Alessandro Torcoli, born in 1975, is the publisher and editor-in-chief of the leading Italian wine magazine "Civilta del Bere". In 2000 he received a bachelor degree in Public Relations. After two years of apprenticeship working in a wine magazine he became a professional journalist and in the same year received the "Sommelier Certificate" from the A.I.S (Italian Sommelier Association). In his time as editor he has organized many wine tastings and events around the world, especially promoting Italian wines. One of these major events is the famous Vino Vip Cortina, the biannual summit of the best Italian wines. He also appears regularly on TV and contributes to many Italian daily and monthly newspapers. Since 1998, when he first started writing about wines, he has received several prestigious prizes. In 2009 he was awarded " Best Italian Journalist" by the "Grand Cru d'Italia Committee", an award which he has been nominated for 4 times, every year since the award was founded. In 2010 the Italian Ministry of Production awarded him the "Dioniso d'Oro" and in 2011 the Italian Academy of Vine & Wine ( a national institution for the studies in Viticulture and Wine-making) asked him to be an "Associate member. In 2012, he passed the entry exam to join the study program at the Institute of Masters of Wine in London.
Eduardo Milan is a lawyer and has been studying wine since 1998. Eduardo is wine editor and tasting staff member of “Revista ADEGA”, the largest wine specialized publication in Brazil, and also of “Almanaque do Vinho”, whose focus is to educate new wine enthusiasts. He participated in the 2011/2012 edition of “Guia ADEGA Vinhos do Brasil”, as taster, and in the 2012/2013 edition, as taster and supervisor. He is also a tasting staff member of the Argentinean side of the 2012 and the 2013 editions of Patricio Tapia’s wine guide “Descorchados”.
Emily is the Head Sommelier and Wine Buyer at London's River Cafe where she has worked for 5 years. She is, alongside Charles Metcalfe the wine columnist for Waitrose Kitchen magazine. She also writes about Italian wine and sits on the Judging panels for Decanter. In May she won Harper's Wines and Spirits Award 'Sommelier of the Year'. In her spare time she runs a Women's tasting group "Women! Know Your Wine!".
Harshal Shah is an Australian/Indian professional sommelier, wine consultant, educator, wine judge and wine writer. He is from Sydney, Australia, having lived and studied there. Along with his degrees in Commercial Law and Information Systems, Harshal studied Viticulture at the University of Sydney. Harshal was Executive Sommelier at Aki’s, regarded as the best Indian restaurant in Australia. He was on the executive committee of the Australian Sommeliers Association from 2003 to 2006 and is a member of the Australian Society of Wine Educators (ASWE). He is one of the few people in India to be certified to teach courses from the UK-based Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET). He is one of three Indians in the world currently enrolled in the elite Master of Wine programme from the UK. Harshal has been the Contributing Editor and the International Correspondent for Sommelier India, India's only specialist wine magazine. He is also convener of the Sommelier India Tasting Panel. Harshal has a fortnightly wine column in The Telegraph, Kolkata. He is also contributor to the India Today Group's various publications including the Mail Today and Spice. He has judged in international wine competitions in France, Germany, Spain, Hong Kong and India alongside influential industry luminaries such as Vanya Cullen, Dr. Tony Jordan, Steven Spurrier, Jose Peñin, Ned Goodwin MW, Dermot Nolan MW, Debra Meiburg MW, Tim Atkin MW to name a few. He was Chairman of the India International Wine Fair Industry Conference in 2009. Currently based in Sydney, Harshal consults to five-star hotels, luxury resorts and award-winning restaurants in India, Thailand and Australia. He advises Indian importers and wineries and regional wine associations around the world about the Indian wine market. He is writing India’s first official wine guide. “Harshal is one of India’s most refreshing sommeliers and wine personalities. His approach to wine is accessible and down-to-earth yet he remains a true ‘professional’ in everything he does. His passion for wine and food is infectious and it’s hard not to appreciate wine in a new light after speaking to him.” Sourish Bhattacharyya - Executive Editor, The Mail Today; former Editor, The Hindustan Times
