Winners 2024-2025

The winners are determined in two stages: public voting and evaluation by the panel of judges. Once the jury finalizes the Award Winners, both the Voting Winners and Award Winners will be announced on the website. Stay tuned for updates!

Voting Winners

The winners of the public voting are announced on the WTA website at the end of March.

Voting Winners
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Award Winners

The names of the Award Winners, determined by the competent WTA jury, are announced at the beginning of May.

Award Winners
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WTA Jury

Robert Joseph
Wine Brand Creator, Consultant, Industry Analyst
Robert Joseph is one of the most experienced and influential figures in the wine world. He is a consultant, wine brand co-creator and co-owner, associate editor, and author with over 30 years of experience in the wine industry. His mission is to share his knowledge, insights, and expertise with the global wine community and beyond. Robert Joseph is an award-winning author of more than 30 books on wine. His two most recent works are Wine Thinking and The Wine People. He also publishes weekly newsletters on LinkedIn (Wine Advocate) and Substack (Wine Thinking). As a public speaker, Robert Joseph regularly delivers keynote presentations at high-level industry events around the world and lectures at leading business schools. Robert Joseph has been a distinguished jury member of the Wine Travel Awards since its inaugural edition, a speaker at WTA events, and the host of the WTA Ceremonies.
Felicity Carter
The founder of Drinks Insider, Editorial Director of Areni Global

Based in Europe, Felicity Carter is the founder of Drinks Insider – a podcast, newsletter, and consultancy offering analysis and insight on the global drinks business. She is also Editorial Director of Areni Global, the London-based fine wine think tank, and a guest lecturer at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. Previously, she was the founding Executive Editor of The Drop at Pix, an editorial consultant for Liv-ex, and Editor in Chief of Meininger’s Wine Business International, which she built into the world’s leading wine trade publication. Her writing has appeared in The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, and The Guardian US. A sought-after keynote speaker on global drinks trends, wine tourism, and the anti-alcohol lobby, she has judged wine competitions across Europe and was named a 2024 Industry Leader by WineBusiness Monthly and winner of the 2025 67 Pall Mall Global Communicators Award for Audio.

Yang Shen
Estate Director of Cloudy Bay

Mr. Yang Shen, Estate Director of Cloudy Bay (one of New Zealand’s most outstanding wineries, part of the LVMH group – the world leader in the luxury industry). Born in China, he studied oenology at the University of Montpellier and wine marketing at the Montesquieu University Bordeaux, although his introduction to fine wine had begun long before that, in his native Chengdu. Throughout his career, Mr. Shen held top positions at Moët Hennessy, Diageo and Chandon China. “My mission at Cloudy Bay is to create wines of exceptional quality that highlight and express New Zealand’s distinctive terroir.”

www.cloudybay.com

Per Karlsson
Co-founder of BKWine, wine writer, wine tour operator and editor of BKWine Magazine
Per Karlsson (Sweden and France) – is an an internationally awarded, professional wine and travel writer and photographer. As co-founder of BKWine, together with Britt Karlsson, he is a wine journalist on BKWine Magazine and Forbes.com, editor of BKWine Magazine, and co-owner of BKWine Tours, one of the world’s leading specialist wine tour operators active across Europe, South America, South Africa and New Zealand. With Britt he has co-authored thirteen wine books (including the award winning “Biodynamic, Organic and Natural Winemaking: Sustainable Viticulture and Viniculture” and the 2026 forthcoming “The Wine for the Future” on sustainability). Per Karlsson is also a consultant and speaker on wine tourism and a wine competition judge and taster in many international and national wine competitions. Per Karlsson has been a distinguished jury member of the WTA since its inaugural edition.
Gergely Szolnoki
Professor of Market Research at Geisenheim University
Gergely Szolnoki (Germany, Greece) – Professor of Market Research at Geisenheim University (Germany) and honorary professor of Wine and Beverage Management & Marketing at the University of West Attica (Athens/Greece). His research fields cover consumer behaviour, communication and social media, organic wines, market analysis and wine tourism. In addition to his scientific activities, Gergely is a delegated expert in the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV), where he leads an expert group, as well as in Great Wine Capitals Global Networks. Since the beginning of the unique Wine Travel Awards project activity, Professor Szolnoki has been its respected judge.
Stéphane Badet
Lecturer at ISVV – Institute of Vine and Wine Science at the University of Bordeaux
Professor, wine economist and expert for AgroCampus Bordeaux Gironde Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty. Lecturer at ISVV – Institute of Vine and Wine Science at the University of Bordeaux, one of the world’s leading educational institutions, as well as a lecturer at such a prestigious university as Bordeaux Sciences Agro. He specializes in wine economy, industry management, business, marketing and tourism for many years, has extensive experience as an expert and consultant in various cooperation and sustainable development programs in the field of winemaking around the world, together with Interco Nouvelle-Aquitaine, UN-FAO, Ministry of Agriculture and Food of France, French and German embassies… Since the first year of the WTA’s founding, Stéphane Badet has been an honorary member of its jury.
Paul Wagner
Senior Wine Tourism Consultant for Expedia Cruise Ship Centers. Co-host at "Bottle Talk With Rick and Paul". Adjunct Instructor, MacPherson Distinguished Teacher at Napa Valley College
Paul Wagner (USA) – Distinguished leader in the wine industry, celebrated for his strategic acumen, marketing innovation, and extensive involvement in wine tourism and education. He has been an instructor for Napa Valley College’s Viticulture and Winery Technology Department for more than thirty years.  He is also a guest lecturer at many universities, such as the Wintour MBA program in Europe, OIV Wine Marketing Master Class at UC Davis, and the Culinary Institute of America at Greystone. Paul Wagner now works as a Senior Advisor, Wine Tourism for Expedia Cruise Ship Centers. As the founder of Balzac Communications & Marketing, he was highly influential in boosting global wine brands through creative promotional campaigns. His book, “Wine Marketing & Sales,” co-written with Liz Thach and Janeen Olsen, addresses the complexities of a saturated market and sets industry benchmarks.
Richard Bampfield MW
Wine expert and consultant Lidl, Albert Bichot (Burgundy), Santa Rita Estates (Chile) and Château Brown (Bordeaux)

