Speakers

Claire Allen (New Zealand)

Claire Allan was born and raised in New Zealand on a South Island High Country farm growing sheep, cattle and deer. Wine became a personal interest as her father maintained a selection of wine from around the world on the table. At the time of leaving school the thought of wine as a career did not register.

After some years in the hospitality trade Claire went on to study wine in South Australia and moved into wine making. After moving back to New Zealand to make wine in Marlborough, Claire and winemaker husband Mike bought the first Huia vineyard land in 1990. They were drawn back to Marlborough by the exceptional wines being produced by the Marlborough
Region. After gaining further experience in Marlborough wineries and a stage in Champagne, Claire, Mike and two small children, started the family owned and operated Huia Wine Company in 1996.

Now Huia have 35 hectares under vine covering Sauvignon Blanc, three aromatic varieties, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
All estate vineyards are certified Sustainable and are mid way through Bio Grow Organic/Bio Dynamic certification. All vineyards, the on-site winery and Wine Company are accredited Carbon Neutral. The small volume of grapes that are purchased are from accredited Sustainable Vineyards with most being in certification to Bio Grow Organics with the remainder moving into the organic program in the next few years. Wine quality is the focus.

Rudi Bauer (New Zealand)

Austrian-born Rudi Bauer is the winemaker at Quartz Reef winery in Central Otago.
Born in Salzburg, Rudi gained his degree in viticulture and winemaking in Austria and Germany before coming to New Zealand in 1985. He worked at Mission Vineyard in Hawkes Bay until 1989, doing vintages in his off seasons in California and Oregon. This Oregon experience gave Rudi a taste for Pinot Noir, and he moved to Central Otago to make the region's first gold and trophy pinot noir at Rippon Vineyard in 1991.

Rudi moved on to Canterbury to produce consistent medal-winners for Giesen in the course of five years, before returning to Central Otago in 1996 to continue his success.

In 1996 Rudi formed Quartz Reef in Bendigo, Central Otago – specialising in Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris and Methode Traditionnelle. In particular he enjoys and explores the Pinot Noir's many dimensions, and the convergence of the old and the new.

Janiene Bayliss (New Zealand)

Janiene is co owner of Te Mara Estate in Central Otago. Her background is in business consultancy majoring in branding and strategy. She is a business graduate from Massey University.

However her love of wine comes from insights from the best of the boutique vineyards in New Zealand where she followed their development and progress onto the international scene. She has been involved in the positioning of wine brands in various parts of the world but none of this prepared her for the excitement and satisfaction of developing her own brand.

Janiene is a 4th generation Kiwi and it was Queenstown in Central Otago that her ancestors chose to emigrate to from the old world. Having grown up in a horticulture environment and in one of the most beautiful regions of the world she is committed to bringing to consumers the very best of both disciplines.

Janiene’s first Pinot Noir was awarded a Decanter Silver Medal and her Pinot Gris an Air New Zealand Bronze award. The Pinot Gris has 89 Robert Parker points

Pancho Campo (Chair)

Pancho Campo is the first Spanish Master of Wine, and the founder and President of The Wine Academy of Spain. His special interest is climate change and he has trained in this field with Al Gore. Pancho initiated the World Conference on Climate Change and the WineFuture Conference in Rioja in November 2009.

Walter Carol

Export Director for La Riojana co-operative, Walter Carol, both Argentine and Italian by nationality, was born in Córdoba, Argentina on 31st January 1973. 

Walter has always enjoyed studying and has an impressive list of qualifications under his belt, which include a Masters degree in International Business and a Postgrad in International Negotiation. Walter has also studied agriculture at the School of Agronomy in Córdoba.

In addition to his intellectual achievements, Walter is a bit of sportsman and has played football to a semi professional level. He also is a natural linguist and to his enjoyment he has spent a considerable amount of time living abroad, including Germany, Copenhagen, Sweden and the United States.

Walter joined La Riojana co-operative in June 1999 where until the present day he has worked under the leadership of the managing director Roberto Mantovani, who over the years has provided Walter with a fountain of knowledge and expertise.

