimed global restaurant group, award-winning Sommelier Paz Levinson is an established wine writer and co-founder of Argentinian wine events company, Argentina Reloaded.
Based in France
Regional Chair, Asia
World authority on Marselan, Chinese wine and Japanese Koshu, international wine judge Poh Tiong Ch'ng has been the DWWA Regional Chair for Asia since its inception in 2004. A writer and a speaker, he is also Wine Consultant to Singapore's largest wine retailer.
Based in Singapore
Regional Chair, Australia (joint with Justin Knock MW)
Leading wine journalist and educator Huon Hooke has published 19 books on wine and contributed to many print publications. His work is now mainly found online on The Real Review, the most widely read wine publication in Australia and New Zealand.
Based in Australia
Regional Chair, Australia (joint with Huon Hooke)
Justin Knock MW is the Director of Wine for Decant London, a fine wine merchant and importer. His diverse background includes brand building, education and retail. He has also made wine in multiple regions of Australia for Treasury Wine Estates.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, USA & Central America
Named one of Wine Business Monthly’s Wine Business Leaders in 2021, James Tidwell MS is a sommelier, writer, speaker, and educator. In addition, he founded and produces the TEXSOM Conference, a professional education conference for wine.
Based in the USA
Regional Chair, CEE, Balkans, Croatia & Slovenia (joint with Simon Woolf & Wojciech Bońkowski MW)
Awarded 'Best Wine Personality in the Balkans' in 2022, Caroline Gilby MW is the only foreigner to be titled 'Friend of Hungarian Winemakers'. In addition to international wine judging, she is a speaker, writer and award-winning author.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, CEE, Balkans & Caucasus Region (joint with Caroline Gilby MW & Wojciech Bońkowski MW)
Author and journalist Simon J Woolf has written for many publications including Decanter and also edits The Morning Claret, an online natural, biodynamic, organic and orange wine specialist magazine.
Based in The Netherlands
Regional Chair, CEE, Balkans, Croatia & Slovenia (joint with Caroline Gilby MW & Simon Woolf)
Wojciech is a wine writer, consultant and judge with varying regions of focus including Central & Eastern Europe. In 2023 he became Poland’s first MW, obtaining the Outstanding Achievement Award and Madame Bollinger Medal for excellence in tasting.
Based in Poland
Regional Chair, Canada
Category manager at BC LIQUOR in Canada and responsible for selecting European and Canadian wines for the chain of 198 stores, Barbara Philip MW is also a freelance lecturer and radio columnist with extensive sommelier experience.
Based in Canada
Regional Chair, Chile
Amanda Barnes is a multimedia journalist and expert in South American wines and region. Her book The South America Wine Guide: The Definitive Guide won multiple awards including Best World Wine Book at the Gourmand Awards.
Based in Argentina
Regional Chair, Alsace
Alsace born and bred, Thierry Meyer, founder of www.oenoalsace.com, one of the most comprehensive websites dedicated to the region’s wines, is also responsible for the Alsace Master-level education programme for the Wine Scholar Guild.
Based in France
Regional Chair, Beaujolais, South West & Rest of France (Jura, Savoie & Corsica)
Buying Director for Watermill Wines, Dominique Vrigneau is not only renowned for his knowledge of French, Argentinian and Austrian wines, but he was one of the foremost pioneers of Australian wines in the UK in the 1980s.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Champagne & Burgundy (excluding Beaujolais)
Founder of WineAlpha fine wine consultancy, Charles Curtis MW is former Head of Wine for Christie's in both Asia and the Americas. He is a successful author publishing works including The Original Grand Crus of Burgundy.
Based in the USA
Regional Chair, Bordeaux (joint with Matthew Stubbs MW)
Alun Griffiths MW has 35+ years of experience, including senior roles at Fortnum & Mason, Harrods and beyond. He is Non-Executive Chairman of Thorman Hunt & Co Ltd, serves as a director at First Choice Wines, and co-founded The Old Vine Conference.Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Bordeaux (joint with Alun Griffiths MW)
Matthew Stubbs MW worked in sales, marketing, and buying, including 14 years at Seagram and three as wine director for Safeway. In 2004, he founded a consultancy in France, and in 2008 opened Vinécole, a wine school based in the Languedoc. Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Loire
Jim Budd has been writing for Decanter since 1989 and has been judging for the DWWA since it's establishment in 2004. Former chair of the Circle of Wine Writers, Budd is also a translator from French to English for producers in France.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Provence
Currently Vice-Chair of the Institute of Masters of Wine, international judge, journalist and wine marketer Rod Smith MW an established WSET wine educator and owner/director of the Riviera Wine Academy in the South of France.
