Special Guests

Jingwei Sun has the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines and Spirits and is advisor for the International Development of fWSET Asia Pacific Limited, Hong Kong. She develops WSET’s business in Mainland China, provides local coverage and support to Approved Program Providers (APPs) in China, and is also responsible for WSET’s presence at events and trade shows in the Greater China.

Olivier is a Wine Expert, he is the President of the famous and historic Compagnie des Courtiers Jurés Experts Piqueurs de Vins de Paris. In 1997, He founded his own company to distribute wine in France and for the export market. He judges in the mainly International Wine Competitions (Monde Selection, Mondial du Chasselas, etc); organises international events and French important Concours (Laureades, Concours des Vins de la Foire de Paris).

Jicheng ZHAN is a member of China’s National Association of Wine Tasting, a professor at the China Agriculture University, a consultant for Australian wines in China & editor-in-chief of the magazine “China Wines”.

Professor of China Agricultural University, Director of Wine Technology Development Center & Director of Food Science & Nutritional Engineering Research Center

Sonal Holland, India’s first and only Master of Wine, is a certified wine educator, broadcaster, judge and wine consultant. She founded the SoHo Wine Club delivering curated wine selections, tutored tastings and wine experiences to discerning consumers in India. She founded the Sonal Holland Wine Academy in 2009, now India’s foremost institution offering certified WSET wine courses and consultancy. Formerly wine and beverage consultant to ITC Hotels, she launched the pioneering, award-winning digital channel Sonal Holland Wine TV, has been regularly featured among the Top Women in Wine in India and was listed among the Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Indian Luxury in 2015. She judges at international wine competitions and regularly authors wine articles for leading lifestyle and business publications in India.

Rico Lasin is a biochemist, licensed chemist, a 21-year GSMI employee and the current Technical Services Group Manager of Ginebra San Miguel, Inc. (GSMI). Prior to his current assignment, Rico was the R&D Group Manager handling the Liquor, Non-Alcoholic Beverage and Distillery R&D departments of GSMI. He has visited various alcohol distilleries both local and abroad; thus, earning several experiences and exposures to the development and process adjustments in alcohol fermentation and distillation processes

A wine judge and taster in Switzerland and abroad for over 20 years, Pierre Thomas has written several books or texts on food and wine: “Le vin pratique” (2012 ), a handbook on tasting wine and the market in Switzerland and worldwide; “Vignobles suisses” (2003); “Guide des vignerons de Suisse romande” (1998); and “Abc”, a monograph on the winemaker of Ollon (2005). He has also contributed to several Gault Millau restaurant guides with portraits of the fifty best winemakers in western Switzerland (1995), the “100 best wineries in Switzerland” (2013), and the Swiss section of the Guide Hachette des Vins (to 2014).

Robert Joseph is a wine expert and writer. In 1984, with Charles Metcalfe, he launched the magazine Wine International and the London International Wine Challenge, which grew to become the world's biggest wine competition. Since then Robert has also launched International Wine Challenges in Asia (China, Japan, Vietnam, Singapore, Hong Kong, India) and Russia. He regularly appears on television and radio in the UK and overseas to talk about wine.

Chairman of South Xinjiang Winemaker Association. General Manager and winemaker in Xinjiang Xiangdu Winery Co., LTD  

Jung Sungwhon is head researcher at the Central R&D Centre of Hitejinro Co, Ltd, Seoul, Korea. He holds an MSc in microbiology and has developed many Soju products, including Jinro brands, Chamisul and Ilpoomjinro.

Jong Ki is CEO of JL Craft, South Korea. He has a degree in agricultural chemistry, a post graduate diploma in brewing & distilling and has completed a doctoral program in biological sciences. Previously, he was director of Doosan Seagram’s, vice-president of Diageo Korea, and a professor at Yeungnam University and Hankyong National University.

Beijing Redstar Co. Ltd, Oenologue

A professor and deputy dean of the Oenology School at the Binzhou Medical University & the former editor-in-chief of ‘China Wine News’

China Wine news

General secretary of the Winemaking Association of Fangshan

In 1999 Giorgi graduated from Jules Guyot University of Vine and Wine Institute Burgundy, France with a “Diplome National d'Oenologue”. In the same year, he continued his studies at Bordeaux University graduating from a master’s course in law, viticulture and winemaking management and economics. He worked as a winemaker in Burgundy, Provence and Alsace. Since 2014, he has been chairman of the National Wine Agency/ Ministry of Agriculture, Georgia.

