News

Benjamin North Spencer is a consulting winemaker, journalist, the founder of the Etna Wine School in Sicily, and the award-winning author of The New Wines of Mount Etna. The New Wines of Mount Etna won The Gourmand Award's Best European Wine Book in 2021 and is available in English and Italian. Ben holds a Diploma in Wines and Spirits from the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and a writing degr...

James Button began his wine career at Majestic Wine in 2006, giving him a strong grounding in the subject before completing the WSET Level 4 Diploma in 2010. From 2014 to 2016 he managed the fine wine department of a startup wine company in London, before joining Decanter as digital sub-editor. Today, James is Decanter’s regional editor for Italy and travels regularly to the country.

Nicole Harreisser originally comes from Munich, Germany and has lived in Zurich since 2014. As now an editor at the European wine magazine VINUM, she writes about various wine regions around the world and started the WSET in Spirits. She also takes part in national and international wine awards as a juror and professional taster.

Kristel Balcaen is a Flemish wine writer, educator and consultant. She has a study background in English and German linguistics and literature and has worked professionally in higher education for 25 years. She holds the Sommelier-Conseil qualification, the WSET Diploma and is currently an MW student. She is the author of Wijnboek voor Foodies, writes the section on Belgium’s wines for Hugh Joh...

Tim Andrews DipWSET is a wine educator, lecturer and communicator. Having escaped his legal career, he achieved a Wine Business degree at Plumpton College and then began lecturing and working at Plumpton, which has given him a deep insight into the English wine industry. Tim wrote various chapters of the updated WSET Diploma materials and is a WSET Certified Educator teaching at the London sch...

A Piedmont native, Sandro Minella is a professional sommelier and a licensed tour guide. He's the owner and founder of Taste Your Way, a company with 20 years’ experience in tailor-made food and wine events, educational workshops, and tours all over Italy, for wine professionals and wine lovers. Since 2019, he has been the scientific director and professor at Barolo & Barbaresco Academy, for ...

Oz Clarke received his OBE medal from King Charles at Buckingham Palace this week. One of the world's most-loved wine writers and presenters, Oz has authored over 30 book titles. "On behalf of all the members of the Circle of Wine Writers I would like to congratulate you on your OBE award - I cannot think of anyone else in the wine world that deserves this more," says Chairperson of the Circle,...

Edan Barulfan is an Israeli wine writer, educator, consultant and wine judge. He began wine writing for the Israeli publication Grape Man, where he continues to write as a member of the editorial board today. Combining his day job as a lawyer with the world of wine, Edan has gained strong expertise on Israeli and international wine legislation and published a book on regional wine classificatio...

Circle members Anne Krebiehl MW and Amanda Barnes have been shortlisted for 2024 IWSC Wine Communicator Trophy. Judges described Krebiehl as "a real role model and a natural storyteller who attracted many people into wine", and Barnes as "on an impressive career track and has become an inspiration for a lot of people in the world of wine". They are shortlisted with Agustina de Alba, Essi Ave...

Linda Galloway began her writing career as a news and features journalist in South Africa, where her wine education also started. Living on the doorstep of the Cape Winelands in the 1980s and 90s was the perfect introduction to an industry on the brink of exciting growth and development. Pursuing her career, she moved to London and was appointed chief sub-editor of the Weekend section of The Ti...