Tasting Panel

The Zarcillo International Wine Awards‘ blind tastings are judged by a panel of wine industry professionals with proven expertise both in Spain and internationally. They contribute their skills and knowledge in order to assess the samples entered in the competition.

Meet the 2023 edition tasting panel

Each member of the tasting panel is committed to maintaining the highest standards, assessing each reference thoroughly with impartiality and respect for the art of winemaking and for the entities that support the competition by submitting their wines for evaluation.

ALMUDENA ALBERCA

SPAIN

MW Oenologist

CHARLOTTE ALLEN

UNITED KINGDOM

Winemaker in Arribes del Duero

PAULO AMORIM

PORTUGAL

President of ANCEVE (National Association of Wine Merchants and Exporters), ambassador for the FINE Wine Tourism Marketplace, CEO and owner of Wine Vision

CÉSAR ARRANZ HERNANDEZ

SPAIN

Member of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

ANIBAL ASENSIO PAUNERO

SPAIN

Technical Director of Bodegas La Soterraña

PEDRO BALLESTEROS

SPAIN

MW

PACO BERCIANO

SPAIN

Wine Expert. Distributor of international wines at Alma Vinos Únicos

RAFAEL BLANCO FERNÁNDEZ

SPAIN

President of the León DO

LEOCIR BOTTEGA

BRAZIL

Participant in international wine competitions

JOAO BRAZAO

PORTUGAL

Head of the Internal Control Division at the Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE)

LUIS BUITRON BARRIOS

SPAIN

President of the Spanish Oenology Federation (FEAE)

NIEVES CABALLERO BARRIGÓN

SPAIN

Wine journalist for El Norte de Castilla newspaper

JOSÉ ANTONIO CABAÑAS BENEITEZ

SPAIN

Freelance Sommelier / Associate Professor at the Fernando Perez International Cooking School

MARCELINO CALVO

SPAIN

Sommelier at El Ermitaño restaurant

CARLOS CAPILLA

SPAIN

Technical Director for the Arribes DO

CARLOTTA CASCIOLA

ITALY

Sommelier

HÉCTOR CASTIELLO

URUGUAY

Wine importer

PILAR CAVERO

SPAIN

Sommelier – Best Sommelier in Spain 2013

ÁLVARO CERRADA BUENO

SPAIN

Marketing consultant and expert in digital communication for the wine industry

TETIANA CHUPRYNA

UKRAINE

Sommelier, judge at international wine competitions

JOANNA CIBOROWSKA

POLAND

Sommelier. WSET Level 3 award. Brand Ambassador for Bodegas Perica

JOSÉ LUIS CONTRERAS NAVARRO

SPAIN

Wine expert – Co-founder and partner of Verema.com

ANNA DATSENKO

RUSSIA

Sumiller, wine blogger

MARY DE UÑA

AUSTRALIA

Oenologist

FRANCISCO DEL CASTILLO GARCÍA

SPAIN

Professor of Sensory Analysis in a Master’s Degree at Madrid’s Polytechnic University (UPM) and teacher of sommelier courses

áGUEDA DEL VAL O RAÚL ESCUDERO

SPAIN

Technical Director for the Cigales DO

ANWAR DENGUIR

MOROCCO

Sommelier at Bodegas Victoria Ordóñez e Hijos

JESÚS DÍEZ DE ISCAR

SPAIN

Technical Director for the Rueda DO

DO TORO

SPAIN

DO CEBREROS

SPAIN

DIANA ESTEBAN

SPAIN

Head of Marketing and Communication at Lavinia (Spain)

CLAUDIA ELISABETH FARINA

ARGENTINA

Specialised wine journalist and presenter

ELISA FERNÁNDEZ

SPAIN

Arlanza DO Regulatory Board

JOSÉ ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ ESCUDERO

SPAIN

Oenologist, former director of the Zarcillo Awards

MARCOS FLORES

MEXICO

Sommelier, Vice-president of the Italian Sommeliers Association (AIS) for America

JULIO GALLO

URUGUAY

Oenologist

MAR GALVÁN ROMERO

SPAIN

Member of the Spanish Association of Wine Journalists and Writers (AEPEV) (FAPE).

MARINA GARCÍA

SPAIN

Oenologist. Marketing Manager at González Byass

HUGO GARCÍA PRIETO

SPAIN

Member of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

GIOVANNI GIARDINA

ITALY

Managing Director of the Sicilian Regional Wines and Oils Institute (IRVO)

JAVIER GILA

SPAIN

President of the Madrid Sommeliers Association

CARMEN GÓMEZ

SPAIN

Technical Director for the BIERZO DO

CARLOS GONZÁLEZ HUERTA

SPAIN

Teacher in the Advanced Sommelier’s Course at the Valladolid Chamber of Commerce

ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ JIMÉNEZ

SPAIN

Technical Director for the Ribera DO

ANNA GRANQVIST

SWEDEN

WSET Diploma. QUBEL Wine Center

FERNANDO GURUCHARRI JARQUE

SPAIN

President of the Spanish Wine Tasters’ Union

PEER HOLM

GERMANY

Secretary General and President of the German sommeliers’ association

ELEONORA IVANOVA PETROVA

BULGARIA

Wine sales expert – Participant in international wine competitions

EMMANUEL IVARS ENCINAS

FRANCE – SPAIN

Oenologist at Bodegas Vizar. Technical advisor

SANTIAGO JORDI MARTIN

SPAIN

President of the International Union of Oenologists (UIOE)