Degree in oenology from the University of Dijon, Christian Vergier is a wine producer in  Burgundy. Responsible for technical training at the International Center of Segonzac – Cognac, where he is teaching all the process and practices used for the creation of aged spirits. Recognized for this aging specialized practices, Christian Vergier is the consultant of several distilleries around the world

Naoki Watanabe is head wine maker and senior general manager of Suntory Tomi-no-ka Winery – Japan. He trained as an oenologist at Bordeaux University.

Chairman of JOJ (Koshu of Japan), Chairman of Yamanashi Winery’s cooperative and President and CEO of Lumiere Winery Co. Ltd

Wonkuk is a certified wine sommelier and a consultant in traditional liquors. He is marketing manager of Eurovino, marketing director of ‘Terroir Wine Out let’ (www.winedc.co.kr). For three years, he has been CEO of E-Wine Biz & Consultant in South Korea. He still works as wine import advisor for more than 40 wine and spirits companies in Korea.

Arora is a noted wine writer, author, journalist, international judge, speaker, consultant, educator and a wine club promoter. He is the Editor and major content provider of the eNewsletter delWine. Arora founded the Delhi Wine Club in 2002 where he pairs food with wine and has organized a large number of wine dinners.

Kailash Gurnani is the chief winemaker & director of India's only family owned & operated winery, York. He graduated from the Oenology School at the University of Adelaide, Australia and is also the youngest winemaker in India

Ashok Chokalingam joined Amrut Distilleries in February 2004 as territory manager – sales and marketing, responsible for marketing and logistics for the EU market. He assumed responsibility for international sales and marketing in Feb 2007. Ashok has received accolades such as ‘Icons of Whisky’, Whisky Ambassador of the Year in 2012 and 2016 by Whisky Magazine in the U.K.

Ms Ben Simon is the Export Director of the renowned Israeli Carmel/Yatir wineries. Her career began at the Golan Heights Winery as a Product Specialist, responsible for overall program development. She continued as Regional Sales Manager for the US based Royal Wine Corp. in Northern California. Royal is a manufacturer, importer and distributor of premium wines and spirits from around the world. In her current job Dorit is managing the sales and the export processes for the American, European and Asian markets

Michelle is head of country research at leading global strategic market research provider Euromonitor and her key responsibilities include ensuring the timely output of high calibre data and analysis for mainland China. She is frequently invited to industry conferences and seminars to share her in-depth insight.

Vice-general-secretary of the China Wine Association and vice-general-secretary of the Chinese viticulture society. Associate professor of wine tasting and oenology at the Beijing Agricultural College and a guest lecturer at ESA Angers, France. He trained at Chateau Palmer, and has visited almost every wine region in the world. Demei was the first chief winemaker and technical director for the Chinese-French government joint venture project, Sino-French Demonstration Vineyards and Winery. He consults for several wineries in China.

Yutong is the deputy dean of the China Food Fermentation Industry Research Institute. He is also director of the Georgian Wine Agency (China).

Founder, editor in chief and tastings director of the WINE & Degustation magazine. Founder and editor in chief of the annual Guide to the best wines of the Czech Republic. President of the Wine Prague international wine fair. In a professional wine bussines since 1998 as a freelance wine writer and photographer for many Czech wine , food and lifestyle magazines. He also cooperated on the Czech edition of the Decanter magazine in the years 2007 till 2009. Since the end of 2009 he has been leading the WINE & Degustation magazine, that is now the number one wine magazine in the Czech Republic and also in Slovakia. He has been cooperating on several wine books and wine guides. As a wine judge, he has been regularly attending many important international wine competitions as well as all the biggest wine competitions in the Czech Republic. He loves the wines from the traditional European wine regions and specializes in the wine investments.

In 2004, Taner established his own company, Fidelity Consulting, aimed at establishing ‘Wines of Turkey’ by bringing Turkish wineries together to promote their wines abroad and develop a wine culture in Turkey.  In 2014, with membership of WOT standing at 30 wineries (90% of wine business in Turkey), Taner completed his mission by securing WOT government support for exports. Taner is also a judge at many prestigious wine challenges such as Concours Mondial de Bruxelles and IWC.

Golden Grape ArmAs CEO, Victoria Armen Aslanian was born in Yerevan in 1982, immigrating to the U.S. in 1990. She studied Art History in Florence, Italy, and continued her education at UC Berkeley where she received her BA degree. In 2009, she repatriated to Armenia to partake in her father's vision and venture which involved developments in the agricultural, wine & brandy, and tourism sectors. Victoria received the Best Brand by a Woman Entrepreneur award from the prime minister of Armenia in 2014.

