Step - 01
Blind Tasting
Tasted blind within carefully constructed panels, with personnel from different countries.
Explore the people and process behind every IWC medal.
The IWC brings together leading wine experts from across the global wine trade — including buyers, retailers, sommeliers, winemakers, educators and critics — to judge wines entirely blind through mixed tasting panels designed to encourage balance, debate and fresh perspective.
This commercially relevant approach, combined with a multi-stage re-tasting process for every medal-winning wine, is why the IWC remains one of the world's most trusted wine competitions among producers, retailers and the wider trade.
The only major wine competition where every wine is:
Blind Tasting
Tasted blind within carefully constructed panels, with personnel from different countries.
Co-Chair Review
All wines are re-tasted and confirmed by the IWC Co-Chairs.
Medal Awarded
Only wines meeting the IWC's shared standard receive medals.
This multi-stage structure ensures:
No other competition combines this diversity of panels, this level of cross-checking and this depth of expertise.
Oz Clarke Judge Emeritus is one of the world's most recognised wine communicators — famous for his extraordinary palate, storytelling ability and talent for making wine thrilling and accessible. After a successful career as a performer with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in major West End productions, Oz became one of the UK's leading wine authorities.
His award-winning television work includes Food and Drink, the hit Oz & James series with James May, and regular appearances on James Martin's Saturday Morning. He has written more than 20 influential books, including Red & White, Let Me Tell You About Wine, and The History of Wine in 100 Bottles.
Appointed OBE in 2020, Oz has shaped consumer understanding of wine for decades. As Co-Chair, he brings deep global tasting experience, accuracy and enthusiasm to the IWC, helping oversee blind tasting and confirming Golds and Trophies.
Oz is unofficially the wizard of wine!
Dr Jamie Goode is one of the world's leading wine thinkers, known for combining scientific expertise with an intuitive, open-minded palate. He holds a PhD in plant biology and began his career as a science editor before becoming a full-time wine writer.
Jamie runs wineanorak.com, a pioneering site with global readership, and writes regularly for the Sunday Express and numerous trade and consumer publications. His books, including Wine Science and I Taste Red, are widely used in wine education.
He judges internationally and brings calm analysis, clarity and scientific insight to the IWC. Jamie has won multiple awards for wine writing and speaks at conferences and masterclasses worldwide.
As Co-Chair, he reviews all Gold and Trophy contenders and helps maintain fairness and consistency throughout the competition.
Sam Caporn MW is a respected Master of Wine, broadcaster, consultant and educator with over two decades of industry experience. Founder of The Mistress of Wine, she has worked as a buyer, blender and quality specialist, sourcing wines from Australia, New Zealand, Europe and beyond.
She coordinated tasting panels for Wine Magazine early in her career — experience she calls the best training ground for the MW exam. She passed both the theory and tasting parts of the MW first time, earning the prestigious Madame Bollinger Medal for blind tasting.
Sam combines commercial understanding, technical expertise and a clear communication style. Her consultancy spans product development, consumer education, events and media work.
As an IWC Co-Chair, Sam helps shape the competition's multi-stage assessment structure, confirming wines that advance to medal and Trophy consideration.
Peter McCombie MW is a New Zealand-born, London-based Master of Wine with decades of experience across buying, consulting, teaching and global judging. He began championing Italian wines at Winecellars and gained deep commercial insight across both on-trade and off-trade roles.
Peter now runs a successful consultancy helping restaurants, hotels and wine businesses refine lists, sourcing and training. He teaches for WSET and the Christie's Wine Course, guiding everyone from beginners to MW candidates.
Known for his balanced palate and global tasting experience, Peter is a trusted voice in the industry. As Co-Chair, he reviews wines rising through the IWC's multi-stage assessment pathway, confirming medal-level wines with technical precision and contextual understanding.
Helen McGinn is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and former supermarket buyer, blending commercial insight with exceptional communication skill. She spent nearly a decade sourcing wines for Tesco, gaining a deep understanding of buying strategy, pricing, quality control and global supply chains.
Helen created The Knackered Mother's Wine Club, which grew into a bestselling book and established her as one of the UK's most relatable wine voices. She writes a weekly column for the Daily Mail and appears regularly on UK television, including The Alan Titchmarsh Show.
Winner of multiple communication awards, Helen brings warmth, clarity and strong consumer insight to the IWC. As Co-Chair, she confirms medal-level wines and supports the competition's focus on fairness, repeat tasting and cross-checking.
