Seven new Masters of Wine announced

The Institute of Masters of Wine has named seven new masters of wine, from five countries, bringing the total number of MWs to 396 worldwide.

The latest members are: Vaness Conlin MW (US), Elizabeth Kelly MW (UK), Pasi Ketolainen MW (Finland), Lin Liu MW (France), Curtis Mann MW (US), Beth Pearce MW (UK) and Ross Wise MW (Canada).

Having passed their exams and completed their research papers (see below), the successful candidates can now call themselves Masters of Wine or MWs and must abide by the Institute’s code of conduct.

The number of MWs and their global distribution continues to grow. The top six countries where MWs are based are: Australia, France, Germany, New Zealand, the UK and US

Vanessa Conlin MW

Living in Napa Valley where she is head of Wine Access, an e-commerce wine retailer, Conlin was a professional opera singer before joining the wine industry and holds a master’s degree in music. She worked in wine shops and bars in New York City before moving to Napa where she worked for several wineries including Arietta Wines and Dana Estates.

Research paper: Land and winery ownership in Napa Valley from 1998-2018: historical, legal, and economic factors affecting vineyards and wineries and the resulting current opportunities and limitations for ownership.

Elizabeth Kelly MW

Kelly joined the wine industry after gaining a degree in mathematical physics. She worked at Oddbins and the WSET before joining Marks & Spencer in 2013 where she is now involved in buying English wine and product development.

Research paper: A sustainability scheme for the UK wine production industry.

Pasi Ketolainen MW

Originally working as a sommelier, after completing his WSET Diploma in 2003 Ketolainen moved into sales and product management for various Finnish wine importers. In 2019 he started as commercial director at Viinitie Oy.

Research paper: Wine distributors’ views regarding the current and future status of the restaurant supply chain in Finland.

Lin Liu MW

Originally from Hangzhou in China and now based in Cahors, Liu worked in the investment consultancy sector before working in wine. When she’s not making, judging, writing or teaching about wine she also enjoys painting, cooking, making pottery, mushroom hunting and gardening.

Research Paper: Cahors AOC hierarchisation project, a case study from 1991 to 2019.

Curtis Mann MW

A 19 year trade veteran, Mann began his career in Napa Valley and after studying for an MBA at University of California, Davis he worked as a brand manager for Trinchero Family Estates. Since 2013 he has worked for speciality supermarket chain Raley’s where he is director of alcohol and beverages.

Research paper: California consumer understanding and preference for US Chardonnay styles

Beth Pearce MW

A buyer for Majestic Wine, Pearce visited New Zealand after university which prompted her to join the specialist retailer’s management training programme in 2010. She received the Derouet Jameson Scholarship during her Diploma studies.

Research paper: How effective is it to use the reduced carbon footprint of bulk shipping and UK bottling as a marketing message?

Ross Wise MW

Originally fromNew Zealand, Wise is now a winemaker and viticulturist in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, having moved to Canada in 2009 (originally to Ontario and then to BC in 2016). He now works as winemaker for Black Hills Estate Winery and as senior winemaker for the Andrew Peller wineries. He is a “prolific” sourdough maker.

Research paper: How will climate change be influencing viticulture in British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley by the 2050s?