Megumi studied wine tasting at the Academie du Vin in Tokyo in 1989 and worked as a wine buyer and consultant in the nineties. Since 2000, she has been a freelance wine journalist for several magazines, including Winart, Wands, Cuisine Kingdom and Gabinand. At Winart magazine, she has written and reported for the past 16 years on passionate wine growers, their philosophies and lives in wine regions across the world. Since last year, Megumi has also been a wine consultant for several restaurants in Japan.

Former president of the International Wine & Food Society Manila Ladies Branch

Mr Kornblum Koren is an experienced Senior News Editor as well as Wine & Spirits Journalist, writer and broadcaster of hundreds of articles and programs in specialized magazines, leading internet sites and the Israeli public radio. He is a judge in international competitions such as MundusVini, Concours Mondial and Vinitaly. Yair was awarded the decoration of Cavaliere by the President of Italy and is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers (UK). His education includes Master's degree from the University of Liverpool with dissertation: "Promoting Wine Culture in Israel – Experts' Views".

Professor at the University of Hong Kong - Master of International Wine Management program - Education specialist (integrated learning) at PolyU. As a former chef, his industry experience has taken him to several countries, including New Zealand, Australia, South Africa, Northern Ireland and England where he has worked with renowned chefs. Mr Mackenzie has held key positions in major hotels and restaurants and has worked in the hospitality industry for over 25 years.

Olivia is President and CEO of Destileria Limtuaco & Co., Inc. the Philippines’ oldest distillery. She is also the founding chair of the Distilled Spirits Association of the Philippines. A hands-on executive, she is a strong advocate of export development and the adoption of quality systems. President of Foresight Book Publishing and Distributing Co., she has published several books and publishes magazines.

A freelance journalist and translator, Sharon spent 25 years writing for the French wine trade journal ‘La Journée Vinicole’ and now writes for the digital wine media Vitisphere. A judge at several international wine competitions, she also co-ordinates the Sauvignon blanc steering committee and has contributed to books, including one on the Pic Saint Loup appellation in Languedoc.

Elie Maamari studied viticulture and oenology in France (Toulouse) and was the winemaker at Chateau Ksara for 11 years. His last vintage was in 1994. Since 1995, he has been export and marketing director at Chateau Ksara. He also teaches the oenology classes at the American University of Notre Dame as well as at the Lausanne School of Hotel Management in Beirut. He was awarded the title of “Chevalier de l’Ordre du Mérite agricole” in 2003 by the French Government.

Wojciech is involved in all the major initiatives on the Polish wine scene, including its first wine book – Wines of Europe Guide - the first wine magazine – Magazyn Wino– a leading wine blog - @ www.winaeuropy.pl – and the online wine magazine www.winicjatywa.pl, now Poland’s no. 1 wine medium. He educates Polish consumers about wine, tutors tastings and wine classes and is a columnist for the digital media, also writing on his blog www.bonkowski.me.

Agri-food engineer (Universidad Politécnica de Madrid) with a masters’ degree in viticulture and oenology (UPM). He was awarded the WSET Diploma in Benelux, the Weinakademiker certificate coupled with the Schloss Vollrads Award for the highest results at Geisenheim and Rust (Austria) and became a Master of Wine at the London-based Institute of Masters of Wine, winning the Errazuriz Award for the best paper on the wine business. He has followed other courses and specialisation studies in Jerez, Beaune, the Napa Valley and Bordeaux.

Journalist at Shanghai Daily, wine columnist for China People's Publications Z Mag, Money Journal China, Men's UNO, Stuff Taiwan and the publisher and author of ISACS Wine Guides in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore; and also a host of gourmet-related TV and radio programs in Shanghai and Taipei.

Member of the Asian Wine Association – Owner of Sula Vineyards.

Whisky Write & Journalist Author of Singlemalt whisky bible Whisky Live in Seoul Committee Judge of Korean Wine & Spirits Awards.

Chen Chienhao is Assistant Professor of Wine and Spirits at the National Kaohsiung University of Hospitality and Tourism and Professor at the Polytechnic University of Hong Kong. He has a PhD in Tropical Agriculture and a Master of OIV from the University of Paris X Nanterre. He is a CIVB qualified International Wine Educator

Associate professor at the Faculty of Agriculture, Kagoshima University, Yumiko also has a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in Agriculture. She specialises in the formation mechanism of odour compounds in fermented foods, and more specifically in Shochu. She conducts research for the Brewing Society of Japan, the Japan Society for Bioscience, Biotechnology, and Agrochemistry, and the Japanese Society of Applied Glycoscience.