BEGOÑA JOVELLAR PARDO

SPAIN

President of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

MANUEL LÓPEZ ALEJANDRE

SPAIN

Technical Secretary for the Montilla Moriles DO

NATASJA MALLORY

USA

International wine journalist. Director at Gregory + Vine (Gregory White)

MIGUEL ÁNGEL MARTÍN JORDA

SPAIN

Specialised journalist. Director of the Enocata.com portal

PABLO MÁRTÍN MARTÍN

SPAIN

Sommelier – President of the Castilla y León Sommeliers Association

BEATRIZ MARTÍN RODRÍGUEZ

SPAIN

Treasurer of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

NOEMÍ MARTÍNEZ CABRERO

SPAIN

Sommelier and owner of Trigo Restaurant

ANNE MEGLIOLI BOGDANOVIC

FRANCE

Owner of a publishing house specialised in viticulture and oenology in Italy (Eno-One)

FILIPA MELO DE VASCONCELOS

PORTUGAL

Deputy Inspector General of the Portuguese Economic and Food Safety Authority (ASAE)

CHELO MIÑANA

SPAIN

Director of Wine Tourism and Head of e-commerce at Masaveu Bodegas S.L.

PILAR MOLESTINA

SPAIN

Specialised wine journalist

ANTONIO JESÚS MORAL GONZÁLEZ

SPAIN

Vice-President of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

RAÚL MOYANO GRACIA

SPAIN

Secretary of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

LOLA NÚÑEZ PINTO

SPAIN

Managing Director of the Uclés DO – Member of the Spanish Wine Tasters’ Union

JOAN O’CONNOR MARY

USA

Specialised wine journalist

LISETTE OSORIO

PORTUGAL

Technical expert for the Távora-Varosa Oenological Commission; Manager at Osório Wines; Journalist for the Spanish specialised publication “El Correo del Vino”; Representative in Portugal for various wine and oil sector events

JULIO OTERO LÓPEZ

SPAIN

Oenologist – President of the Valles de Benavente VC (Quality Wine with a Geographical Indication)

MIRKO PASTORELLI

ITALY

Sommelier

SARA PEÑAS

PORTUGAL

A highly respected teacher in the field of wines in Portugal and Spain; Trainer in the area of Hotel Management and Tourism in Spain and Portugal; Manager of the company La vida Ibérica

JAVIER PÉREZ ANDRÉS

SPAIN

Journalist specialised in wine, agri-food, tourism and rural development

RAFAEL PÉREZ LATORRE

SWITZERLAND

CEO at Vinothek Santé AG, Zurich

JOSÉ MANUEL PÉREZ OVEJAS

SPAIN

Highly acclaimed Oenologist – Winemaking Consultant for J&C Prime Brands

TOMÁS POSTIGO SASTRE

SPAIN

Member of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

DANIEL RAMOS

AUSTRALIA

Oenologist

JOAN ANDONI REMENTERIA

SPAIN

Winner of the 2018 Union of Spanish Sommelier Assocations championship Sommelier at Remenetxe Restaurant

FABIOLA RIOS

CZECH REPUBLIC

Sommelier – Co-founder of the Czech-Mexican Chamber of Commerce – Promoter of European wines and spirits in Latin America.

MANUEL ÁNGEL ROLDÁN CONTRERAS

SPAIN

Head of Wine Services. S.G. Food Control and Laboratories.

MYLENA ROMANO

FRANCE

Oenologist and outreach specialist

ALBA NELY ROSSO MENDEZ

PUERTO RICO

Sommelier

PIETRO RUSSO

ITALY

MW

JANEK SCHUMANN

GERMANY

MW

ANA SIERRA

SPAIN

Institutions. Castilla y León Regional Union of Agricultural Cooperatives (URCACyL)

STANIMIR STOIANOV

BULGARIA

Head Oenologist and Production Manager at Lovico Suhindol and Svishtov Winery

CRISTINA TIERNO CONDE

SPAIN

Managing Director at Efect Directo – Wine expert – Participant in international wine competitions

SVETLANA TROFIMOVA

RUSSIA

Wine merchant, Representative for Viña San Pedro and Spier Wines in Russia

MARIA TZITZI

GREECE

Member of the International Federation of Wines and Spirits Journalists and Writers. Specialist in Spanish wines.

ALEJANDRO VICENTE CASTRO

SPAIN

Member of the Castilla y León Oenologists’ Association (ACLE)

JOSEFINA VILA CRESPO

SPAIN

Expert taster – Professor in the Degree of Oenology at E.T.S.I.T.A

ADELA VIZCAY

ITALY

Oenologist. Winery lab technician for the Arribes DO

Do you want your wine to get the international recognition it deserves?

Participate in the Zarcillo International Wine Awards and make your wines known internationally.

Registration