Joe Roberts is the founder of 1WineDude.com, one of the most influential and popular wine blogs in the U.S., and the first website specifically targeted at Intermediate wine lovers. In 2012, he was named the 14th most influential person in the U.S. wine business in IntoWine.com’s list of the ‘100 Most Influential People in the U.S. Wine Industry’. 1WineDude.com has received numerous awards, including being named Best Wine Blog in the 2009 Foodbuzz Blog Awards and the 2010 Wine Blog Awards, nominated for Best Overall Wine Blog and Best Wine Reviews in the 2012 Wine Blog Awards, Best Overall Wine Blog in the 2011 Wine Blog Awards, and was a runner up for Best Wine Tourism Feature in the 2010 Born Digital Wine Awards. In 2011, 1WineDude was named in Most Wanted’s ‘100 Essential Blogs’ and in Washington Flyer’s ‘Best Travel Blogs’. Joe also authors the “Wined Down With Joe Roberts” wine column on Playboy.com, an outlet that receives 40 million unique website views per month, and has contributed to outlets as diverse as Publix Grapes Magazine, PalatePress.com, Mint.com, Wines.com, and WineTasting.com. Joe is one of the most-followed U.S. wine personalities on the Internet, with over 12,000 followers on Twitter. As an early adopter of social media in the wine sphere, Joe is an expert at identifying social media opportunities for wine brands that enhance reach, increase brand awareness, and promote business growth and has been called one of the thought leaders in helping to educate wineries on technology and social media by the wine industry think tank group Vintank. Amongst other qualifications, he holds WSET Level 3 Advanced Certificate in Wine & Spirits and the Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) qualification from the Society of Wine Educators. Before entering the wine world full-time in 2012, Joe spent over fifteen years in information technology at one point managing the global web hosting operations of one of the world’s largest CPG companies. He has travelled widely to cover wine including S. America, the U.S., Australia, France, Germany, Portugal and Greece.
José Luis was born in the summer of 1975 in Aretxabaleta, a small industrial town in the Basque Country. At 18, upon completing his first year of Industrial Engineering, he decided to completely veer his career path towards what he enjoyed most: working in the rural sector. To this end, he left home and traveled to Valladolid, where he completed his studies in Agricultural Engineering and a got a Master's degree in Agribusiness Administration. It was while he wandered around the vineyards in Rueda and Ribera de Duero that his passion for viticulture and winemaking was born. In 2000, he got a postgraduate degree in Viticulture and Enology from Universidad de la Rioja. He took his first steps in the world of wine in this prestigious Rioja region, first working as an assistant winemaker in Bodegas Lan and then as the head winemaker in Bodegas Burgo, for 4 years. In 2004, eager to learn about new winemaking methods, he left Rioja and moved to Somontano with his whole family. This new, young wine region by the Pyrenees, which pioneered the liberalization of vineyard techniques and the use of international varieties in Spain, is famous for its modern blends and great value wines. First, he was Director of Viticulture and Winemaking at Bodegas Sierra de Guara, and in 2006, at Bodegas Olvena. Working at these wineries, he gained a deep insight into the different types of soil and micro climates of the region, and learned that winemaking begins in the vineyard. By the end of 2008, he got the opportunity to work as a wine consultant for Bodega Marco Abella in Priorato. In this wine region, he became acquainted with biodynamic viticulture as practiced in its imposing vineyards, where the concept of terroir gains exponential importance. In 2008, he also began to work as a consultant for Bodegas Jaumandreu in Pla de Bages, north of Cataluña. In 2009, fully in love with Somontano, he opened a small chateau winery called "El Grillo y La Luna" (The Cricket and the Moon) with a group of friends. Their aim was to produce premium wines from carefully selected vineyards in order to promote Somontano as a great wine region of international renown. José Luis is not only devoted to both vineyard and winery, but is also constantly interested in gaining more knowledge in areas such as management, wine marketing and communication. He has begun to understand the way social networks can be exploited and the impact they have on the communication between producers and consumers. He is passionate about Twitter, as it allows everyone to speak freely and be read instantly anywhere in the world. His wines have been praised in several guides and have received awards at national and international wine competitions such as the Brussels World Competition, Bacchus and Decanter, among others.
