What do Baron Eric de Rothschild, Angelo Gaja and Michel Chapoutier all have in common – apart from being behind some of the world’s most influential wine estates?
They are all born in the Year of the Dragon – the symbol of the new year in the Chinese lunar calendar, which starts this weekend.
To celebrate the Chinese New Year 2024, we researched the birth years of some of the world’s well-known writers, critics, producers and sommeliers, including some of our Chairs in the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), to find out where they sit in the Chinese zodiac.
It’s easy to see your animal sign in the Chinese zodiac. Just follow the chart below and find your birth year.
| Rat | 1900 | 1912 | 1924 | 1936 | 1948 | 1960 | 1972 | 1984 | 1996 | 2008 | 2020 |
| Ox | 1901 | 1913 | 1925 | 1937 | 1949 | 1961 | 1973 | 1985 | 1997 | 2009 | 2021 |
| Tiger | 1902 | 1914 | 1926 | 1938 | 1950 | 1962 | 1974 | 1986 | 1998 | 2010 | 2022 |
| Rabbit | 1903 | 1915 | 1927 | 1939 | 1951 | 1963 | 1975 | 1987 | 1999 | 2011 | 2023 |
| Dragon | 1904 | 1916 | 1928 | 1940 | 1952 | 1964 | 1976 | 1988 | 2000 | 2012 | 2024 |
| Snake | 1905 | 1917 | 1929 | 1941 | 1953 | 1965 | 1977 | 1989 | 2001 | 2013 | 2025 |
| Horse | 1906 | 1918 | 1930 | 1942 | 1954 | 1966 | 1978 | 1990 | 2002 | 2014 | 2026 |
| Sheep | 1907 | 1919 | 1931 | 1943 | 1955 | 1967 | 1979 | 1991 | 2003 | 2015 | 2027 |
| Monkey | 1908 | 1920 | 1932 | 1944 | 1956 | 1968 | 1980 | 1992 | 2004 | 2016 | 2028 |
| Rooster | 1909 | 1921 | 1933 | 1945 | 1957 | 1969 | 1981 | 1993 | 2005 | 2017 | 2029 |
| Dog | 1910 | 1922 | 1934 | 1946 | 1958 | 1970 | 1982 | 1994 | 2006 | 2018 | 2030 |
| Boar | 1911 | 1923 | 1935 | 1947 | 1959 | 1971 | 1983 | 1995 | 2007 | 2019 | 2031 |
Data source: www.whats-your-sign.com
Then, look at the list below to see which wine world celebrity shares your Chinese zodiac sign.
Rat
Marquis Nicolò Incisa della Rocchetta, Sassicaia – 1936
Paul Draper, Ridge Vineyards – 1936
Brian Croser, Tapanappa – 1948
Aurelio Montes, Montes – 1948
Michael Brajkovich MW, Kumeu River – 1960
Olivier Bernard, Domaine de Chevalier – 1960
Rosa Kruger, Decanter 2022 Hall of Fame winner – 1960
Adi Badenhorst, A. A. Badenhorst Family Wines – 1972
Stefan Neumann MS, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Switzerland – 1984
Michaela Morris, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Piedmont – 1972
Ox
Bruno Ceretto, Ceretto – 1937
Danie de Wet, De Wetshof Estate – 1949
Kevin Judd, Greywacke – 1961
Richard Mayson, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Port & Madeira – 1961
Tim Atkin MW, Decanter contributing editor – 1961
Tiger
James Halliday, Australian wine writer/critic – 1938
Piero Antinori, Antinori – 1938
Jean-François Coche-Dury, Domaine Coche-Dury – 1950
Stephen Henschke, Henschke – 1950
Anthony Hamilton-Russell, Hamilton Russell Vineyards – 1962
Dominique Vrigneau, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Beaujolais, Southwest and Rest of France – 1962
Amanda Barnes, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Chile – 1986
Rabbit
Hugh Johnson OBE, Decanter wine writer – 1939
Nicolás Catena Zapata, Bodega Catena Zapata – 1939
Bruce Tyrrell, Tyrrell’s – 1951
Robert Hill-Smith, Yalumba – 1951
Olivier Humbrecht, Domaine Zind-Humbrecht – 1963
Charles Curtis MW, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Burgundy & Champagne – 1963
Dragon
Angelo Gaja, Gaja – 1940
Baron Eric de Rothschild, Château Lafite Rothschild – 1940
Denis Horgan, Leeuwin Estate – 1940
Michel Chapoutier, M Chapoutier – 1964
Dirk Niepoort, Niepoort – 1964
Peter Richards MW, Wine writer and broadcaster – 1976
Michael Garner, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Northern Italy – 1952
Richard Baudains, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Veneto – 1952
Snake
Miguel A. Torres, Torres – 1941
Corinne Mentzelopoulos, Château Margaux – 1953
Didier Cuvelier, Château Léoville Poyferré – 1953
Matt Walls, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for the Rhône – 1977
Horse
Leonardo Frescobaldi, Marchesi Frescobaldi – 1942
Huon Hooke, DWWA 2024 Regional Co-Chair for Australia – 1954
Jean-Michel Deiss, Domaine Marcel Deiss – 1954
Michael Hill Smith AM MW, DWWA 2024 Co-Chair – 1954
Cameron Douglas MS, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for New Zealand – 1966
Justin Howard-Sneyd MW, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Languedoc-Roussillon – 1966
Sarah Ahmed, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Portugal – 1966
Simon Field MW, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for UK – 1966
Sheep
David Peppercorn MW, Wine critic – 1931
Christophe Salin, Domaines Barons de Rothschild – 1955
Doug Shafer, Shafer Vineyards – 1955
Iain Riggs, director/consultant of Brokenwood – 1955
Matthew Jukes, writer – 1967
Fiona McDonald, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for South Africa – 1967
Chng Poh Tiong, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Asia – 1955
Monkey
Lalou Bize-Leroy, Domaine Leroy – 1932
Daniel Cathiard, Château Smith-Haut Lafitte – 1944
Andrew Jefford, Decanter contributing editor – 1956
Hubert de Boüard de Laforest, Château Angélus – 1956
Susana Balbo, Susana Balbo Wines – 1956
Rod Smith MW, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Provence – 1968
Rooster
Peter Gago, Penfolds – 1957
Ronan Sayburn MS, DWWA 2024 Co-Chair – 1969
Ferran Centelles, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Spain – 1981
LU Yang MS, first Chinese Master Sommelier – 1981
Dog
Wolfgang Blass, Wolf Blass – 1934
Christophe Roumier, Domaine Georges Roumier – 1958
Professor Li Demei, Winemaker and consultant – 1970
Thierry Meyer, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Alsace – 1970
Pig
Jim Budd, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Loire – 1947
Michel Rolland, International wine consultant – 1947
Robert Parker, International wine critic – 1947
Stephen Brook, Decanter contributing editor – 1947
Eduardo Chadwick, Seña – 1959
Marc Kent, Boekenhoutskloof – 1971
Terry Kandylis, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Greece & Cyprus – 1983
Andy Howard, DWWA 2024 Regional Chair for Central Italy – 1959