Based in France
Regional Chair, Languedoc-Roussillon
Justin Howard-Sneyd is an international wine consultant, regenerative viticulture advocate, entrepreneur and wine communicator, as well as owner of 4 hectare estate, Domaine of the Bee, near Maury in the Roussillon.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Rhône
Matt is an award-winning freelance wine writer and consultant, contributing regular articles to various titles including Decanter, where he is a contributing editor. His book Wines of the Rhône was shortlisted for an André Simon Food & Drink Book Award.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Central Italy (excluding Tuscany)
Consultant and former buyer for Marks & Spencer, Andy Howard MW runs his own consultancy business, Vinetrades Ltd. He is a Contributing Editor at Decanter and is the U.K. Retail Specialist for Jancisrobinson.com.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Northern Italy (excluding Piedmont & Veneto)
Regional Chair since 2019, Michael Garner is a WSET wine educator, writer and author with works including co-authoring Barolo: Tar and Roses. He is co-owner of Italian Wine Specialists Tria Wines with business partner Paul Merritt.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Southern Italy
Award-winning wine writer Anthony Rose was wine correspondent of The Independent from 1986 – 2016 and currently contributes to several titles including Decanter, The World of Fine Wine, The Real Review and The Oxford Companion to Wine.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Piedmont
Michaela is an international wine writer, educator and regular Decanter contributor. One of the first certified Italian Wine Experts through Vinitaly International Academy, she co-created the curriculum for VIA’s Italian Wine Maestro course.
Based in Canada
Regional Chair, Greece, Cyprus & Malta
Terry Kandylis earned the title of UK Sommelier of the Year in 2016 and Best Sommelier in Greece in 2015. With experience working at The Fat Duck, The Ledbury and 67 Pall Mall, he is currently Group Head Sommelier at the Noble Rot Restaurant & Wine Bar.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Tuscany
Highly-respected wine lecturer, Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW teaches both wine industry professionals and consumers at WSET London and other wine schools around the world. She is also a wine writer and consults for a number of restaurants and wineries.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Veneto
Wine writer and educator Richard Baudains published his first article on Italian wine for Decanter in 1989. He is on the team of the Slow Wine Guide for Friuli Venezia Giulia and teaches M.A. Courses on Wine Journalism at the Università delle Scienze Gastronomiche.
Based in Italy
Regional Chair, New Zealand
Experienced wine writer, commentator, judge, reviewer, presenter and consultant, Cameron J. Douglas is New Zealand's first and only Master Sommelier. He is the current Group Beverage Manager for Rodd and Gunn & The Lodge Bar Dining.
Based in New Zealand
Regional Chair, Port & Madeira
Richard Mayson is one of the most respected authorities on Port, Sherry, Madeira and the wines of Spain and Portugal. He divides his time between writing and lecturing and has written several books including the prize-winning The Wines and Vineyards of Portugal.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Portugal
Acknowledged authority on Portuguese wine, Sarah Ahmed has been Portugal Regional Chair at DWWA since 2011. She regularly contributes to a number of leading wine magazines and reference books and is the founder of www.thewinedetective.co.uk.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, South Africa
Former news journalist Fiona MdDonald is an international wine judge and writer. She contributes to a number of publications and is the editor of Cheers magazine in South Africa. She is also a member of the Platter’s South African wine guide tasting panel and writing team.
Based in South Africa
Regional Chair, Germany, Southern & Eastern Mediterranean
Caro Maurer MW is a German wine writer who divides her time between General- Anzeiger, the daily newspaper in Bonn, and the magazine Der Feinschmecker. Caro is also a wine educator and judges at many international wine competitions.
Based in Germany
Regional Chair, Spain (joint with Ferran Centelles & Pierre Mansour)
A columnist for several wine magazines in Spain and Belgium and wine writer for a number of publications in Italy, the UK and the US, Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW has also written and co-written more than 9 books. He is Member of the Grand Order of Caballeros del Vino.
Based in Spain
Regional Chair, Spain (joint with Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW & Pierre Mansour)
Awarding-winning sommelier and Spanish specialist for www.jancisrobinson.com, Ferran is an international wine judge and author. His main occupation is Wine Director of elBullifoundation which he's been involved in since 1999.
Based in Spain
Regional Chair, Spain (joint with Pedro Ballesteros Torres MW & Ferran Centelles)
Pierre Mansour is Head of Buying at The Wine Society, responsible for sourcing wines for the award-winning retailer from across the globe - Spain being a particular region of expertise. He has been judging at DWWA since 2006.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, Switzerland & Austria
Master Sommelier Stefan Neumann has spent most of his career in the world Michelin-starred restaurants, such as Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. He now runs his own consultancy and recently launched an online blind tasting course to help wine students pass their exams.
Based in the UK
Regional Chair, UK
Former long-term buyer for Berry Bros. & Rudd, Simon Field MW is now a freelance wine writer contributing, in particular, to The World of Fine Wine. He has many areas of expertise and has been a judge at DWWA since 2005.
Based in the UK