One of 30 Master Sommeliers in UK, Laura Rhys is Head Sommelier at Hotel TerraVina in Hampshire, owned by World Champion Sommelier Gerard Basset, OBE, MW, MS, Wine MBA. Laura has worked at Hotel TerraVina since its opening 5 years ago, under the guidance of Gerard Basset, yet has full control over the bar list and wine list. Throughout each day she deals with a huge number of wines from around the world, as well as an extensive list of cocktails, beers and soft drinks. In the last 4 years, her achievements have helped to establish her reputation within the industry. In June 2008, Laura won the Chaine des Rotisseurs UK Young Sommelier of the Year and later in the year she went on to finish second in the International Final of the same competition taking place in Vienna. In 2009 Laura won the prestigious UK Sommelier of the Year competition, the second woman in the last 25 years to take the title. In November 2010 Rhys passed her final exams to attain the Master Sommelier diploma from the Court of Master Sommeliers. Laura judges for Sommelier competitions, as well as Decanter Wine Awards and Imbibe Sommelier Wine Awards. She regularly hosts tastings and wine dinners, as well as official seminars, most recently on Cognac for the Bureau National Interprofessionel du Cognac. Laura has also hosted talks within schools, to discuss the role of a Sommelier as a career choice. Since gaining her diploma, she has become an active member of the Court of Master Sommeliers and helps with both courses and exams. In 2011, Rhys made appearances as an industry mentor in the BBC2 show ‘Michel Roux’s Service’. She also regularly contributes to and features in Industry magazines, most recently, great features in Imbibe (January 2012) and Restaurant Magazine (February 2012).
Moonsong Bang established the specialist wine education and consulting company, Winevision in Seoul, where she has been educating Korean wine lovers since 2009. Also a Certified Educator and Assessor for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a professor for Sookmyung Hospitality Business School’s Le Cordon Bleu Hospitality MBA programme. Moonsong has worked in the wine retail business for 10 years and has professional experience as a training co-ordinator, merchandiser and restaurant owner. She completed a degree in French Literature and Language in Korea, studied and worked in Australia, France and the UK, and has visited many great winemaking regions around the world. Moonsong is currently enrolled in the Master of Wine programme and regularly participating on the tasting panel for IWSC (International Wine and Spirit Competition) in London and Hong Kong, also Decanter Asia Wine Awards.
Omar began his career in the restaurant business in 2001, where he developed skills in different areas within establishments such as Café Bistro MP, La Hacienda de los Morales, Hotel Nikko Mexico and others. In 2006, he undertook a Traditional Argentine Cooking and Wine Culture Course in Cordoba, Argentina. In 2007, he graduated from the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México and acquired a degree in Gastronomy in 2008 and in the same year obtained the Diploma in Wines from the Mexican Association of Sommeliers. Between 2009 and 2010 he worked as a maitre-sommelier at Ofenings restaurant in Toluca, Estado de México winnning first place in the first Regional Competition Sommeliers, Toluca 2009. In 2010 he was awarded the Diploma in Distilled Beverages, coffee and tea. In September 2010 he provided the Tequila and Mezcal service and tastings for the Bicentennial of the Independence of Mexico at the National Palace with President Felipe Calderón Hinojosa as well as a jury member for the Legacy Cocktail Competition 2010 Bacardí, México. He has written several wine-related articles on different topics for the journal ‘Vida Culinaria’ and has also served on the tasting panel for magazine articles in ‘Sabor e Arte’ and the upcoming release of ‘Hedoné Wine Guide’. He currently teaches Fundamentals of Wine Tasting at the Universidad Anáhuac del Norte and participates in the teaching team to train professional Sommeliers for the Mexican Sommeliers Association. He is Operations Manager Gemaric Group, a company that is dedicated to the education and training the wine service for the Hospitality and Restaurant industry. He was awarded with the Best Sommelier of Mexico in 2011 at the same time he won the first place in the Concours de l’Embassadeur des Vins d’Alsace au Mexique 2011, by Sopexa México and CIVA. He was part of the Technical Committee of the Best Sommelier of Mexico 2012 and participated on the jury for the same competition. He will be participating as part of the Mexican team in the Best Sommelier of the Americas next October, taking place in Bento Goncalves in Brazil.
Huang Shan is a Wine Club owner and a wine writer based in Beijing, China since 2007. She is an AIWS member and a current student for the Master of Wine. She specialises in promoting world wines to China, organizing tasting events, seminars and educational workshops. She works as a wine professional with shows on China International Radio and Beijing Radio Station and as a professional wine writer with regular columns on ‘Nanfang Weekend’ circulation 1.3million, ‘Lifeweek’ circulation 0.23 million, ‘Timeout Beijing’ circulation 0.23million.
Tom Firth is a freelance wine writer, wine consultant, wine judge, and a member of the Wine Access Magazine National Tasting Panel. His work frequently appears in Wine Access, City Palate, Avenue, Culinaire Magazine and others, along with his prolific online content at wineaccess.ca, avenuemagazine.ca and others. He tweets as http://twitter.com/cowtownwine and is a general nuisance around the office.