Many of these experts have long been part of the IWC judging community. In 2026, we are formally recognising their contribution and the unique commercial insight they bring to the results.
Matías Prezioso is a leading figure in the Argentine and South American sommelier community. Former president of the Argentine Association of Sommeliers and current VP Americas Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, he is the founder at VinEsence, a consultancy specializing in wine sales, marketing and communication. digital marketing and sales. Matías combines his knowledge in tasting with a solid understanding of global markets and a 360 ° of the wine business.
Patricio Tapia graduated with a degree in journalism from the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, before attending Bordeaux University in France, where he studied for a diploma in wine tasting and winemaking. He was the wine critic for Argentina, Chile and Spain in Wine & Spirits magazine, and has been a host on the El Gourmet TV channel in South America. He has written several books, including The Wines of Colchagua Valley, TodoVino, Wines for Great Occasions, and his annual Descorchados, a guide to the wines of Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Chile, Perú and Uruguay.
Christy Canterbury MW is a Contributing Editor to Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy, covering Burgundy and the USA. Her work has been published by Wine-Searcher, TimAtkin.com, Wine Enthusiast, Huff-Post and Decanter. Christy was the National Wine Director for Smith & Wollensky Restaurant Group and Global Beverage Director for Culinary Concepts by Jean-Georges Vongerichten. She directed purchasing for Italian Wine Merchants and Zachys, collaborating with their Hong Kong retail operations. Christy's corporate client roster includes Microsoft, IBM, Cisco, Rackspace, Fitch Ratings and Mitsubishi UFJ.
Cathy is a Master of Wine living and working mostly in South Africa. She lectures and judges locally and internationally, occasionally contributes to wine journals and websites around the world, is a director of South Africa's Old Vine Project and the incoming Chairman of the Land of Hope Trust.
Erin Larkin reviews the wines of Australia and New Zealand for Robert Parker Wine Advocate, a role which takes her to the great vineyards of the world. Previously a taster for the James Halliday Wine Companion, a Len Evans Tutorial laureate, and a contributor to wine publications, Larkin has spent more than a decade judging at wineshows both in Australia and overseas. Originally trained in fashion, she has a keen interest in the role that vineyards and farming play in the world of fine wine.
Yang is the first Chinese master sommelier in the world, and the leading figure in China wine market.
Kenichi (Ken) Ohashi MW is a leading Japanese wine and Sake distributor in Tokyo with accolades from the industry. Awarded Best Wine Merchant 1999 by Japan Sommelier Association he has shown his intricate knowledge of the subject both at home and abroad.
He is author of "Natural Wine" and is the online wine columnist of Japan's top wine publication 'Wine Report'. He holds a Diploma from WSET in London and has been certified as a Master of Sake (SSI) and Sake Expert Assessor (NRIB). In addition, he has started exporting his selection of Sake and Japanese wines to the world market. He is a Master of Wine and was also awarded the Personality of the Year 2016 by IWC.
Oz Clarke Judge Emeritus is one of the world's most recognised wine communicators — famous for his extraordinary palate, storytelling ability and talent for making wine thrilling and accessible. After a successful career as a performer with the Royal Shakespeare Company and in major West End productions, Oz became one of the UK's leading wine authorities.
His award-winning television work includes Food and Drink, the hit Oz & James series with James May, and regular appearances on James Martin's Saturday Morning. He has written more than 20 influential books, including Red & White, Let Me Tell You About Wine, and The History of Wine in 100 Bottles.
Appointed OBE in 2020, Oz has shaped consumer understanding of wine for decades. As Co-Chair, he brings deep global tasting experience, accuracy and enthusiasm to the IWC, helping oversee blind tasting and confirming Golds and Trophies.
Oz is unofficially the wizard of wine!
Helen McGinn is an award-winning writer, broadcaster and former supermarket buyer, blending commercial insight with exceptional communication skill. She spent nearly a decade sourcing wines for Tesco, gaining a deep understanding of buying strategy, pricing, quality control and global supply chains.
Helen created The Knackered Mother's Wine Club, which grew into a bestselling book and established her as one of the UK's most relatable wine voices. She writes a weekly column for the Daily Mail and appears regularly on UK television, including The Alan Titchmarsh Show.
