Legeron MW receives WSET Outstanding Alumni Award

The first WSET Outstanding Alumni Award has been bestowed upon Isabelle Legeron MW – an advocate of natural wine and founder of RAW wine, the UK’s largest artisan wine fair.

Isabelle Legeron MW

The new award, voted for by WSET Diploma graduates, was launched in partnership with JancisRobinson.com with the aim of celebrating a fellow WSET graduate who is notably contributing to the industry.

Legeron completed her WSET Diploma in 2003 and went on to become a Master of Wine. In December 2012, the drinks business named Isabelle as one of the “Top 50 Most Powerful Women in Wine”.

“I have long been an admirer of Isabelle’s energy and determination,” said Jancis Robinson.

“She is a real powerhouse with an international reputation and has truly achieved something hugely distinctive.”

Other nominees in the running included Maureen Downey, Joe Fattorini, Kenichi Ohashi MW and Yang Lu, who were chosen by the WSET International Alumni Advisory Board and Jancis Robinson MW.

“The WSET – and particularly the Diploma – gave me solid foundations to begin a life in wine and I’m very grateful to all my fellow WSET graduates for voting for me. Thank you,” said Legeron on winning the award.

A staunch advocate of natural wine, Legeron founded RAW wine in 2012 – the UK’s largest artisan wine fair – which recent expanded to include annual events in Berlin and New York.

Its aim has been to increase consumer awareness of the level of sulphites in wine, as well as to boost routes to market for producers of wines that are created using natural farming methods and low-intervention vinification techniques.

Prior to Raw, Legeron consulted for restaurants in London including the 2-Michelin starred Hibiscus in Mayfair, Borough Market local, Elliot’s, and The Richmond in Hackney.

She has hosted her own TV shows including ‘That Crazy French Women’ and ‘Journey into Wine’.Isabelle will be presented with her award at the annual WSET Graduation and Awards Ceremony in January 2017.