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Congratulations to Vice President of the Circle of Wine Writers, Oz Clarke, who has been officially awarded the Officier de l’Ordre du Merite Agricole medal at the French Embassy in London. In Oz’s own words, "It was a lovely day and I felt very proud and pleased". Apparently, ultra-French canapes and Mumm champagne were served. A huge congratulations to Oz Clarke for this very well-deserved aw...

Sarah Jane Evans MW has been awarded The Royal Order of Isabella the Catholic, a Spanish civil order of honour granted to persons and institutions in recognition of extraordinary services to Spain or the promotion of international relations and cooperation with other nations. “It is a pleasure to bestow the Officer’s Cross of the Order of Isabel la Católica to Sarah Jane Evans," commented Ambassa...

Kevin Day is a wine writer, educator, professional photographer & the Editor in Chief of the wine publication Opening a Bottle which he established in 2014. He is based in Denver and an Italian and French Wine Scholar, having passed both courses with highest honours. In 2019 he was nominated for the Louis Roederer Wine Writers’ Award for ‘Emerging Wine Writer of the Year’.

Jason Millar is an independent wine writer, consultant, tasting presenter and judge, specialising in the wines of Italy and South Africa. He has worked in publishing and then as buying director for independent merchant Theatre of Wine. Whilst completing his WSET Diploma, Jason took home three scholarships, including the Vintners Cup. He now writes a regular column for Drinks Retailing among ...

Benjamin North Spencer is a consulting winemaker, journalist, the founder of the Etna Wine School in Sicily, and the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. The New Wines of Mount Etna won The Gourmand Award's Best European Wine Book in 2021 and is available in English and Italian. Ben holds a Diploma in Wines and Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a writing degr...

James Button began his wine career at Majestic Wine in 2006, giving him a strong grounding in the subject before completing the WSET Level 4 Diploma in 2010. From 2014 to 2016 he managed the fine wine department of a startup wine company in London, before joining Decanter as digital sub-editor. Today, James is Decanter’s regional editor for Italy and travels regularly to the country.

Nicole Harreisser originally comes from Munich, Germany and has lived in Zurich since 2014. As now an editor at the European wine magazine VINUM, she writes about various wine regions around the world and started the WSET in Spirits. She also takes part in national and international wine awards as a juror and professional taster.

Kristel Balcaen is a Flemish wine writer, educator and consultant. She has a study background in English and German linguistics and literature and has worked professionally in higher education for 25 years. She holds the Sommelier-Conseil qualification, the WSET Diploma and is currently an MW student. She is the author of Wijnboek voor Foodies, writes the section on Belgium’s wines for Hugh Joh...

Tim Andrews DipWSET is a wine educator, lecturer and communicator. Having escaped his legal career, he achieved a Wine Business degree at Plumpton College and then began lecturing and working at Plumpton, which has given him a deep insight into the English wine industry. Tim wrote various chapters of the updated WSET Diploma materials and is a WSET Certified Educator teaching at the London sch...

A Piedmont native, Sandro Minella is a professional sommelier and a licensed tour guide. He's the owner and founder of Taste Your Way, a company with 20 years’ experience in tailor-made food and wine events, educational workshops, and tours all over Italy, for wine professionals and wine lovers. Since 2019, he has been the scientific director and professor at Barolo & Barbaresco Academy, for ...