New Masters of Wine from Poland and the US announced today

Two new Masters of Wine have been announced today, with one of them becoming the first MW to be based in Poland, while the other is a winemaker in Virginia.

Receiving the news this morning that they had have achieved the title of Masters of Wine were Wojciech Bońkowski MW (pictured above) and Joshua Grainer MW, who are based in Poland and the US respectively.

Bońkowski, who is a wine writer, is the first MW to be based in Poland, and Grainer is the managing director and winemaker for RdV Vineyards in Virginia, USA.

The MW exam consists of the theory and practical exams taken at the end of stage two and the research paper (RP) submitted at the end of stage three.

The RP is an in-depth study on a wine-related topic from any area of the sciences, arts, humanities, or social sciences. Only when an individual passes the third stage of the MW exam do they become a Master of Wine.

To find out more about the first MWs of the 2023 vintage, including the title of their RPs, see below.

Wojciech Bońkowski MW (Poland)

Wojciech Bońkowski, a wine writer from Poland, obtained an MA in Italian literature and PhD in musicology from the University of Warsaw. His book on Chopin’s favourite food and wines, Chopin Gourmet, was published in English by the Chopin Institute in 2010.

Simultaneously he developed a career in wine, working in London for a year before returning to Poland where he published eight books and founded the country’s leading wine website, Winicjatywa (2012), and wine magazine, Ferment (2017).

Wojciech is active internationally as a writer, wine market consultant and judge, notably at Decanter World Wine Awards and 50 Great Greek Wines.

He currently focuses on the wines of Italy, Greece, Austria, Central and Eastern Europe including Poland’s booming industry, Port, Madeira, and Champagne.

Research paper: Towards a Tokaj classification. Applying the Austrian Erste Lagen approach to Hungary

Joshua Grainer MW (USA)

Joshua is the managing director and winemaker for RdV Vineyards in Virginia, USA. Joshua discovered his love of wine in his early twenties while traveling through Italy.

He went on to develop his craft in the USA, France, and Australia before joining RdV for their inaugural vintage in 2008.

When not in the vineyard or winery, he can be found enjoying the great outdoors with his wife and son.

Research paper: Evaluating Phenology Shifts of Cabernet Franc, Chardonnay, and Merlot in Virginia by the Mid-21st Century