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