Simon Hardy
Switzerland. Simon Hardy is a British / Swiss dual national based in London where he champions the wines of Switzerland and organises Swiss Wine Week London for Swiss Wine Promotion. He is the founder of Fitting Wines, a wine consultancy based originally in Switzerland, and co-founder of Alpina Vina.
Switzerland
Simon Hardy: Founder of Fitting Wines and co-founder of Alpina Vina
Simon Hardy is a British / Swiss dual national based in London where he champions the wines of Switzerland and organises Swiss Wine Week London for Swiss Wine Promotion.
He is the founder of Fitting Wines, a wine consultancy based originally in Switzerland, and co-founder of Alpina Vina. This new transnational guide to the Alpine wine regions features a range of resources including documentary films which he writes and presents.
His book on the wines of Switzerland will be launched later in 2025 as part of the Smart Traveller’s Wine Guide series from the Académie du Vin Library in partnership with Club Oenologique. This gives him a great opportunity to highlight the country’s old vine heritage and the treasury of ancient grape varieties that are native to Switzerland.
Simon holds the WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits and is a judge at the International Wine Challenge.
www.linkedin.com/in/hardyspd
On The Blog
Rosa Kruger
South Africa. Rosa Kruger has been a consultant vineyard manager for over 20 years, specialising in designing new vineyard sites and managing existing vineyards to produce exceptional quality wines. Her passion for viticulture has taken her to some of the world’s most fascinating vineyards, allowing her to stay at the forefront of viticultural innovation.
South Africa
Rosa Kruger: Founder and Chairperson of the Old Vine Project
Rosa Kruger has been a consultant vineyard manager for over 20 years, specialising in designing new vineyard sites and managing existing vineyards to produce exceptional quality wines. Her passion for viticulture has taken her to some of the world’s most fascinating vineyards, allowing her to stay at the forefront of viticultural innovation.
In 2002, Rosa embarked on a quest to document South Africa’s old vines, a journey that culminated in the formalisation of the Old Vine Project (OVP) in 2016. With growing awareness and support, the OVP continues to expand its footprint, with more wines being introduced under its banner. The Old Vine Project prioritises research, education for vineyard workers, climate change adaptation strategies, and creating economic value for its members, all while preserving South Africa’s invaluable viticultural heritage.
https://oldvineproject.co.za/
https://www.instagram.com/oldvineproject/
On The Blog
Ana Sofia Oliveira
Ana Sofia Oliveira, Portugal
Ana Sofia Oliveira has been working in wine marketing and communication since 2004, when she moved from Paris to Lisbon. Her studies in Intercultural Communication gave her the skills to work with different cultures and professional environments, which have proved very useful throughout her career.
Ana Sofia Oliveira, Portugal
Ana Sofia Oliveira has been working in wine marketing and communication since 2004, when she moved from Paris to Lisbon. Her studies in Intercultural Communication gave her the skills to work with different cultures and professional environments, which have proved very useful throughout her career. In 2012, and after almost 8 years working as Area Manager and then Marketing and Communication Manager for Wines of Portugal, Ana Sofia created The Wine Agency, an awarded consultancy agency specialised in Wine Marketing, Communication PR and Wine Events.
Since 2012, The Wine Agency has been focused on providing innovation and quality in Wine Marketing, Communication, PR and Wine Events for its clients in the wine trade, them being individual producers, regions or countries. The Wine Agency’s work is mainly developed in the UK, with a few experiences in France and in Portugal.
At the moment, Ana Sofia Oliveira is the Managing Owner of the Wine Agency and is also involved in projects close to her heart, like ASI - Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, where she deals with Partnerships, or Defio Wine, a sustainable wine project with a Portuguese Wine Educator, her friend Sara Matos (who runs The Wine House), with whom she launched the first natural still wine in can, as well as Wines Unearthed, co-created with Judy Kendrick from JK Marketing, a section, inside international wine fairs, which gathers small to medium sized producers from all over the world who are looking for distribution.
Living in Portugal has created Ana Sofia's passion for old vines, a country that is home to so many. Ana Sofia is on a mission to connect all the great old vine wine producers of Portugal with the rest of the world, elevating the value of the exceptional wines they produce and helping to ensure these Portuguese treasures stay in the ground for many years to come.
Toby Spiers
Toby Spiers, Australia
Toby has been in the wine industry in the UK since 2005, with experience covering winemaking, sales, marketing and as a sommelier.
Toby Spiers, Australia
Toby Spiers has been in the wine industry in the UK since 2005, with experience covering winemaking, sales, marketing and as a sommelier.
Toby began his career by delving into grape growing and winemaking, spending three years obtaining a BSc. (Hons) Viticulture & Oenology from Plumpton College whilst broadening his knowledge of the trade as a sommelier at the Hotel du Vin, Brighton.
