Meet our Judges
Wines entered are curated & evaluated by 6 of the most prominent and well known Wine Judges in the New World – and 5 leading Masters of Wine for 2021, including:
One of New Zealand’s most experienced wine critics, judge and educator. He is wine editor of Taste magazine and the Air NZ In-flight magazine Kia Ora as well as being New Zealand editor for Gourmet Traveller Wine. Over 22,000 people have attended his wine certificate courses in New Zealand, Australia, Asia and Europe
South Africa’s most highly regarded international wine judge, the country’s most widely consulted liquor industry authority, and one of South Africa’s leading wine writers. Michael also teaches and directs the Wine Judging Academy run in association with its Graduate School of Business.
One of Australia’s major wine writers and critics, Chair of the Vin de Champagne Awards, judge of the Australian Winemaker of the Year and a number of other major wine competitions. Huon tastes wines blind and writes for Decanter, Gourmet Traveller Wine, Sydney Morning Herald and occasionally The World of Fine Wine.
Patrick Comiskey is a Senior Correspondent for Wine & Spirits Magazine, where he serves as chief critic for the wines of the Pacific Northwest. He is also an instructor on the wine business at UCLA, and a regular contributor to the Los Angeles Times, the San Francisco Chronicle, Lucky Peach, Food & Wine, Bon Appetite, Decanter, The Hollywood Reporter, the Robb Report, and other publications.
Christopher is the co-founder and editor of VINES Magazine and author of the weekly wine column, Waters & Wine. Christopher is head judge of the InterVin International Wine Awards and a WSET-certified instructor and Wine Appreciation Co-coordinator at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute.
Eduardo is one of the foremost journalists in the Chilean wine industry. He is owner and Wine Editor of VITIS Magazine, the only technical and international wine magazine in Chile, and Associate Editor of several international wine magazines.
Toni Paterson MW is one of Australia’s leading wine commentators. Paterson, at the age of 28, passed the rigorous Master of Wine (MW) examinations in 2001 on her first attempt and was awarded the prestigious Madame Lily Bollinger Medal for tasting excellence. Paterson has judged at many international and local wine shows including, but not limited to, the Decanter World Wine Awards, International Wine Challenge & International Wine and Spirit Competition.
Andrea Pritzker is the founder of Wine inTuition a wine education & corporate events business in Sydney Australia. She is also an independent wine consultant, Certified Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) educator, writer and public speaker. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada, she obtained a diploma in Wine Commerce in Bordeaux, France, before moving to Sydney, Australia in 2003.
Alison is a Sydney based Master of Wine working primarily in wine education roles with WSET in Sydney and Hong Kong and the Institute of Masters of Wine. Alison has been a wine judge for over 25 years judging throughout Australia, the US and UK International Wine and Spirit Competition (IWSC) and as a Panel Chair for the past 12 years at the International Wine Challenge (IWC). Alison has travelled extensively through the worlds key wine regions.
Nigel 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. Nigel joined E&J Gallo’s International Winemaking group and relocated to California in 2015 to take up the position of Director of Winemaking. His responsibilities exposed him to winemaking in Italy, Spain, Germany, South Africa, California, Argentina and New Zealand. In October 2019 he returned to Australia as Global Director of Wine and Quality for Accolade Wines.
Kym has worked in the wine industry for over 30 years. A winemaking graduate of Roseworthy College in Australia, his experience includes winemaking in Australia, followed by a nine year stint in New Zealand as Chief Winemaker for Villa Maria winery, also qualifying as a Master of Wine in 1991 whilst in New Zealand. From there to the UK for ten years as Director of Winemaking Operations for International Wine Services, managing winemaking projects throughout Europe, South Africa and South America.
Meet our previous Judges
Our extended family of former judges include:
It is a humbling experience to be involved in this competition – both as a judge and as a selector. Nothing can be taken for granted. A selection which has already won mountains of accolades in its own country cannot be assumed a certain award-winner here. While there is a remarkable degree of agreement among the six judges, their disparate backgrounds to some extent conspire against unanimity of opinion.
Huon Hooke
Australian Judge