Judges Profiles
Julia Harding MW
Senior Editor and Writer at JancisRobinson.com
Julia Harding MW is Senior Editor and Writer at JancisRobinson.com. A Cambridge graduate in Modern Languages, she passed the Master of Wine exams at the first attempt in 2004 and was top student in her year. She has collaborated with Jancis for over 17 years, both on the website and as co-author of Wine Grapes (2012), map editor of the World Atlas of Wine (2019) and now lead editor for the fifth edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine (2023). Julia lives in London, tastes and travels as widely as she can, and keeps fit and sane thanks to bootcamp fitness in the park.
Mark Andrew MW
Co-Owner Noble Rot & Keeling & Andrew
Mark Andrew MW worked for a decade as a wine buyer before co-founding Noble Rot magazine with Dan Keeling in 2013. This led to the opening of Noble Rot Wine Bar & Restaurant in Bloomsbury, Central London in 2015 (winner of 'Best Wine List' at the National Restaurant Awards in 2016, 2017 and 2018, and 'Best Red Wine List' at the World Restaurant Awards in 2019), which will be followed by Noble Rot Soho in 2020. Mark is a lifelong Grecophile and regular visitor to Greece, who supports artisanal Greek wine whenever possible. He became a Master of Wine in 2017 after completing his research paper on Assyrtiko from Santorini.
Lenka Sedlackova MW
Senior Brand Manager at Bancroft Wines
Lenka Sedlackova is originally from the Czech Republic but lives in the UK, where she works as Senior Brand Manager for importer Bancroft Wines, looking after Greece amongst others. She is a regular judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards and has judged at other international competitions. Lenka became a Master of Wine in 2016, with a specialty in Cava, a subject she has lectured on. Her annual visits to Greece, over many years, have helped her foster and nurture a passion for Greek wine
Wojciech Bońkowski MW
Wine Writer Editor in Chief Winicjatywa, author of 4 books
Wojciech Bońkowski the first Master of Wine of Poland, a wine writer, author of seven wine books and editor-in-chief of the largest Polish wine medium with 500K readers yearly, Winicjatywa. In June 2017, he launched Ferment, Poland's new printed wine magazine. He is a Decanter World Wine Awards judge and contributes to many international wine media. He has served as President of the Polish Wine Trade Association and he specialises in the wines of Italy, Greece, Central Europe, Port, and Champagne, as well as gin, rum, and tea, his other life-long passion.. And he actually has another life in which he researches 19th-century music.
Caro Maurer MW
Journalist and Wine educator
In 2011 Caro Maurer MW became the first female Master of Wine from the German speaking countries. Since 30 years Caro is working as a wine writer. Caro also works as a wine educator for WSET Diploma in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Bordeaux, Tuscany and Norway. She is deeply involved in the education of MW students at the Institute of Masters of Wine where she is also chair of the Admission Committee and member of the Council. Furthermore Caro is hosting educational seminars and tastings for numerous generic wine associations such as Wines of Alentejo or VDP. She is judging in international wine competitions, at Decanter WWA in London she is a panel chair.
Demetri Walters MW
Wine Consultant
Demetri Walters MW is an independent wine consultant, wine educator and presenter, who formerly held both retail and trade-orientated positions for almost 20 years with the prestigious Berry Bros. & Rudd. He possesses many years of experience selling wine, providing product training, running wine schools, as well as hosting professional, corporate & private wine tasting events to groups of all sizes, all over the world, hosts wine shows and documentaries on television, and is a seasoned international wine judge.
Demetri was made a Master of Wine in 2013, his thesis for which brought him back to his formative interest in Cypriot wine. He is a consultant voice for numerous wine regions, particularly those of the Eastern Mediterranean and Eastern Europe, and is a regular speaker on sweet and fortified wines.
Christophe Heynen MW
Serial entrepreneur in the wine business
Belgian Christophe Heynen MW is an alumni of the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne (EHL Hospitality Business School) Switzerland. He founded his first wine company “Gustoworld” in Belgium over 20 years ago, has since created and acquired several successful wine distribution companies in France, Belgium and Luxembourg. Christophe was chosen as “Belgian Wine personality of the Year” in 2020, shortly after being awarded the title of Master of Wine. Through his companies, Christophe works with many of the world’s best wine producers, activity which takes him around the world. He also appears regularly on Belgian television to discuss wine, teaches sommeliers, MW students worldwide and has consulted several prestigious estates in the production of wines.
