DWWA Judge 2023

Tom Hewson

Champagne correspondent, Decanter Magazine and specialist on the world's sparkling wines. Based in the UK.

DWWA judge profile: Silvia Garatti

Silvia Garatti is Head of Trade at Roberts Rolls.

DWWA judge profile: Sumita Sarma

Sumita Sarma is a wine buyer, consultant and regular contributor to The Buyer and Academie du Vin.

DWWA Judge profile: Sinisa Lasan

Siniša Lasan has worked as a sommelier in many prominent restaurants in Croatia.

DWWA judge profile: Angelo Sabbadin

Angelo Sabbadin buys for Ferro Distribuzione in Castelfranco Veneto and reviews for Comparini's Best Italian Wines guidebook.

Rostislav Petrov

Commercially minded wine professional with over 15 years of industry experience. Based in the UK.

DWWA judge profile: Rebecca Palmer

Rebecca Palmer is Associate Director and Buyer for Corney & Barrow, which has offices in London, Hong Kong and Singapore.

DWWA Judge profile: Piotr Pietras MS

Piotr Pietras MS is a managing director of Polish wine importer Terroirysci and the co-owner of Kontakt Wino & Bistro in Warsaw.

DWWA judge profile: Nick Oakley

Nick Oakley is the Director of Oakley Wine Agencies, one of the UK’s leading Portuguese specialists.

DWWA judge profile: Mario Meštrović

Mario Meštrović is a Croatian sommelier and a member of the executive board of the Croatian Sommelier Club in Zagreb.

Luis Capitao

Managing Partner of the company which he co-founded, Touchstone Wines, a sales and marketing firm working with foreign wineries.

DWWA judge profile: Marcus Lai

Marcus Lai is the Managing Partner at Asia Wine Cellar.

Julie Buckley

Wine sales, procurement & supply chain expert, currently serving as the managing director at Winetraders UK ltd. Based in the UK.

DWWA judge profile: Igor Sotric

Igor Sotric is Head Sommelier and Wine Buyer at China Tang at the Dorchester.

DWWA judge profile: Janet Dorozynski

Janet Dorozynski is the lead for Canadian wine, beer and spirits at the Trade Commissioner Service of Global Affairs Canada, a principal critic and writer at WineAlign as well as the wine columnist for Luxe Magazine Ottawa.

DWWA judge profile: Iain Riggs AM

Part owner, Chief Winemaker and Managing Director of Brokenwood Wines, Iain Riggs is a Member of the Order of Australia for his contributions to the Australian wine industry. 

DWWA judge profile: Gerd Stepp

Previously a winemaker for Marks & Spencer, Gerd Stepp now makes wine at his family vineyards, Stepp, in Pfalz.

DWWA judge profile: Freddy Bulmer

Freddy Bulmer is a buyer at The Wine Society, sourcing their Australian, New Zealand, Austrian and Eastern European wines.

DWWA judge profile: Emilio Del Fante

Emilio Del Fante has a wealth of experience in the hospitality industry and now works with wine producers in the Lugano region.

DWWA judge profile: Arabella Woodrow MW

Arabella Woodrow MW is now retired but continues to do wine consultancy, mentoring work and judging in wine competitions.

DWWA judge profile: Marien Rodriguez

Marien Rodriguez is a fine wine buyer at Berry Brothers & Rudd in London.