By his very nature, Walter is perseverant and a hard worker. He likes challenges, and he is as they say “an ideas man”, forever dreaming of new projects. Walter particularly enjoys the social side to the Fairtrade projects, bringing hope and happiness to the so-called “forgotten” people of Argentina, and this for him has become a priority in everything he does. 

Felicity Carter (Chair)

Felicity Carter, an Australian based in Europe, is editor-in-chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, the global wine trade magazine. Published bi-monthly in English and read in 62 countries, it has correspondents from more than 30 countries, who offer an insider’s view of how each individual wine sector really operates.

Paul Cluver (South Africa)

Paul is the only son of five children

After school Paul went to the University of Stellenbosch were he studied B.Sc. Horticulture and Economics. He started working on the family farm immediately after graduation, heading one of the fruit production units.

Two years later he took over the financial management of the whole business. Paul then went on to study Senior Business Management at Stellenbosch Business School of Graduates and upon completion took over the general management of the business.

Paul later studied for his Masters in Philosophy in Value and Policy Studies at the University of Stellenbosch.

Paul has also gained a lot of experience through extensive travelling. It started at school where he first went to Germany as a German exchange student. He also did his practical work for his degree in South Tirol, Italy. Subsequently he has travelled most of Europe and the United States as part of his role to establish Paul Cluver Wines as a premium South African Wine brand.

Jean-Edouard de Rochebouët

Jean-Edouard de Rochebouët is one of the Company´s founders and BODEGA ATAMISQUE´s General Manager. Mr. de Rochebouët was born in France, in 1958. He holds a B.A. degree from the Ecole Supérieure de Commerce de Reims. He settled in Argentina in 1981 and began working for Bodegas Chandon, the Argentine subsidiary of Moët & Chandon. From 1983 on, he worked as Exports Manager and Assistant to the President of Chandon. 
  
In 1989, Mr. de Rochebouët was appointed Bodegas Chandon´s General Manager. In 1989 Bodegas Chandon was producing almost 6 million bottles per year. As a result of Mr. de Rochebouët´s administration, Chandon´s sales reached approximately 14 million bottles in 1996, becoming the leading company in the sparkling wine industry with a market share of almost 70%.

In order to lead an investment project of his own and persuaded by the favorable commercial development in the Mercosur region and his understanding of the South American market, Mr. de Rochebouët decided to leave Bodegas Chandon in June 1996. His 15 years of experience in the wine and sparkling wine markets, as well as his contacts in the industry, enabled him to create and develop Cave Extrême in order to participate in the sparkling wine market in Argentina and South America. He is the current CEO of the company.

In 2006, in partnership with a Frenchman, John Du Monceau, he created the ATAMISQUE winery, located close to Tupungato (Mendoza) at 1.300 meters a.s.l. Today, ATAMISQUE is selling three brands; Atamisque, a super premium quality, Catalpa, a premium quality, and Serbal, a standard quality brand.

Mr. de Rochebouët is President of the French-Argentine Chamber of Commerce since April 1995, member of the Gourmet Club Argentino and Academia Argentina de Gastronomía, member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, and member of the Jockey Club Argentina and the Buenos Aires Lawn Tennis Club. He has been decorated by the French Government in november,2002 with the Ordre National du Mérite.

Pieter De Waal (South Africa)

For the past decade, Pieter de Waal has immersed himself in all aspects of the wine trade, including retail, import and export, education, writing, consulting and production. He is a micro-producer of a small range of authentic wines under his Hermit on the Hill label, constantly experimenting, but deeply committed to making wine as real and natural as possible. As secretary of the Sauvignon Blanc Interest Group of South Africa (SBIG), he has been championing the quality of South African Sauvignon Blanc by presenting many tastings of top examples at international wine shows as well as for visiting media.

Paul Dolan (California)

Paul Dolan believes that business leaders can help make a better world, and he sees Mendocino County, California, as fertile ground to grow this vision. During his 27 years at Fetzer Vineyards, 12 as president, he led a transformation that put the company at the forefront of organic viticulture and sustainable business. With the purchase of Parducci winery and the creation of Mendocino Wine Company (MWC), a partnership of the Dolan and Thornhill families, he continues his vision.

