New Masters of Wine Recognized for Exceptional Achievements Amid Honored Tradition

LONDON – The prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) celebrated the achievements of ten newly certified Masters of Wine (MW) at a ceremony held at Vintners’ Hall in London. These ten wine professionals, hailing from six countries, received their official MW certificates and a symbolic 24-carat gold MW pin, marking their induction into the esteemed community of wine experts.

The new Masters include Neil Bernardi MW from the United States, Benjamin Hasko MW from Singapore, Pietro Russo MW from Italy, Tone Veseth Furuholmen MW from Norway, Wei Xing MW from China, and five professionals from the UK: Emily Brighton MW, Christopher Martin MW, Victoria Mason MW, Robert Mathias MW, and Dror Nativ MW. IMW chair Roderick Smith MW expressed pride in their achievements, noting that completing the rigorous MW exams during the challenging pandemic era made this milestone particularly commendable. “Congratulations to them all,” he added.

Recognizing Excellence

The ceremony not only celebrated the new MWs but also recognized exceptional performance in various areas of the MW exams, with two new awards making their debut. Victoria Mason MW received the Vintners’ Company award for top performance in the business of wine paper and the Robert Mondavi Winery Award for outstanding performance across all theory papers. Her research paper on regenerative viticulture in Stellenbosch also earned her the Quinta do Noval award for best research paper.

Dror Nativ MW was honored with the VSPT Wine Group award for excellence in the contemporary issues paper, along with the IMW Outstanding Achievement Award for his exceptional performance across all exams and the Madame Bollinger Medal for tasting ability. Emily Brighton MW received the Taransaud Tonnellerie award for excellence in production and handling of the wine paper.

The 2024 Award Winners

  • Quinta do Noval Award: Best research paper by a new MW, awarded to Victoria Mason MW for her research on regenerative viticulture in Stellenbosch.
  • Taransaud Tonnellerie Award: Excellence in the production and handling of the wine paper, awarded to Emily Brighton MW.
  • Vintners’ Company Award: Best performance in the business of wine paper, awarded to Victoria Mason MW.
  • VSPT Wine Group Award: Top performance in the contemporary issues paper, awarded to Dror Nativ MW.
  • Robert Mondavi Winery Award: Best performance across all theory papers, awarded to Victoria Mason MW.
  • IMW Outstanding Achievement Award: For excellence across all papers, awarded to Dror Nativ MW.
  • Madame Bollinger Medal: Outstanding tasting ability, awarded to Dror Nativ MW.

Honoring Wine Legacy

The evening also paid tribute to four “vintage” MWs celebrating their 50th year in the IMW community: John Brown MW, Charles Eve MW, Anthony Foster MW, and Bill Gunn MW. IMW executive director Julian Gore-Booth lauded their long-standing dedication to wine and expertise, describing the event as a celebration of wine excellence and IMW’s global impact.

The IMW community continues to grow, uniting wine professionals dedicated to advancing wine education and quality standards worldwide. As the organization welcomes its newest members, it celebrates the future of wine mastery while honoring the foundational contributions of its longest-standing MWs.