It was whilst working as a sommelier with an extensive wine list that he first saw the brilliance of old vines. He noted that those wines described as “vielles vignes” from France had an extra edge and quality to them, not to mention an additional romance.
Toby then moved into the London wine trade, into sales for various wine merchants including Bibendum before specialising in Australian wines.
Toby has now spent a decade in the UK and European markets working commercially for the likes of Penfolds, Wynns, Coldstream Hills, St Hallett, Petaluma, Grant Burge, Hardys and House of Arras. He is keen to showcase the spectacular old vine stock in Australia, and the World class wines being made from them by growers that are in their sixth or seventh generations of tending the same vines.
Toby also has a toe in the burgeoning English wine industry with a weekend vineyard, winery and cellar door at Downsview Vineyard, High Weald with his wife Katy. They are very keen to save and protect the tiny quantity of old vines on the UK shores and are making a Downsview Vineyards Old Vine range from the old vines they can save.
Magdalena Kaiser
Canada: Magdalena is a wine marketer and PR based in Niagara’s wine country. She’s worked in wine, tourism and culinary communication for 40years+ and is a candidate in the Masters of Wine program.
Magdalena Kaiser
Magdalena Kaiser has been in the wine industry almost her entire life. She began working at Inniskillin Wines as a young teen leading tours and tastings and has fond memories of bottling wine with her winemaker co-founder father Karl Kaiser at the young age of five. With 40+ years of experience in wine, tourism, culinary and communication strategy she brings passion and expertise to the industry she loves. Working and living abroad for a decade in the U.S. enriched her international marketing expertise before returning home to Niagara’s wine country. As Director of PR for Ontario VQA wine over the past 15 years, Magdalena has played a pivotal role in elevating the region’s global presence. Through her leadership in media, trade and export initiatives, she garnered significant attention for Ontario’s wines, both domestically and internationally shaping its trajectory for growth and success.
A graduate of Economics and International Marketing, Magdalena is WSET certified and is a candidate in the Masters of Wine program. She sits on numerous boards including the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C) and has been the Educational Program Chair for 12years. She was an active member of the Advisory Board of the International Cool Climate Wine Symposium 2022, Niagara. Magdalena frequently presents to Canadian and international audiences on wine, culinary tourism, export business and strategic PR & marketing. Her expertise has contributed to the content development about Ontario VQA wine in hundreds of publications including the World of Fine Wine Magazine, Decanter Magazine, Hugh Johnson’s Pocket Wine Book, WSET Global wine certification course, Wine Bible, Wall Street Journal and more.
With every minute of her free time, Magdalena travels and tastes visiting wine regions around the world and is a judge at the Decanter Wine Awards in London. She even makes a tiny bit of wine. Her micro-size @TinyBatchWine project was born out of passion and the desire to keep learning while honouring her late father’s craft.
Magdalena believes that old vines carry within them the accumulated wisdom of years, providing a living link to the past. She wants to ensure that the unique stories embedded in these vines are not lost over time as they are important to the narrative of Canada’s wine culture.
Elizabeth Hecker
Catalyna & USA: Elizabeth is the author of Ethos Priorat, she is a photographer and designer. She divides her time between Spain and her native USA. She has long held a curiosity about the relationship of people and their vines and
discovered her affinity for the virtues of old
vines in the Priorat which is a subject that features in abundance in her debut book.
Elizabeth Hecker
Elizabeth lives in the Priorat, a tiny wine region in Catalunya, Spain. Her curiosity about the life within wine began in 1991 when she brought her professional skills as a designer to creating brands for wineries in California. Her interest in travel evolved into a curiosity about the relationship of people with their vines around the world. Her project, Terroir Talking, features interviews and reflections from her experiences.
A taste of a wine from the Priorat in 2003 lead to a first visit in 2005, a residence change to the region in 2009, and her book, Ethos Priorat, released in 2023 by Academie du Vin Library. Elizabeth is the author, photographer and designer. The book has received praise from some of the most respected writers and publications in the wine world.
Elizabeth discovered her affinity for the virtues of old vines in the Priorat and has taken that love of viticulture and history with her along the way. Her motto is “Listen… the wine is talking™” She believes that “the voice of nature has the ability to speak through wine. To hear it we must surrender to our senses and remember of our part in the ecosystem of life.”
As Old Vine Conference ambassador for Catalunya, and her home nation of the US, Elizabeth looks forward to raising awareness of the virtues of old vines and the stories of time they represent.
Anna Harris-Noble
Spain. Anna has been working in the wine industry in Spain and the UK for almost 20 years, including a period heading up the UK Wines from Rioja account. She has carried out translation and marketing projects for some of Spain’s most important wine companies. She is a fluent Spanish speaker and WSET-certified educator.