I grew up in a wine family. All the family branches grew wine or worked in the wine trade. After my general qualification for university entrance in 1988 I started an apprenticeship as a vintner for two years. I spent one year on the winery of my uncle Weingut St. Annagarten (about 7 hectares), the second year I worked on the Weingüter und Schlosskellerei des Graf von Neipperg (about 30 hectares). The two wineries are located in the south of Germany. In 1990 I started my studies in winegrowing and oenology in Geisenheim and in 1994 I wrote my thesis titled ”Production Concept for Biological Winegrowers“, which was a marketing theme. In the summer of 1993 I worked as a trainee for the international Winemagazin VINUM in Zurich, Switzerland. I liked this kind of work, so they offered me a job after my studies. I spent 6 months in 1994 as a trainee in Bordeaux in the French office of VINUM and started afterwards in Zurich. I was responsible for the tastings, wrote articles and two books, one about red wine, the other about German sparkling wine. In 1999 I decided to work freelance (I have two children 17 & 11 years old) I worked for the Suisse Forum des Eaux-de‐Vie and as a course instructor for wine knowledge, and did a lot of PR Texts about wine and food as a ghost-writer. Currently I write for VINUM (freelance) and assist in developing marketing concepts for the Club les Domaines. If there is enough time left, I give wine-courses and explain all about the product I have lived with since I was born to amateur wine-drinkers. In 2008 I started my extension studies in marketing and finished with a diploma in 2010. I participate in several tasting panels in Switzerland and I am a member of the “Bund Deutscher Önologen“ and the “Union des Oenologues Suisses“. In my free time I work as an editor‐in‐chief for our local monthly magazine and in the summertime I am in charge with our local tourist association to organise a local market once a week. I have deep knowledge of technical terminology in English and French.
Education B.S. in Viticulture and Enology. University of California, Davis, US.
March 2003 to April 2007, Technical degree in Mandarin Chinese. Beijing Normal University (Beishida), Beijing, China.
May 2007 to March 2008 Languages: English (advanced), Mandarin (intermediate), Portuguese (basic) Recent Work Experience Sommelier The Westin Hotel. Beijing, China.
Dec 2007 to Feb 2008 Distribution account manager and wine educator ASC Fine Wines. Beijing, China
Jun 2007 to Feb 2008 Project Manager - Winemaker Bodega Zemlia. Mendoza, Argentina.
Sep 2008 to Nov 2009 Project Manager - Winemaker Dominio del Plata Winery. Mendoza, Argentina. Export Manager - Winemaker Dominio del Plata Winery. Mendoza, Argentina.
Dec 2009 to Dec 2010 Jan 2011 – Current Memberships Argentine Society of Wine Professionals UC Davis Alumni network Beijing Normal University Alumni network American Society for Viticulture and Enology Reprap.org / Arduino.org Work Experience I belong to the third generation of winemakers of our family company, Dominio del Plata. I enrolled at the University of California, Davis.
When I was 18, and got my B.S. in Viticulture and Enology in 2008. Towards the end of my studies, I became interested in the Chinese language and culture, and had the opportunity to study Mandarin at the Beijing Normal University (Beishida) within the framework of an exchange program. During my stay in China, I worked for ASC Fine Wines, China’s largest fine wine distributor, and during my last months in the country, I also worked as a sommelier at the Westin Hotel in Beijing. Once the program was finished, I returned to Mendoza, where I was hired to renovate an old winery in Maipú, and acquire new technology to produce and export premium wines. www.bodegazemlia.com . I also produced the first harvest for Bodegas y Viñedos Montechezwww.montechez.com. Our aim was to develop a line of wines so as to take the first steps of a winery project that would later join the portfolio of Fincas y Viñedos Cordón del Plata.
In December 2009, I went back to work for Dominio del Plata. I was the project manager in charge of the third stage of the winery renovation and expansion. In 2011, I was promoted to commercial manager, which is my current position, except during the harvest season. www.dominiodelplata.com.
Since 2009, I have mostly been involved with production during harvest time and defining wine styles. Hobbies I am very fond of new technologies. I participate actively in online discussion forums and technology communities. I am an active member of the RepRap community, who seeks to revolutionize the global economy by developing an improved version of 3D printers that will decentralize production of consumer goodswww.reprap.org. I have been keen on electronics since I was a child. At present, in my free time, I participate in projects on the Arduino platformwww.arduino.org. I also do kickboxing during the week and go rock climbing on weekends, and if I have some time left, I enjoy playing soccer.