Paul’s goal is to make Parducci and MWC a model for the wine business. In turn, he is determined to develop the wine industry as a model for all agriculture, worldwide. “We are seeing a shift, an awakening, where people are taking a strong stand on the food and wine they consume and its impact on the environment. The greatest challenge in the world today is global warming. All of us, individuals and businesses, must do all we can to meet this challenge.” This is the message he delivers as an industry leader, winemaker, farmer and father. Paul knows that sustainability is an economic asset and a competitive advantage, as well as an imperative for healthy life on this planet.

Paul resides in Healdsburg, California with his wife Diana and daughter Sassicaia. His family’s involvement in the wine industry extends back four generations. Paul studied business and finance. In 1975 he enrolled in the Enology program at California State University and joined forces in 1977 with the Fetzer family as their first non-family winemaker. He and his sons converted 70 acres of grapes into a certified Biodynamic® vineyard. An earnest student of Rudolf Steiner (the father of the biodynamic movement), Paul embraces Steiner’s premise that each piece of land has its own unique expression.

Alex Giesen (New Zealand)

lex Giesen is one third of the family trio who started Giesen Wines; the other two thirds are brothers Theo and Marcel.

They started in Burnham just south of Christchurch in the South Island of New Zealand in 1981 and with the 2009 vintage release of Giesen Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc celebrated 25 years of producing this wine. The goal of Giesen Wines is to be recognized as New Zealand leaders in Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc with an overriding emphasis being on producing consistently high quality wines from vintage to vintage.

Giesen Wines produces not only Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough but also Chardonnay, Riesling and Pinot Noir. Theo, Alex and Marcel work closely at all within the business with much of the focus going into the selection of the vineyards through to the winemaking…the thrill of a new vintage never goes away.

Claudia Gomez (Chile)
Studied winemaking at Montepellier University, followed by winemaking experience in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and the South of France
6 years in Sancerre making wines, focusing on Sauvingnon Blanc and Pinot Noir
Claudia is now the export manager for the small Chilean boutique winery Garces Silva, producer of the Amayna range of cool climate wines in Chile’s San Antonio Valley

Johnathan Grieve (South Africa)

As proprietor of Avondale, Johnathan Grieve is responsible for all production, sales and marketing functions of the estate. Through his initiatives, Avondale has established the reputation of being one of the leading organic wine producers in South Africa through their Bio-LOGIC approach to viticulture and winemaking.

Having studied fine arts in Cape Town, Johnathan had no preconceived ideas about agriculture, and this allowed a fresh approach, viewing the estate and the production of wine as a natural and symbiotic entity.

With this in mind Avondale has been uncompromising in developing a natural way of farming, combining organic, bio-dynamic and modern science into a natural, sustainable approach.

The most important thing is to produce super-premium wines that are true to terroir and full of character, and Avondale believes that this can only be done by following a natural course of action.

Andrew Hendry (New Zealand)

Andrew Hendry was born and educated in New Zealand and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1967. During his time at university his interest in wine was kindled.

Following work for an international accounting firm in New Zealand, UK, Kenya and Iran he returned to New Zealand and took up a financial role with Penfolds New Zealand. This was his introduction to the serious business of wine. In mid 1980, after 2½ years with Penfolds he resigned and purchased a small property at Huapai, North West of Auckland in conjunction with Randy Weaver, the Penfolds winemaker. The Coopers Creek winery was established on the property and the first wine was made from contracted grapes in 1982.

Vineyard ownership and contractual arrangements with grape growers in all of New Zealand’s principal regions has steadily increased over the years and Coopers Creek’s production now exceeds 150,000 cases per year. Andrew Hendry, the Managing Director of Coopers Creek Vineyard Ltd was for 10 years a member of the Board of the Wine Institute of New Zealand, the former name of NZ Winegrowers.

Konrad Hengstler (New Zealand)

From humble beginnings to a world wide brand, Konrad Wines has grown from one man’s love of Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc to a variety of aromatic grapes and wines.

Konrad Wines is fully owned by the Hengstler family, Konrad, Sigrun and their two sons, Conrad and Carlo. Originally from Germany, Konrad, the Managing Director and Viticulturalist, planted the first vines in 1996, and now produces a premium range of Sauvignon Blanc, Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Pinot Noir from the two vineyards in the Wairau and Waihopai valleys of Marlborough, New Zealand.