Anna Harris-Noble
Anna has been working in the wine industry in Spain and the UK for almost 20 years, including a period heading up the UK Wines from Rioja account. She has carried out translation and marketing projects for some of Spain’s most important wine companies. A fluent Spanish speaker and WSET-certified educator, she translated Fernando Mora’s Master of Wine research paper about vineyard classification systems in the DO Campo de Borja into English and had her article about the winemaker's work recovering an ancient vineyard published on jancisrobinson.com
She now handles the UK PR for Entrecanales Domecq e Hijos, which owns a 100 year-old Single Vineyard in Rioja Alavesa, and writes for spanishwinelover.com and foodswinesfromspain.com
Born in the UK, Anna thought her love for Spanish wine stemmed from her time living next to a winery in Navarra as part of her languages degree, but she has discovered ancestral links to vineyards in the Toledo area stretching back over 500 years.
“I’ve taken on the role as during my time visiting Spain’s dramatically beautiful mountain vineyards, I’ve heard many tales of ancient vines being abandoned or grubbed up as they are no longer considered viable. Home to some of the world’s oldest vineyards – such as Pago Macharnudo in Jerez, which is thought to have been cultivated for over 3,000 years – I want to tell the stories behind Spain’s old vine heritage to ensure that it is valued and preserved for future generations.”
Amanda Barnes
South America. Amanda has been living amongst the wine regions of South America since 2009 and is author of The South America Wine Guide as well as contributing regularly to Decanter among other wine and travel publications. She is an advocate for the old Criolla vines and wine regions of Latin America and won the Geoffrey Roberts Award in 2019 for her work there.
Amanda Barnes
Although British born, Amanda has been living amongst the wine regions of South America since 2009 where she specialises in writing about the wine regions of Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Bolivia, Peru and Brazil. She is an award-winning journalist and a regular correspondent for Decanter, as well as contributing for several wine and travel publications internationally.
In 2021, her book on South America wine, The South America Wine Guide, was published offering a comprehensive print guide to the wine regions. It follows on from her digital guide southamericawineguide.com which has been published online since 2013 — the world’s first digital guide to the wineries and regions of South America.
She is an advocate for the old vines - especially Criolla vines - and the wine regions of Latin America and won the Geoffrey Roberts Award in 2019 and John Avery Award in 2022 for her work there.
Lilla O’Connor
Carpathian Region. Lilla has been instrumental in re-establishing the presence of quality Hungarian wines in the UK and she is an advocate for the importance of old vine heritage in Hungary and other countries in the Carpathian region.
Carpathian Region
Lilla O’Connor
Lilla is a native Hungarian whose family owned a smallholding vineyard at Lake Balaton and since she moved to the UK she has been instrumental in re-establishing the presence of quality Hungarian wines here. Lilla is an advocate for the importance of old vine heritage in the contemporary renaissance of Hungarian wine and founded Wines of Hungary UK and co-founded Furmint February UK.
Lilla is an independent consultant at lillaoconnor.com and has become a regular columnist for Decanter since September 2023. She contributed to the launch of Steven Spurrier’s Académie du Vin Library publishing initiative, and worked for Jancis Robinson. She is a regular wine judge at various international competitions.
Her role as Regional Ambassador at The Old Vine Conference covers the broader Carpathian Region - Hungary, Serbia, Slovakia, Romania, Ukraine and Austria.
On The Blog
Andre Morgenthal
South Africa. André studied philosophy, languages and drama at the University of Stellenbosch in the early 90s.Towards the end of his studies, André started a wine tourism business, offering specialised wine tours to discerning wine and gastronomy tourists, as well as training and consulting to restaurants, hotels and lodges.
South Africa
Andre Morgenthal
André studied philosophy, languages and drama at the University of Stellenbosch in the early 90s.Towards the end of his studies, André started a wine tourism business, offering specialised wine tours to discerning wine and gastronomy tourists, as well as training and consulting to restaurants, hotels and lodges. André has lectured at the Cape Wine Academy and also wrote a wine column for a Sunday business newspaper.
He has worked several vintages at Domaine Bertagna in Vougeot, Burgundy and made wine on a small Stellenbosch property, Clos du Ciel. In 2001, he joined Wines of South Africa (WOSA) as Communications Manager with a focus on media relations, as well as a mandate for wine tourism and to represent the South African wine industry in the Great Wine Capitals Global Network.
In 2016 he resigned from WOSA to start his own business, among other ventures assisting Rosa Kruger with the Old Vine Project (OVP).
