Justin Martindale MW wins Quinta do Noval Award

Justin Martindale MW was given the 2022 Quinta do Noval Award for the best research paper (RP) by a new MW at the Institute of Masters of Wine Graduation Ceremony this week, also taking home the Madame Bollinger medal for his efforts in tasting.

The 2022 Quinta do Noval Award for the best RP by a new MW was judged by Christian Seely, Managing Director of AXA Millesimes, Quinta do Noval’s owners.

The Edinburgh-based wine consultant was also awarded the Madame Bollinger Medal at the IMW Graduation Ceremony for excellence in tasting and outstanding achievement in his practical exams.

The RP is an individual project undertaken at the final stage of the Master of Wine exam, consisting of between 6,000 and 10,000 words, on a topic chosen by the student. Martindale’s paper was entitled ‘The evolving language of minerality in wine tasting’.

Commenting on Martindale’s research paper, Christian Seely said: ‘Taking an apparently limited subject of study, the use of one word (or a number of very similar words) in wine tastings, the author succeeds in making a fascinating study of the evolution of the concept of minerality, its validity as a descriptor, and a detailed analysis of how it is used and to which wines it most often referred. I really enjoyed it, and it enhanced my understanding of the issue.”

To mark his achievement, Martindale wins a cheque for £1000, a framed print of Quinta do Noval, and a trip to the property in the Douro to collect a case of wines and ports – including Noval’s fabled Nacional Vintage.

Martindale said he was “thrilled” to have won the award for his RP, the stage he cited as “personally the most challenging of the whole MW journey”.

The 2022 prize winner resides in Edinburgh, where he works as a wine consultant, judge and tutor, and also created the popular Lothian Wine School, which he has just sold. He noted that following the MW qualification, he will be “looking for new directions in the wine world”.