Quality is the absolute focus of Konrad, starting in the vineyard where no corners are cut, and continues in the winery where handcrafting is the applied standard.

Steve Hotchin (New Zealand)

A marketing graduate from Otago University, Steve started his wine career as an advisor to Allan Scott Wines. Over this period a passion for fine wine was formed resulting in Steve studying winemaking and grape growing at EIT Hawkes Bay and forming his first wine company - Mt Riley. In 2002 Steve sold out of Mt Riley with a view to starting his own boutique wine company and Ra Nui Wines was born. Steve travels extensively overseas, visiting wine areas and promoting Ra Nui Wines, the Marlborough region and the unique attributes of New Zealand.

Justin Howard-Sneyd (Chair)

Justin has worked in the wine business since 1991 when he worked as a helper on the International Wine Challenge. This was intended to be a holiday job, but the wine bug had taken hold, and ever since he has worked in a number of different capacities all around the wine business. The first five years were spent working in a shop, running wine education courses, and working 6 vintages in South Africa, Hungary, Romania and France, before settling down in England to become a buyer for Safeway.

Justin passed the MW in 1999, winning the Tim Derrouet Award as the outstanding student from his year, and moved to Sainsbury's in 2000, where he spent 5 years as a buyer.
In 2005 he moved to Waitrose, where he has been heading up the wine team until February 2010, when he moved to Direct Wines as Global Wine Director.

Justin lives with his wife and 11 year old son in South-West London. In addition to the day job, Justin and his family make 3,000 bottles a year of 'Domaine of the Bee', a mighty blend of Grenache and Carignan grown on a few hectares of land in the Roussillon.

Bruce Jack (South Africa)

Bruce Jack studied Oenology and Viticulture at the University of Adelaide in South Australia and completed his practical winery management at Roseworthy College. He returned home to South Africa after working in France, California and Australia and started a small winery called Flagstone in 1998.

Ten years later he sold his company to Constellation and is currently the Chief Winemaker of Constellation Wines South Africa and overseas a brilliant team of winemakers responsible for Kumala (South Africa's biggest export brand), Fish Hoek and his beloved Flagstone, among others.

In his spare time Bruce can be found having a drink with Bevan Newton Johnson, while discussing the surf report.

Ernesto Jiusan (Chile)

Profession : Agronomist and Oenologist
Nationality : Chilean

STUDIES
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

1978-1985 Viña San Pedro Santiago, Chile
- Quality Control Manager

1986-1994 Viña Errázuriz Panquehue, Chile
− Chief Oenologist, responsible of the elaboration of Errazuriz and Caliterra wines.

1994-1996 Viñedos Torreón de Paredes Rengo, Chile
− Chief Oenologist

1994-2002 Viña El Huique Colchagua, Chile
− Consultant Oenologist

1994-2003 Viña Laura Hartwig Colchagua, Chile
− Consultant Oenologist

1997-2004 Viña Canepa Colchagua-Maipo, Chile
− Chief Oenologist,

2005-2006 Viña Canepa Colchagua-Maipo, Chile
− Export Manager

2009 up today Viña Portal del Alto Maipo – Maule, Chile
− Export Manager for Europe

2008 up today Bodegas Santiago Queirolo Ica, Peru
− Consultant Oenologist for Intipalka Fine Wines Project

Additional Information
GUIA DE LOS VINOS DE CHILE: Member of the Panel Tasting since 1993
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF AGRONOMISTS AND OENOLOGISTS: Member

Robert Joseph (Chair)

Robert Joseph has an unusually broad understanding of the New and Old Worlds. His 27 books include the French Wine Guide and Bordeaux and its Wines as well as the Wines of the Americas. Apart from founding the London International Wine Challenge and developing it into the world's biggest wine competition, he has chaired wine competitions in South Africa, Australia, China, Japan and Russia and judged at tastings in France, America, New Zealand and Portugal. He is on the board of Mundus Vini and editor at large of Meininger's Wine Business International. Most recently, he founded a wine-dedicated research company called DoILikeIt?

Johann Krige (South Africa)

Johann Krige is a Director and co-owner of Kanonkop Wine Estate, situated in the Simonsberg, Stellenbosch. Kanonkop is  renowned for both its Pinotage and its Cabernet based blends.