On The Blog
Jane Anson
France. Jane Anson has lived in Bordeaux since 2003 and is author of Inside Bordeaux (BB&R Publishing 2020, called a 'category buster' by Wine Anorak and 'the Bordeaux bible' by Le Figaro), Wine Revolution (Quarto 2017)…
France
Jane Anson
has lived in Bordeaux since 2003 and is author of Inside Bordeaux (BB&R Publishing 2020, called a 'category buster' by Wine Anorak and 'the Bordeaux bible' by Le Figaro). After 20 years as Bordeaux correspondent and columnist for Decanter magazine she has now launched janeanson.com. Her other books include Wine Revolution (Quarto 2017), The Club of Nine (Katz Publishing 2016) Angélus (Editions de la Martiniere, 2016) and Bordeaux Legends, a history of the 1855 First Growth wines (Stewart, Tabori & Chang, 2013), as well as co-author or translator of over a dozen wine and travel books. She is Bordeaux correspondent and columnist for Decanter magazine and has won several awards for her writing, including Louis Roederer Wine Online Communicator of the Year 2020, and Born Digital Best Editorial 2020. She is a graduate of the DUAD tasting diploma with the Bordeaux Institute of Oenology and an accredited wine teacher at the Bordeaux Ecole du Vin.
Louise Hurren
France. Louise Hurren is a wine communicator based in the south of France, where she has lived since 2002. She began her career in marketing communications in Paris, before moving back to London to work in advertising and PR roles.
France
Louise Hurren
is a wine communicator based in the south of France, where she has lived since 2002. She began her career in marketing communications in Paris, before moving back to London to work in advertising and PR roles. Today, she works with wine producers, trade organisations and brand owners, devising and implementing communications strategies. Fluent in English, French and Italian, she is a WSET 3 and Sud de France Masters graduate, and a founder member of Wine Mosaic (an association that preserves and promotes original Mediterranean grape varieties).
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/2WFXWCT
About me: https://about.me/louise.hurren
Contact Louise: louisehurren@wanadoo.fr
On The Blog
Michele Shah
Italy. Michèle Shah has championed and promoted Italian wines for more than 30 years.
Italy
Michèle Shah
Michèle Shah has championed and promoted Italian wines for more than 30 years. A noted marketer, writer, communicator and judge, she works with producers across Italy. She is passionate about bringing the quality and diversity of authentic Italian wine to an international audience: her “Speedtasting®” b2b tastings have helped hundreds of producers find new export markets. Her clients include the Consorzi of both famous and emerging Italian wine denominations. A great lover of Italian gastronomy and heritage, Michele also organises wine tours for businesses and enthusiasts. These allow her to share her infectious love for Italian culture, deep wine knowledge, and connections with many inspiring figures in Italian wine.
Contact Michele:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mich%C3%A8le-shah-b835aa33/
Email: micheleshah@gmail.com
View Michel’s articles and projects: http://micheleshah.com/
On The Blog
Bentu Luna by Michèle Shah
"The vineyards are the fruit of a centuries-old culture that has remained almost unchanged…”
Yiannis Karakasis
Greece. Yiannis Karakasis MW is a Master of Wine based in Athens, Greece. He writes, consults and educates on wine.
Greece
Yiannis Karakasis MW
is a Master of Wine based in Athens, Greece. He writes, consults and educates on wine.
He created the blog, www.karakasis.mw, which has been instrumental in communicating Greek wine to the world.
He is the author of two books: the e-book The Vineyards and Wines of Greece and The Natural Wines in Greece. He is currently working on his upcoming book, The Wines of Santorini.
Yiannis is a consultant for several businesses including hotel groups and restaurants, and co-founder of the First Growth Wine School in Cyprus. He also established the 50 Great Greek Wines Awards.
Contact Yiannis: yiannis@karakasis.mw
Rescuing Old Vines in Greece by Yiannis Karakasis
Thousands of years of wine history and the claim that ancient Greeks were the first to institute a wine culture could make Greece the place to look when seeking wines from old vines.
Umay Çeviker
Turkey. Umay is a tenacious advocate for Turkey’s defiantly ancient wine culture. In 2015 he won the Geoffrey Roberts Award.
Turkey
Umay Çeviker
Umay is a tenacious advocate for Turkey’s defiantly ancient wine culture. In 2015 he won the Geoffrey Roberts Award for his work with rural vineyards and ancient varieties in Turkey. He writes about wine heritage and culture in Turkish and English, and his insightful articles have been published at jancisrobinson.com. His latest project ‘Yaban’ connects some of Turkey’s best winemakers with miraculously old vineyards of native varieties.
Facebook: Umay Çeviker / Instagram: umayceviker / Twitter: UmayCeviker / Clubhouse: umayceviker / LinkedIn: Umay Ceviker
On The Blog
Umay Çeviker on his ‘stealth’ project to save Turkey’s native old vine heritage