Matías graduated as a winemaker from the prestigious Escuela Vitivinícola Don Bosco, in the Province of Mendoza, Argentina. Since very young, he has worked in several well-known wineries of Mendoza such as Luigi Bosca, Doña Paula, Finca Sophenia and Zorzal Wines amongst others. His current job as consultant has driven him to fully develop his skills thanks to the experience gained in his short professional career, including his work in harvests abroad. Passionate Wines is Matías's personal venture where, day by day, he stresses all the potential and expression of high-altitude wines.
Work Experience in Argentina.
2009 to date Matias Riccitelli Wines, Vistalba, Mendoza. Owner and Winemaker
2004 to date Fabre Montmayou Winery (Domaine Vistalba SA), Vistalba, Mendoza. Chief Winemaker
January - August 2003 Bodega Andean Wineries, Maipu, Mendoza. Assistant Winemaker
January - July 2002 Fabre Montmayou Winery (Domaine Vistalba SA), Vistalba, Mendoza. Assistant Winemaker during harvest
January - April 2001 JP Norton Winery, Perdriel Mendoza. Cellar hand
Work Experience Abroad - Assistant Winemaking During Harvest
September - October 2009 Cantina Argiano – Montalcino – Tuscan – Italy.
April - July 2008 Central Otago Wine Company, Cronwell, New Zealand.
January - Mayo 2008 Tintara (Hardy Wine Company), McLaren Vale, Australia.
September - November 2007 Leo Hillinger, Burgerland, Austria.
September - October 2006 Château Lafon Rochet, Saint Estéphe, Bordeaux.
September - October 2004 Château Petit Village, Pomerol, Bordeaux.
September - October 2003 Château Le Bon Pasteur, from Michael Rolland, Pomerol, Bordeaux.
Formal Studies
1999-2005 "Don Bosco" Oenological and Agricultural Industry Faculty, from Universidad Juan Agustín Maza - Winemaker and Agricultural Industry Expert
Technical Visits
Apalta Valley, Chile
Alentejo and Rivatejo, Portugal
Valpolicella, Italy
Marlborough and Hawkes Bay, New Zealand
Napa and Sonoma, California, USA
Languages & Personal Information
English: Advanced level
French: Intermediate level
Age: 32
Marital status: single
Mobile: 005492615465443
E-mail: matiasriccitelli@matiasriccitelli.com
Pablo was born in Mendoza in 1974, started his Oenology Studies in 1987 at the Liceo Agrícola & Enológico Domingo Sarmiento, where he obtained his first title in Oenology in 1993. In 1994 he went to the Faculty of Oenology at Don Bosco University, where he finished with honours in 1999 where he received his license and official title in Oenology in 2004 He travelled and went to several conventions and finished his master in Oenology at The UJAM of Mendoza in 2005. He has been working in his profession since he was 18 at the Bodega Bombal. When Pablo was 21, he worked as assistant winemaker at Bodegas Chandon Argentina, where he acquired experience and knowledge on sparkling wine making until 2001. Starting in 2002, Pablo has been working as assistant winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata, working very closely with the chief wine maker for 10 consecutive vintages, making high quality red wines and adding technological experience travelling to the USA, France and Spain, especially learning how to make fine white wines and sparkling wines. Pablo is a member of the development and research team in the winery and today he is the Second Winemaker at Bodega Catena Zapata.
COLLEGE EDUCATION
Nationality: Argentine
Age: 32
Marital Status: Single
Address: Mendoza, Argentina.
E-mail: smayorga@mendel.com.ar
Sebastián Zuccardi, third generation winemaker, shares his grandfather and father′s passion for wines. He studied and received his agronomist degree at the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo (2004). In 2000, together with three friends, he started his own sparkling-wine project, Alma 4, produced from non-traditional Argentine grape varieties. When he finished at university, he became fully involved with the winery. Today, Sebastian is bringing a new determination to explore Argentina´s many micro-climates and soils at the foothills of the Andes Mountains. As an agronomist, he is busy developing new vineyards in the sought-after mountain region of Uco Valley, specifically in the micro-regions of La Consulta, Altamira, Vista Flores and Gualtallary. He also leads the Research and Development team, which carries out research in the vineyards and winemaking tests in the winery. He is now at the head of an important programme of agricultural progress for Familia Zuccardi. Eager to gain a broad range of experience, he has participated in harvests in France (Bordeaux and Champagne), Spain, Italy, Chile, California and Portugal.