Winner of multiple communication awards, Helen brings warmth, clarity and strong consumer insight to the IWC. As Co-Chair, she confirms medal-level wines and supports the competition's focus on fairness, repeat tasting and cross-checking.
Many of these experts have long been part of the IWC judging community. In 2026, we are formally recognising their contribution and the unique commercial insight they bring to the results.
Dr Jamie Goode is one of the world's leading wine thinkers, known for combining scientific expertise with an intuitive, open-minded palate. He holds a PhD in plant biology and began his career as a science editor before becoming a full-time wine writer.
Jamie runs wineanorak.com, a pioneering site with global readership, and writes regularly for the Sunday Express and numerous trade and consumer publications. His books, including Wine Science and I Taste Red, are widely used in wine education.
He judges internationally and brings calm analysis, clarity and scientific insight to the IWC. Jamie has won multiple awards for wine writing and speaks at conferences and masterclasses worldwide.
As Co-Chair, he reviews all Gold and Trophy contenders and helps maintain fairness and consistency throughout the competition.
Peter McCombie MW is a New Zealand-born, London-based Master of Wine with decades of experience across buying, consulting, teaching and global judging. He began championing Italian wines at Winecellars and gained deep commercial insight across both on-trade and off-trade roles.
Peter now runs a successful consultancy helping restaurants, hotels and wine businesses refine lists, sourcing and training. He teaches for WSET and the Christie's Wine Course, guiding everyone from beginners to MW candidates.
Known for his balanced palate and global tasting experience, Peter is a trusted voice in the industry. As Co-Chair, he reviews wines rising through the IWC's multi-stage assessment pathway, confirming medal-level wines with technical precision and contextual understanding.
I have been in the wine trade for 30 years and judging at the IWC for 20, going into the industry straight from University. I have worked in retail, for a fine wine agency, for Wine Magazine and as a Wine Buyer with responsibility for Australia, New Zealand, the Loire, England and Central & Eastern Europe. I became a Master of Wine in 2011 and am now a freelance consultant and wine writer.
Kenichi (Ken) Ohashi MW is a leading Japanese wine and Sake distributor in Tokyo with accolades from the industry. Awarded Best Wine Merchant 1999 by Japan Sommelier Association he has shown his intricate knowledge of the subject both at home and abroad.
He is author of "Natural Wine" and is the online wine columnist of Japan's top wine publication 'Wine Report'. He holds a Diploma from WSET in London and has been certified as a Master of Sake (SSI) and Sake Expert Assessor (NRIB). In addition, he has started exporting his selection of Sake and Japanese wines to the world market. He is a Master of Wine and was also awarded the Personality of the Year 2016 by IWC.
Simon Hofstra is owner of Taste of Sake, a company specialized in consulting, importing, distribution and education of sake. He was one of the first non-Japanese in Europe who started to work with traditional Japanese sake. Simon Hofstra is awarded the prestigious title Sake Samurai in 2009, he was winner of the Sake Contribution Award in 2008 and is educator for the WSET Award in Sake.
Ake is a Diploma sommelier, founder & owner of Akebono Unlimited AB. Founded in 1995 Akebono is today the Scandinavian leading importer and distributor of Japanese Sake. In 1990 he started to travel Japan and visit Sake breweriers to gain a deep understanding of the process and has since then visit Japan more than 50 times. The last nine years he has been a teacher of two of Sweden's sommelier schools and weekly been giving lectures and seminars of sake to professionals and amateurs at university level and trade shows. He also does annually guided gourmet trips to Japans Sake breweries and the interesting Izakaya world.
Natsuki Kikuya is an sake educator and sake consultant. After developing her career at the well-known sake retail shop Hasegawa Saketen in Tokyo, Japan then at Zuma & Roka restaurants in London, UK as a sake sommelier, she had set up “Museum of Sake”, an agency to provide education and promotion of sake in UK. She has helped to launch Level 3 Awards in Sake at Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET), which counted over 5,000 candidates in 27 countries this 2019. She was also awarded as “Sake Samurai” in 2015.
Jennifer Docherty is a Master of Wine and a Master of Sake. She was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada but left at age eighteen to study fashion design in New York City. Her love of gastronomy led her to pursue part-time WSET wine courses which inspired her to change careers. After six years of study, she became a Master of Wine in 2015. Her love of Sake and learning has also earned her the WSET level 3 Award in Sake and the Master of Sake (SSI). She currently resides in London and is a buyer for Liberty Wines.
