14 new MWs announced

The Institute of Masters of Wine has named 14 new MWs, taking the total of people to hold the prestigious title worldwide to 369.

The new members of the Institute of Masters of Wine were announced this morning, with four from the UK and five from the US, as well as Norway, Spain and Hong Kong. The latest crop of successful MW students join the four announced in March of this year. There are now 369 MWS living in 29 countries. 

The notoriously tough Masters of Wine Examination consists of three stages, including theory and practical exams, and culminates in the submission of a final research paper – an in-depth study on a wine related topic from any area of the sciences, arts, humanities, or social sciences.

In addition to passing the examination, all MWs are required to sign the Code of Conduct before they are entitled to use the initials MW. The Code of Conduct requires MWs to act with honesty and integrity, and use every opportunity to share their understanding of wine with others.

You can see the four new members over the following pages, including biographies and the titles of their research papers.

Congratulations to the new members from all of us at the drinks business.

Nova Cadamatre MW (USA)

Nova is the first female winemaker in the US to achieve the title of Master of Wine and one of very few American winemakers to do so. She resides in the beautiful Finger Lakes of upstate NY with her husband, Brian, and son, Nathaniel. Currently, she is Director of Winemaking for Canandaigua Winery for whom she makes the 240 Days wines; a Riesling, dry rosé, and Cabernet Franc. She also is the owner of Trestle Thirty One, a new, high end, boutique winery making age-worthy, dry Riesling. In 2014, Nova was listed in the Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 list and has numerous 90+ scoring wines to her credit from both California and New York. Originally from Greer, South Carolina, Nova began her career in wine after moving to New York to pursue horticulture. As one of the first graduates of Cornell’s Viticulture and Enology programme in 2006, Nova relocated to California to assume a number of winemaking roles with many iconic wineries including Beringer, Chateau St. Jean, Chateau Souverain, and most recently at Robert Mondavi Winery. There she was the red winemaker focusing on Cabernet Sauvignon from the iconic To Kalon Vineyard. Nova is a WSET Alumni, blogger, wine writer and Ningxia Winemaker Challenge contestant.

Research Paper: Exploring the efficacy of different barrel cleaning procedures on Brettanomyces bruxellensis and Acetobacter spp populations and the relative financial and environmental benefits of each treatment

Julie Chene Nyheim MW (Norway)

Master of Wine Julie Nyheim 10937#
FOTO: CF-Wesenberg@kolonihaven.no #cfwesenberg

Julie is originally from France, and lived in Morocco, New York, San Francisco, and Montreal before she happily settled down in Oslo, Norway. She holds a Bachelor degree in Economics and Political Sciences from the University of McGill in Montreal and a Master degree in Business Administration from the BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo. She worked as a project manager and business consultant for some years before she decided to follow her passion for wine as a career in 2010. Julie has worked for the largest importers in Norway, and has experience with the wine industry across Scandinavia. Her areas of expertise include business development, brand management and new product development. She recently joined Altia Norway’s management team as Business Development Director. Over the last few years, she has spent considerable time investigating consumer preferences and trends in order to develop and optimise a product portfolio. In her research paper, she analysed the importance of health on Norwegian women’s drinking attitudes and preferences, and what the implications are for importers and producers. When not traveling, or tasting wine, she can be found boating in the Oslo fjord, practicing the martial art Muay Thai, or simply enjoying cooking and a good glass of wine at home with her husband Thomas.

Research Paper: Norwegian women’s attitudes to health and alcohol: their receptivity to “healthy” wine brands

Alistair Cooper MW (UK)

Alistair was born and raised in the UK. He holds a degree in Modern Languages (Spanish, Portuguese and Latin American Studies) from Newcastle University. After finishing university, a WSET course convinced him to pursue a career in wine. His passion for Latin America took him to Chile and Argentina where he worked for several years for wineries as an export manager. Returning to the UK, he then managed and consulted for wine bars and retail shops, as well as working in on-trade sales for a small specialist importer. Being awarded the Derouet Jameson Scholarship for his WSET Diploma results convinced him to enrol in the MW Study Programme. Alistair is currently consulting and working freelance, judging, as well as writing for wine magazines and hosting private and corporate tastings and events.