Rojita Tiwari is an independent wine & spirits writer & consultant. She is an award-winning blogger and founder of Drinks & Destinations. She is a well-known name on the Indian alcohol, travel and hospitality scene and a judge at several international wine and spirits competitions. She is a WSET certified wine & spirits professional and has been listed twice (2013 and 2015) as one of the ‘Top Ten Women of Wine in India’ by the Indian Wine Academy. She is also the curator of ‘Celebrating India’s 50 Finest Wines’.

Editor and key taster of Simple Wine News, Russia's leading wine magazine, one of the best Russian wine writers contributing to different life-style magazines, including Kommersant Weekend, GQ Russia, Aeroflot Premium, Taste etc

A taster, writer and traveller, Eduardo is the owner and wine editor of ‘Vitis Magazine’, the only technical and international wine magazine in Chile. Author of the popular ‘Vinos con Cuento’ guide, he is a member of Chile’s circle of wine and gourmet food writers. Founder of Vignadores de Carignan, his goal is to rescue and promote wines, spirits and food treasures from forgotten parts of the world.

Wine writer, translator, blogger and journalist Editor VINHO MAGAZINE (about wine and food) Wine events and fairs organiser in Brasil, like “Wine Weekend”, the biggest wine fair in Latin America

Carlos Borboa is a certified sommelier and a specialized wine & spirits journalist. He works as a columnist for El Universal Newspaper Mexico City. He teaches the specialized course in wine at the Mexican Sommelier Association and for the Master of Wine at CESSA Universidad Mexico City. He is a wine and spirits consultant and founder and vice-president of the Mexican Tea Board. He is also a judge at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles

Derek Sandhaus is an American writer. He is the author of three books, most recently Baijiu: The Essential Guide to Chinese Spirits (Penguin, 2014). His writing has appeared in magazines, anthologies and literary journals. He is also the editor of numerous titles, including the memoirs of controversial sinologist Sir Edmund Trelawny Backhouse, Décadence Mandchoue (Earnshaw, 2011). He lives in Buenos Aires.

Chief Editor of Dinvinguide web magazine.

Ágnes has been in the wine business for 12 years. She was editor-in-chief of the Hungarian edition of British magazine Decanter and since 2011 has been editor-in-chief of Hungary’s leading wine magazine, VinCE Magazine. She is the founder of the prestigious annual VinCE Budapest Wine Show. She has visited many wine regions in Europe, held masterclasses and judged at various international wine competitions.

Yves Beck’s topics are Swiss and French Wines. He is a frequent user of Facebook and Twitter and mainly writes for the German Magazine « Weinwisser » and local newspapers. He also has published reports as a freelance journalist for Vinum. Beck has written three books dedicated to the wines from the Biel area, Neuchâtel and Vully. He runs his own company GlobalBeck Services LLC and specialises in wine-related communications and translations. www.beckustator.com

A passionate taster, reader, writer and speaker about eating & drinking, Jürgen writes for culinary magazines in Austria and Germany and has written a book about ‘Cooking with Spirits’. He designed the Best of BIO award for the finest organic wines and spirits and is also chair of Slow Food Salzburg and a member of the executive board of the Culinary Heritage of the Alps -Association.

Freelance writer on food and wine – she shares her working time between the General-Anzeiger, the daily newspaper in Bonn, responsible for the food and wine section, and as a writer for the two magazines Der Feinschmecker (The Gourmet) and Fine, the German edition of the wine magazine.

Doug Frost is one of only four people worldwide to have achieved the remarkable distinctions of Master Sommelier and Master of Wine. He has written three books on wine, is the wine and spirits consultant for United Airlines, and writes for many national publications. He is also director of several competitions, producer and host of the award-winning TV series FermentNation, and a founding partner of educational and consulting company Beverage Alcohol Resource.

Anette consults for restaurants in London and Asia, including Spanish restaurants Pizzaro and Jose. She is an international judge at Decanter competitions in London, China, New Zealand, Australia and France. She runs regular training sessions for the on-trade at several restaurants in London.

Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine. Journalist and Broadcaster. Co-Chairman of the Decanter World Wine Awards for Spain and for Sherry, Sarah Jane is a member of the Gran Orden de Caballeros de Vino for services to Spanish wine.

Bernard is a wine and spirits journalist writing for titles such as Le Figaro, l'Amateur de Bordeaux, GaultMillau, La Revue du Vin de France and Wands. He is a permanent member of the Grand Jury Européen.

Sumedh is the CEO of Grover Zampa Vineyards, India’s pioneering and award-winning wine producer. He is also the current chair of the Asian Wine Producers Association, designed to help quality-focused producers of wines from locally grown grapes more effectively promote their achievements internationally and share experiences with other regional wine producers. Sumedh boasts over 21 years’ experience in the FMCG, hospitality and food & beverage industries.