Richard Bampfield MW (UK) – Master of Wine with a rich background in international wine education and consultancy. He is a profound expert, writer and is regarded as an influential figure in wine commentary and evaluation. His early career in retail paved the way for a deeper involvement in the wine business, especially when he was managing Brown Brothers’ European operations. Richard advises numerous clients, including wine producers and retailers. He is a fervent advocate for sustainability, contributing to global initiatives such as the Sustainable Wine Roundtable, which aims to foster more collaboration between all links in wine’s value chain.

Paul Robert Blom
Wine and spirits expert. General partner at Schermer Wijnkoper en Distillateur

Paul Robert Blom (Netherlands) – Celebrated wine and spirits expert, started his distinguished career in Amsterdam in 1965 and has since become a pivotal figure in wine judging and education. From 1978 until 2009 Paul Robert was a lecturer at the Wine Academy for Central Europe. For over five decades, he has worked as a judge at major wine competitions around the world. Paul Robert’s collaborations with notable figures like Hugh Johnson and Jancis Robinson have enriched influential wine publications, including the “Pocket Book on Wine” and the “World Wine Atlas.” He has been credited with prestigious recognitions such as the title of “Ridder in de Orde van Oranje-Nassau.” Paul Robert Blom was named the first ever “wine personality of the Balkans”. In 2008 Blom received the award of ‘Register Vinoloog of the Wijnacademie HONORIS CAUSA – Third person in Holland ever to receive this award.

Dr. Matthew Horkey
The renowned wine expert, author, and founder of a popular YouTube wine channel
Dr. Matthew Horkey (USA) is the author of three books on wines, hundreds of articles, and thousands of videos, which regularly attract dozens and sometimes hundreds of thousands of views from wine lovers around the world. His motto is “Bringing FUN back to the world of WINE!” He serves on the juries of many international wine competitions and tastes thousands of wines from across the globe each year. He is currently traveling the world full-time, continually discovering new regions, wineries, grape varieties, and wine styles for himself and his followers. An experienced public speaker, he’s been a guest speaker at the American University of Rome, Life University, and various companies, including Microsoft, TripAdvisor, Norton Rose, and JP Morgan.

www.youtube.com/@drmatthewhorkey
tiktok.com/@drmatthewhorkey

Marinela Ardelean
Executive MBA and PhD in Marketing. Global wine and spirits expert

Marinela Ardelean (Romania) – One of the most prominent promoters of Romanian wines. The owner of an efficient MBA and a PHD in Marketing and of various certifications in wine and business. The organizer of RO-Wine, the International Wine Festival of Romania, which is the first Romanian autochthonous wine festival exclusively oriented towards premium and luxury wine markets. Marinela Ardelean`s book compares Romanian wines with the Italian cuisine, demonstrates innovative approach to cross-cultural culinary pairings and underscores her deep appreciation for Italian culture. Her awards include: Winner of “Best Romanian Sommelier” Award in 2014; Gourmand Drinks Awards in 2015; the CONAF Gala “Women in Economy – Day by day Heroes” in 2023 and others.

www.marinelaardelean.com
www.youtube.com/watch?v=FEwXYuCAq8g

Filippo Magnani
Italian wine travel expert, founder Fufluns Wine Tours, wine writer

Filippo Magnani (Italy) – Italian wine travel expert. A graduate of the University of Economics in Florence, he later earned his MBA from Brighton University. Magnani holds credentials from the prestigious Le Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux and WSET in London. An active member of several wine associations and serves as a judge at international wine contests. Founded company Fufluns Wine Tours, specializing in customized wine tours throughout Italy. As an independent wine writer, Filippo Magnani contributes to several esteemed publications, including Liz Palmer’s site and “The Beauty of the Wine in Canada”, “Wine Channel in China”, “Vinum in Croatia”, and “Decanter”. He has his own personal blog “Tales Behind the Wine”, where he offers extensive insights into Italy’s wine heritage. He is a proud member of the Circle of Wine Writers and the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers.

www.filippomagnani.it