Research Paper: The Itata region in Chile: how have the region’s origins impacted its present? An assessment of the opportunities for development and investment in the region

Philip Harden MW (UK)

Philip studied Economics and History at University College London (UCL) before embarking on a career in investment banking and then latterly as an investment manager for a family office. Philip then swapped the financial world for the wine world, undertaking the WSET courses and then the Master of Wine. A passion for wine morphed into a career of trading and investing in fine wine and consulting on cellar creation and wine investment portfolios. Away from the financial side, Philip’s passion is finding those wines that punch way above expectations and deliver the elegance and quality expected of expensive and famous wines but at a fraction of the price, and he believes there are plenty more out there.

Research Paper: Did a bubble burst for Bordeaux Cru Classe prices in 2011? What might the future for prices hold?

Ashley Hausman Vaughters MW (USA)

Ashley came into the wine industry in 2008 while completing her Masters in English and American Literature at New York University. She moved to Denver, Colorado in 2009 to manage Little’s Fine Wine & Spirits; in 2013, she took a position in import distribution for Old World Wine Imports, which she still represents. Ashley also teaches for the Wine Education Institute and conducts many private and public events through her own education/consulting business – Mistral Wine Co., which she formed in 2014. Former and present clients include Rocky Mountain PBS, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Alliance Française, The Italian Institute and Liv Sotheby’s International. Recently, Ashley was awarded the Commanderie de Bordeaux aux Etats Unis Scholarship for outstanding performance by a North American student in the MW Study Programme. She also serves on the Colorado Wine Industry Development Board, for whom she is Chair of the Legislative and Business Development Committee as well as Secretary. When she is not teaching, selling or drinking wine, she can be found hanging out with her husband and stepson, reading, writing, running, cooking or obsessing over her dog.

Research Paper: What factor(s) caused a rise in Cabernet Sauvignon acreage throughout the Napa Valley from 1961-1976?

Sarah Heller MW (Hong Kong)

Sarah is a wine communicator, designer and consultant. Having worked in New York’s wine trade while getting her degree at Yale, Sarah was then Executive Director of Hong Kong’s Meiburg Wine Media for three years. She subsequently started her own firm through which she consults on Chinese distribution and e-commerce; Asian market-appropriate packaging design, branding and training materials; and F&B wine programme design. Sarah is also a journalist, writing for the South China Morning Post, Spirito di Vino and #legend magazines; her videos on Chinese app ShowMuse have over one million views. Sarah regularly judges competitions, such as the CX HKIWSC and China’s Wine100. She won the 2013 Vintners’ Cup, is a SWE CSS and CSW, and a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador.

Research Paper: Purchasing cues of Millennial Chinese online wine consumers

Tim Jackson MW (UK)

Since a visit to Chablis in July 1994, Tim has been on a 20+ year journey into wine. That became formalised through WSET Advanced then WSET Diploma with Distinction, including the McNie Tasting Trophy and Hors Concours prizes in 2010. He finally joined the MW Study Programme in October 2013. Throughout that time, Tim has kept books of interesting labels of wines he’s drunk, with associated notes, thoughts and occasionally autographs. Up to book six, he is now progressively uploading these 1,000+ entries onto his new website, winebook.co.uk. Tim is marketing director for a specialist mortgage business, but outside financial services marketing, Tim teaches wine through corporate wine tastings and is passionate about bringing the world of wine alive for consumers. This, in part, inspired his research paper topic. Beyond wine, Tim mostly cycles up mountains when the opportunity arises, with Madeira being a particularly tough challenge, and as a retired marathon runner now only runs the Marathon du Médoc, as an efficient way to visit Bordeaux Châteaux.