Johann is very active in the South African wine industry and his many roles include Chairman of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), Director and Vice -Chairman of SAWIS, director and Vice-Chairman of Vinpro, and Trustee of the Nedbank Cape Winemakers Guild Educational Trust

Sam Lynds (New Zealand)

Originally an FMCG man, Sam has very successfully grafted himself onto the wine industry. He enjoys the MUD HOUSE culture for its quick-thinking agility, which makes it easier for him to seize good opportunities as soon as they appear. He believes that MUD HOUSE wines have an inbuilt advantage, because each reflects the viticultural strengths of the region it’s grown in.

Sam admits to an obsession with fishing, particularly the big game variety. Trailing a line for Marlin in Waihau Bay is his idea of a great day out. And when it comes to wine, he’s hooked on Central Otago Pinot Noir.

Jürgen Mathäß (Chair)

Jürgen Mathäß achieved a Masters degree in economics at the Frankfurt University. In 1982 he started writing about wine and in 1986 became editor in chief for “Weinwirtschaft”, the leading German wine magazine for professionals. In 1993 he became an independent wine writer (magazines, books, newspapers) and is well known for his expertise on wines from Spain, Germany and South America. Today he publishes for Weinwelt, Gault Millau Weinguide, Weinwirtschaft, Wine Business International and other newspaper columns.

Joel B. Payne (Chair)

Joel B. Payne, an expatriate American who has lived in Europe since 1979, first in France and now in Germany, was thrice Germany's best sommelier. Beyond a long career as wine buyer, consultant and managing director of a large import company, he has been active as a wine journalist for almost 25 years, including a three year stint as editor-in-chief of Meininger's Wine Business International. A regular contributor to Germany's leading wine magazines, Vinum and Falstaff as well as the World of Fine Wine and Steve Tanzer's International Wine Cellar, he is also a founding member of the Grand Jury EuropÈen. His Gault Millau German Wine Guide has appeared annually for the past 17 years and since 2007 he is also the president of the international circle of wine writers, FIJEV.

Joel Peterson (California)

Joel Peterson unwittingly embarked on his winemaking apprenticeship at the age of ten when he began tasting with the San Francisco Wine Sampling Club, organized and operated by his father. By the time he was a teenager, he had a working knowledge of fine European vineyards and vintages. After graduating from Oregon State University, he became a wine writer and consultant, and in the mid-1970’s he learned the art of traditional winemaking (as practiced in Bordeaux and Burgundy) from one of California’s outstanding craftsmen of fine Zinfandel, the late Joseph Swan. Along with his other talents (he was a professional research immunologist), Joel is renowned for his extraordinary palate, which sometimes seems to possess a memory of its own.

Joel has been the Winemaker of Ravenswood Winery since 1976. Joel has shepherded Ravenswood from a small unknown winery producing 327 cases of Zinfandel, to a respected, high quality producer of approximately 800,000 cases of red wine. Joel works with 100+ growers that provide grapes for Ravenswood annually, consulting on irrigation practices, cultivation practices, cropping levels and other vineyard management practices.

Joel is a current member and former president of the Sonoma Valley Vintners and Growers Alliance (S.V.V.G.A.) and is on the Board of Directors for the Sonoma County Vintners.. He is a founding Board member and former two-time President of Zinfandel Advocates and Producers (Z.A.P.). Joel is also a Senior Vice President with Constellation Wines US.

Rodrigo Plass (Chile)

Rodrigo Plass, Regional Director Mainland Europe, Chadwick Wines Group (Viña Errázuriz, Caliterra, Seña & Arboleda) was born in Santiago, Chile in 1977. He studied at the German School in Santiago and afterwards Comercial Engineering (Marketing and Finance) at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile. Previously Rodrigo worked four years in Marketing at Kimberly Clark in Santiago until May 2005 when he joined the Chadwick group for moving to Europe (Düsseldorf, Germany) for representing this leading and premium Wine Group of Chile. Rodrigo speaks fluently German as his grandparents are originally from Germany.

