DWWA Argentina Judging Panel

Marina Gayan MW.jpg Marina Gayan MW is Argentinaâs only Master of Wine. She passed her Master of Wine exams in 2003, receiving the Villa Maria Award for the best overall paper on viticulture and winemaking. Following seven years with Catena Zapata, Marina worked for BRL Hardy as Head of Brands and as Vice President of Constellationâs premium wine division. Marina currently runs Marina Consulting, her own consultancy firm in London, which advises on strategic wine matters. Matthew Waldin.jpg Monty 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. Phil Crozier.jpg Phil Crozier is Director of Wine for Gaucho and is responsible for the restaurantâs wine list, including its 200 Argentine wines. Phil also manages the Gaucho-owned vineyard in Lulunta, Mendoza, which is planted with 80 year old Malbec vines and from which comes the delicious ViÃ±a Patricia. Phil is currently also involved in producing the Corte G range of varietal and blended wines in conjunction with one of Argentinaâs main producers. GÃ¶ran Klintberg.jpg GÃ¶ran Klintberg has been involved in the Swedish wine 25 years where he has worked as a bartender, sommelier and manager for numerous restaurants. In 2006, he was elected President of the Swedish Sommelier Association and in 2009 became a Wine Buyer for the Swedish off-trade monopoly, Systembolaget, where he is responsible for wines from Argentina and Portugal as well as for sake and Swedish GlÃ¶gg. GÃ¶ran holds the WSET Advanced Certificate and is currently studying for his Diploma. When he is not doing something wine-related, GÃ¶ran enjoys a secondary career as a singer/songwriter and has released a number of CDs. Magandeep Singh.jpg Magandeep Singh is Indiaâs first French-qualified sommelier and professional wine taster. Since qualifying about ten years ago, Magandeep has worked in India where he consults via his company Wi-Not Beverage Solutions. He is also an established freelance wine, food, travel, and lifestyle writer with regular columns in several national newspapers and magazines, and he has conducted wine training workshops across India for the most prestigious on- and off-trade establishments. He is the author of Wine Wisdom which is now in its third edition and was awarded the Silver Medal at the World Gourmand Awards as an educational reference. Magandeep and his Wi-Not partners recently inaugurated Indiaâs first ever accredited wine school, the âInstitute of Wine + Beverage Studiesâ, in New Delhi. Margaret Rand.jpg Margaret Rand is a past Editor of Wine Magazine, Wine & Spirit International and Whisky Magazine. She now writes for World of Fine Wine, Drinks Business, Decanter, Square Meal and the FT among others, and is General Editor of Hugh Johnsonâs Pocket Wine Book. She is the co-author with Oz Clarke of Grapes & Wines, and her latest book, Exploring Wine, will be published by Anova Books when they get round to it. Dirceu Vianna-Junior MW.jpg Dirceu Vianna Junior MW, aka Junior, is originally from Brazil where he studied Forest Engineering and Law before moving to London in 1989. He joined the wine trade one year later. In 2008, he became the first South American male Master of Wine and received the ViÃ±a Errazuriz Award for Excellence in the Business of Wine. Junior is currently the Wine Director at Coe Vintners. He is also a wine educator, technical consultant, a freelance writer, a wine judge, a speaker at several wine events, and he has made appearances in South American radio and television. Fabricio Portelli.jpg Fabricio Portelli is a professional sommelier and has been a contributor and the editor of a number of Argentine wine and food magazines since 2000. Since 2002, he has judged in several international wine competitions, and regularly travels the world visiting wine regions. Since 2008, he has been Director of El Conocedor Multimedia, an organisation involved in the publication, production and organisation of wine-related journals and books, radio and television programs, and a fair respectively. Fabricio loves wine and is striving to become a national and international reference for Argentine wine. Gerd Stepp.jpg Gerd Steppâs family has been growing grapes in the Pfalz for generations. He himself has been in the wine trade for 24 years during which time he has worked in Germany, New Zealand, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Nigeria, Italy and the UK. For ten of those years Gerd was a Winemaker for Marks and Spencer. In 2009 Gerd set up a winery at the site of Stepp Family Vineyards where he now makes wine. He also consults on various wine-related matters.

DWWA Argentina Judging Panel

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