Research Paper: Elementary consumer wine education: UK market size, characteristics and significance to the trade

Andreas Kubach MW (Spain)

Andreas is a German-Spanish wine producer and entrepreneur. He is co-founder and managing director of Peninsula, a Madrid-based company that manages vineyards and wineries across Spain, based on the values of authenticity and sustainability. The estates managed include Fontana Bodegas & Viñedos, with 1,000 hectares of sustainably farmed vineyards in Castile. Andreas’ career in the wine industry spans over 20 years. Besides the general management of small luxury estates as well as big, volume-oriented wine companies, he has been responsible for production, quality management, sales and marketing, giving him a deep understanding of all aspects of the international wine business. In 2003, Andreas founded Vinista, a consultancy specialised in business development and turnaround management for the wine industry. Previous roles include managing director of Pagos Marqués de Griñón and the Swiss Schenk Group. Born to German parents, Andreas has lived in Spain since his youth. He is fluent in English, Spanish, German, French and Portuguese.

Research Paper: The use of long-term contracts in grape procurement – a study of current practices in the D.O. Ribera del Duero

Fernando Mora MW (Spain)

Fernando was an engineer working in the automotive and wind industry when he fell in love with wine, and did everything within his power to turn his hobby into a profession. In his quest to become a winemaker he planted 28 vines in his grandparents’ garden in Alagón, Zaragoza and bought a kit to make his own wine at home, with an ice-based temperature control set that he placed in his bathtub. His first vintage was in 2008 when he made wine with friends in Valdejalón. After leaving his job in 2013 he created Bodegas Frontonio and in 2015 he launched a new project in Campo de Borja called Cuevas de Arom. He is also involved in consultant winemaking and sales for third parties. His life is everything around Garnacha.

Research Paper: Proposals for creating a revised wine quality classification in Denomination of Origin (DO) Campo de Borja, with recommendations for potential implementation in other DOs in Spain

Aina Mee Myhre MW (Norway)

Aina is based in Oslo, Norway, where she is founder of the importing company Heyday Wines. Aina studied marketing and business at BI Norwegian Business School in Oslo and ESADE and ICADE in Spain, before starting her career in the wine business with Pernod Ricard in 2005. From 2007, Aina worked as a wine buyer for the importing companies Solera Group and Moestue Grape Selections, expanding her knowledge in both brand management and fine wines. In 2015, Aina started her own company Heyday Wines, where her portfolio particularly expresses her passion for the indigenous varieties and unique terroirs of Spain. With a keen interest in organic, biodynamic and natural wines, Aina is continuously looking for authentic and interesting wines to introduce into the Norwegian market.

Research Paper: Wines in PET bottles in the Norwegian monopoly market: a study of the top-sellers and the monopoly’s role in the sales of these wines

Billo Naravane MW (USA)

Yashodhan Naravane (‘Billo’) is the owner and winemaker of Rasa Vineyards, an artisanal, world-class winery that he founded with his brother in Walla Walla, WA. He attended UC Davis and earned an MS in Viticulture and Enology in 2008. In addition to his duties at Rasa Vineyards, he loves to help other serious wine aficionados realise their artistic visions for their wines and grapes. He provides consulting winemaking and viticulture services for the following clients: Delmas, Rivaura, Echo Ridge Cellars, Mackey Vineyards, and Sinclair Estate Vineyards. Billo also loves to teach and is an Adjunct Professor at Washington State University. Prior to making the transition to the wine industry, Billo studied Mathematics and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Electrical Engineering at Stanford University. He also worked as a consultant and manager at several technology companies including Oracle, Netscape, and Hewlett Packard. He is incredibly thankful that he hasn’t written a line of code in approximately 10 years. When he is not making wine, teaching about wine, or drinking wine, he can often be found tinkering on the piano or, much to the chagrin of his wife, reading theoretical mathematics texts. Actually, he is just as likely to be learning magic tricks or reading Spiderman comic books. But his favourite activity is spoiling his darling baby granddaughter.