Jens Priewe (Chair)

Jens Priewe was born in 1947 near Hamburg. He studied History of Economics and of Social Affairs and closed his studies with a doctor's degree. From 1972 to 1990 he worked as an editor of such well known magazines as Der Spiegel, stern and manager magazin, responsable for politics and economics. During that time, he came in contact with wine for the first time - but just by case. In 1987 he published "Die großen Weine Italiens", a book that documented Italy's strive for better quality. In 1993 he switched to generic wine books foreseeing that with the emerging interest in fine wines all over the world, wine basics were needed by the new consumers: "Wein - die kleine Schule“ and  in 1998 "Wein - die neue grosse Schule" awarded with a gold medal of the Culinary Academy.  1998 he began travelling overseas to publish "Die Weine der Neuen Welt" one year later. As a result he delivered scripts for 15 TV-series with the same subject transmitted by 1st channel of German television (ARD). Today Jens Priewe is a columnist for the monthly "Feinschmecker" magazine (and others). He has his own Internet platform www.weinkenner.de. 

Charlotte Read (New Zealand)

Charlotte joined Villa Maria Estate; New Zealand’s most awarded winery, in September 2005 as their European Market Manager covering 26 markets from Ireland to Dubai. With 12 years of international sales and marketing experience, Charlotte’s responsibilities have ranged from launching new brands of NZ milk products in Singapore and Thailand to launching wine store formats in the UK prior to her time at Villa Maria.

Charlotte was brought up on a vineyard in Hawkes Bay, NZ. She moved to the UK in 2001 to pursue a MBA at Cambridge University and in currently in addition to her busy role is studying for her Master of Wine.

Cristian Rodriquez (Chile)

He studied Agronomic Engineer at “Universidad Católica de Chile” from 1995 to 2000.

He studied Master in Business Administration (MBA) at ESMA – GIRONA University in Barcelona, SPAIN from 2001 to 2002.

He worked in Fundación Chile during 2000 (agricultural research for the APEC).

He worked in Oliver Rodes Laboratory in Barcelona SPAIN in the Commercial Department from 2002 to 2003.

He worked in La Preferida, Chile from 2004-August 2005: Assistant of the General Manager.

He joined EMILIANA VINEYARD in 2005 as an export manager in charge of EUROPE.

In 2008 he became Commercial Manager in charge of all the sales and marketing operations in EMILIANA VINEYARD.

Commercially with 10 years of experience, but with a strong education in agronomy he has lead the transformation in sales from a conventional to an organic Company.

Currently; EMILIANA is leader in the sustainable production of quality wines and a pioneer in Chile and Latin America in the organic and Biodynamic wine production selling more than 250.000 cases organic certified and having almost 900 ha fully certified.

Prof. Hans Reiner Schultz (Chair)

4/09 – Director, Forschungsanstalt Geisenheim (Geisenheim Research Centre, GRC), D-65366 Geisenheim, Germany

9/95 – 4/09
Head Section of Viticulture at the GRC; Professor of Viticulture, University of Applied Sciences, Wiesbaden-Geisenheim

2/98-5/98
Visiting Professor, Charles Sturt University, Wagga Wagga, Australia.

3/93-9/95
Research Associate, Ecole Nationale Supérieure Agronomique/INRA, Montpellier, France

4/90 - 3/93
Post-Doctoral Research, Departments of Viticulture and Enology, Botany, and Environmental Horticulture, University of California, Davis, USA

1989 Doctor of Science, Crop Science, University of Giessen, Germany in co-operation with the University of California, Davis
1986 M.Sc., Horticulture, University of California, Davis
1983 B.Sc. Viticulture and Enology, Fachhochschule Wiesbaden-Geisenheim

Johann Schloms (South Africa)

Born in 1957 in the Cape Flats, a German speaking vegetable area near Cape Town.
Education: Ellensburg diploma in fruit and viticulture.
Worked at Mulderbosch and Kanu wines as viticulturist for 7 years where I got to know our wine maker Clinton le Sueur.
After a few years of experience in the wine industry I became MD of Debal Wine Cellars for Mr. Aldo van der Laan a Dutch citizen.
Longridge is the trade name for the company.

Josef Schuller (Chair)

Born and raised in Burgenland, Austria

Business studies in Vienna; Wine Marketing research and Ph.D in South Africa Stellenbosch (1986-1987); Fulbright scholar at Berkeley, California and consultancy for Robert Mondavi Winery (1988).

Founding and current managing director of the Austrian Wine Academy (1989 - today)

Master of Wine since 1998 , elected Chairman IMW 2008 -2010

Constanza Schwaderer (Chile)

Constanza Schwaderer, was born in Santiago de Chile, after finishing primary education, due of her passion for nature and outdoors, began her post-secondary education in the Universidad Católica de Valparaíso, earning the degree of Engineer in Agriculture. In the way, always wanting to combine the science and the arts, wine lured her, deciding to continue her studies in enology and viticulture at Universidad de Chile.

After finishing her studies and the crush in Chile, she decides to travel to Oregon to experience winemaking in a different wine region. The next step after working in Willamette Valley is Australia. The experience of working in Coonawarra Valley and Victoria allowed her to enrich her knowledge in different varieties and wine styles.

Back in Chile, she becomes Agustinos winemaker, after two years Constanza is chosen to be the Winemaker of VERANDA, following the technical advices of Pascal Marchand, at that moment, the chief Winemaker of Domaines Boisset. She looks for the wines and also for the grapes, giving the instructions to achieve the best quality under the organic management focus in the expression of the Chilean terroir in this very fine wines made in a Burgundian style. For the next 6 years she continues in charge of the winemaking of Veranda and Agustinos wines.

Actually in the way to combine the passion for wines and the role of mother, of three little girls, she becomes Wine ambassador, with the responsibility of showing where ever is necessary the special terroirs and fine premium wines produced by the wineries that are part of VC Family estates.

Lynne Sherriff (Chair)

Lynne Sherriff began her career in the hotel business, and then, pursuing her love of wine, studied Winemaking in Stellenbosch, Germany and Bordeaux. In 1993 she graduated as a Master of Wine, and is currently Vice Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine. From 1992 to 2000 Lynne was the Commercial Director for Europe of Vinfruco, importing South African wines. Since 2000 Lynne has run her own successful wine consultancy, working with clients from single vineyards to multinational companies in Europe, Australia and South Africa

Ross Sleet (South Africa)

Ross Sleet grew up and was educated in Cape Town and now lives with his family in Stellenbosch. He spent a decade in the UK where he worked in the tourism sector, and also spent 7 years in IT as Head of New Media for an Internet Solutions Provider. He changed career in 2003 when he attained a MBA in Wine Business from the Royal Agricultural College and followed this by working for Direct Wines, Matthew Clark, and Constellation Europe respectively, before returning to South Africa in August 2006. Hi is currently the Sales and Marketing Manager for Kleine Zalze, working with the wine and tourism elements

Larry Stone (California)

Larry Stone has had a varied, highly awarded and long career as a working sommelier. He became the first American to win the title of International Best Sommelier in French Wines and Spirits in Paris and remains the only American to have earned the title of Maitre Sommelier from the Union de la Sommelerie Française. He is also an English-certified Master Sommelier. Larry has been the only two-time recipient of the James Beard Award for Outstanding Wine Service (Charlie Trotter's / Rubicon restaurant) and was Santé magazine's Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year 2000. Under his guidance, Rubicon restaurant has earned the prestigious Wine Spectator Grand Award annually since 1998 and a Guide Michelin Star since its first American edition.

Before joining Rubicon Estate as Gérant–General Manager in January 2006, Larry Stone was a member of the Board of Directors of the Coppola Companies, and had worked with Niebaum-Coppola Estate as an advisor. With New York restaurateur Drew Nieporent, Larry created Rubicon Restaurant, in honor of the Estate which he now runs, in San Francisco in 1994.

He has also served on the Board of the Kronos Quartet, a highly acclaimed string quartet and he was elected to the Board of Directors of the Court of Master Sommeliers, serving until 2008. In March of 2005, he became a Trustee of the James Beard Foundation, one of the most prestigious culinary organizations in the world, and helped to revitalize it with a new board and reinvigorated membership.