Research Paper: Anthocyanin Sequestration: Can Sulfur Dioxide be used proactively pre-fermentation to increase polymeric pigment formation in Oregon Pinot Noir and Washington Syrah

Catherine Petrie MW (UK)

After studying English literature at university Catherine’s wine career began in the winery, working as a cellar hand. Starting in the Mornington Peninsula in 2010, she has gone on to work in Friuli, Martinborough, Bordeaux, Burgundy, and Sancerre. Between 2011 and 2015 she worked for small London-based Burgundy specialist, Robert Rolls, before moving to Burgundy and Bordeaux fine wine merchant Goedhuis & Co where she works as Buying and Marketing Manager. Alongside her job in the London wine trade she continues to return to France each year for the harvest.

Research Paper: Sancerre’s single vineyard wines versus formal cru classification systems: an investigation of Les Monts Damnés, Les Culs de Beaujeu, and Chêne Marchand

Nigel Sneyd MW (USA)

Nigel started working in wine at just seventeen years of age and never looked back. He completed his first Oenology degree at Charles Sturt University in Australia and his second at the Université de Dijon in France where he obtained his Diplôme National d’Oenologue as Dux of his year. His time in France also allowed him to complete internships at Domaine Dujac in Burgundy, Champagne Krug and INRA, as well as to become fluent in French. He worked as winemaker for Evans and Tate in Western Australia and then managed the AWRI’s Extension and Advisory Services while simultaneously working with Tony Laithwaite’s Flying Winemakers programme in France during its nascent years. He completed his MBA from Monash University before settling in France, firstly as director of BRL Hardy’s Domaine de la Baume and later as director of a negociant business specialising in high-end appellation wines from the Languedoc. Twelve years ago he moved to London to join E&J Gallo’s International Winemaking group and recently relocated to California where he is currently a director of that division. His responsibilities exposed him to winemaking in Italy, Spain, Germany, South Africa, California, Argentina and New Zealand. During that time, he embarked on the MW journey.

Research Paper: Observations on the sensory and chemical differences in dry white and rosé wines bottled and stored in clear glass and UV-protected clear glass

Morgan Twain-Peterson MW (USA)

Morgan is the winemaker and owner of Bedrock Wine Co. in Sonoma, CA—a winery dedicated to preserving and rehabilitating old vineyards across the state of California. Morgan was exposed to wine tasting at an early age; in David Darlington’s book Angel’s Visits, it is noted that “Morgan, at the age of five, could distinguish between Merlot and Zinfandel.” Under the tutelage of his father, Ravenswood’s Joel Peterson, Morgan began making small lots of Pinot Noir at age five from fruit given to him by the Sangiacomo family. Educated at Vassar College and Columbia University, Morgan started Bedrock Wine Co. in 2007 following stints in Australia and Bordeaux. Bedrock wines have been featured in many major publications, including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, Decanter, Food and Wine, Town and Country, and many more. The Bedrock Heritage Wine, which comes from the Peterson family’s 129-year-old Bedrock Vineyard, has been featured three times in Wine Spectator’s Top 100 List, placing as high as #13. In addition, the winery has received a score of 90 points or higher from Wine Spectator over 60 times. In 2014, Morgan was named The San Francisco Chronicle’s Co-Winemaker of the Year by Jon Bonné. Robert Parker stated, after giving the winery its first two 100 point scores, that “Everybody should recognise the incredible speed at which Morgan Twain-Peterson has built his Bedrock Wine Co. into a world-class performer.” Morgan is also co-owner of Under The Wire, a sparkling wine project dedicated to making single-vineyard, méthode Champenoise wines. Morgan is happiest when walking his vineyards with shears, obsessing over biological controls and biochar, and tasting through barrels. When he’s not making wine, drinking wine, or thinking about wine, Morgan can be found picking tomatoes in his garden, hiking around Northern California, and annoying his friends with trivia about John Prine and Waylon Jennings.

Research Paper: A review of late 19th century planting practices in Californian vineyards and their relevance to today’s viticulture. A research paper based upon Bedrock Vineyard, planted in 1888