Gale Sysock (California)
Gale has a rich history, with over twenty nine years of skilled winemaking experience from California’s celebrated coastal regions. As the VP of Winemaking for Delicato Family Vineyards Gale uses his knowledge of climate and “terroir” to craft award winning wines. He understands the subtle nuances of the cool climate regions of Santa Barbara, Monterey, Napa and Sonoma and firmly believes that great wines start in the vineyard.

Gale leads successful Chardonnay vineyard projects, from vine to bottle. These endeavors are broad reaching and encompass clonal selections, canopy management, water regime, row spacing trials and harvest maturity profiling. These projects seek to explore a broad range of wine styles.

He has earned accolades and awards from major publications and competitions for his dedicated work. Some of these include, A Top 100 Wine of the Year from The Wine Spectator, Best Wine of the Year classification from the Los Angeles Times and Gold Medal and Best of Show awards from San Francisco, Dallas and Orange County national wine competitions.

Nora Sperling Thiel (South Africa)

Marketer Nora Sperling Thiel, daughter of patriarch and Cape pioneer vintner “Spatz” Sperling of Delheim, studied B. Econ at the University of Stellenbosch with industrial psychology and business economics as main subjects, graduating in1991.

She worked and travelled extensively in Europe and America before starting the export department at Delheim in 1992 when sanctions were lifted, and is currently a director and responsible for all aspects of marketing and exports.

Nora is Chairperson of the Greater Simonsberg Sub-route and serving on the board of directors of the Stellenbosch Wine Route, and a driving force behind the Simonsberg Ward marketing initiative. She also holds the chairmanship of the Greater Simonsberg Conservancy, which won the Cape Fox award for best managed conservancy in 2007.

Nora played a major role in Delheim achieving Biodiversity and Wine Initiative Champion status, as well as in Delheim winning the Sustainable Wine Tourism Practices Award.

Nora is married to Erhardt Thiel and they have two sons, and live at the family farm of Delheim in Stellenbosch, South Africa.

Gunter Thies (New Zealand)

Günter Thies graduated with degrees in Agriculture and Viticulture from the University of Bonn and Stuttgart.

Following the completion of his studies Günter worked in wineries in Oregon, USA before returning to Germany to build an impressive twenty year history managing winery estates in the Rhein region.

In 2006 Günter was offered the opportunity to move to New Zealand to establish the Hawke’s Bay based, Elephant Hill Estate & Winery and as Managing Director is responsible for all aspects of the winery operations and marketing

Beyers Truter (South Africa)

He graduated in 1980 as winemaker from the University of Stellenbosch. (B.Sc.Agric.)

Known as the PINOTAGE KING around the world, his passion is undoubtedly red wine. As co-owner and winemaker of Beyerskloof he still believes that all his success is due to the grace of God.

He has won numerous local and international awards throughout his career.

Locally the one which stands out is being an unequaled 10 time winner of the ABSA PINOTAGE TOP 10 AWARDS as well winning the DINERS CLUB WINEMAKER of the YEAR award in 1987 for Pinotage.

Beyers Truter has won a multitude of International recognition and awards, and has particularly achieved great heights at one of the World’s most respected International Competitions, the IWSC.

Beyers Truter is truly one of South Africa’s greatest winemakers and undoubtedly
the King of Pinotage.

Paul Tutton (New Zealand)

Born - Rangiora, Canterbury long time ago
Education - Geelong Grammar School, University of Canterbury B.Com
After university - odd jobs - flour milling, racehorses, and computer systems - ended up in London. Started two restaurants in Covent Garden & Waterloo and a wine company before becoming involved with property. Europa Nostra award for the restoration of the Royal Victoria Patriotic Building .Bought a rundown sheep farm in Waipara , now Waipara West , as a reason to spend more time at home.

Geert-Jan van der Zanden (Chile)

'Flying' Dutchman Geert-Jan van der Zanden has a long history in the New World wine industry, in line positions for leading Chilean wineries Santa Rita and De Martino, as well as in consulting projects with various wineries around the world. With an MBA from one of Europe’s top business schools and now in the MSc in Environmental Management and Policy program at IIIEE in Sweden, Geert-Jan has been instrumental in the move of De Martino towards becoming the first Carbon Neutral winery in South America and the successful launch of De Martino’s fully certified Organic and CO2 Neutral brand NUEVO MUNDO.