Jury

Graduate in Gastronomy with a specialty in World Culinary Arts. Sommelier from the Mexican Wine Academy. WSET Level 3 in Wines and Spirits. Director of AMOR Eno-Consultant, consulting firm for restaurants and food and wine events. Ambassador and instructor sommelier for Rías Baixas and Uruguay Wine.

Freelance journalist specialising in spirits. Regular contributor to the German magazines Fizzz and Schlimmerdurst.net. Long-standing jury member for numerous national and international competitions, including the Spirits Selection by CMB.

Beer and spirits writer, critic, industry observer, and author. Co-author of 15 books, including The World Atlas of Beer, The Beer & Food Companion, and the definitive guide to Canada’s distilleries, Canadian Spirits. Writer for a wide and diverse array of publications, from The Globe and Mail to Esquire and Whisky Advocate to Global Drinks Intel. Judge in Concurso Brasileiro de Cervejas, Copa Cervezas de America, Spirits Selection, World Whisky Awards, and the Brussels Beer Challenge.

Winemaker, graduated from the Madrid School of Vine and Wine. Professional WSET Spirits Course, London. Contributor to The Library and Club Metrópolis, Madrid. Columnist for the newspaper El Independiente (4.5 million unique users per month). First Global Ambassador of Raicilla and collaborator with Sendero del Mezcal, importer of agave spirits in Spain.

British journalist and photographer based in Paris and Venice. Contributor for The Guardian in London, South China Morning Post in Hong Kong, The National and Conde Nast Traveller in the Middle East. Author for Lonely Planet Wine Trails books. Author of Mémoire du Serpent à Plumes, monogram of his photographs of Mexico. Taster for CMB, Vinitaly, Montpellier Bio, Beaujolais Nouveau. Awarded with Pluma de Plata during Tianguis in Acapulco, Mexico.

Los Angeles-based wine entrepreneur and founder of Wine Stop. Former collaborator of JK Imports for over 20 years. LGBTQIA+ Latino professional and open voice advocating for greater inclusivity and diversity within the broader wine industry.

Sommelier, educator, and communicator. Internationally certified by The Court of Master Sommeliers, Society of Wine Educators, Association de la Sommellerie Internationale, Wine Scholar Guild, and WSET. California Wine Appellations Specialist. Certified educator for California Wines, Ribera del Duero, and Rueda. Currently a WSET Diploma candidate.

French artist, food author, journalist and wine enthusiast. Dame d’Honneur of the Confrèrerie de Tastevin de Sancerre. Author of “Jazz and Wine” and many other exhibitions around the world, from Paris to Venice, Istanbul to Kuala Lumpur, where she presents winemakers and tastes.

WSET Certified Educator in Wine, Spirits and Beer. Certified Sommelier by The Court of Master Sommeliers. Master Tequila Taster by the Mexican Academy of Tequila, Wine and Mezcal Tasters A.C. Master Mezcalier by the Pro-Cultura del Mezcal Association A.C. Mead Beer Judge, BJCP. Certified Cicerone.

Certified Specialist in Wine & Spirits, Society of Wine Educators. Degree in Sensory Analysis, Oenology and Viticulture from the University of California, in Davis. Maestra Tequilera from the Mexican Academy of Tequila, Wine and Mezcal Tasters A.C. Sommelier of the Gastronomic Collective of Xcaret Hotels.

Agronomist specializing in production (Tecnológico de Monterrey) and viticulture (École Nationale Supérieure Agronomique de Montpellier, France). Expert for the Mexican delegation to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine (OIV)—specifically within the Viticulture Commission—since 2017. Technical Advisor to the Mexican Wine Council.

Master Sommelier. Founding board member of the Best USA Sommelier Association (BUSA). Contributor to the 5th Edition of The Oxford Companion to Wine (Oxford University Press, 2022). President and Education Director of Full Circle Wine Solutions. Founding board member of The Court of Master Sommeliers.

General Manager Vinopres. Editor in chief of Vino! Magazine. Columnist for La Libre Belgique. Chairman of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. President of the Wine Jury at the México Selection by CMB.

Head Sommelier at El Palacio de Hierro. Sommelier with 14 years of experience in the wine industry, dedicated to luxury retail and specializing in marketing, brand positioning, and the development of wine experiences. WSET Level 2 in Wines.

Japanese tequila promotor and leader for 20 years. Founder and Chairman of the Japan Tequila Association. Advisor to the Japan Mezcal Association. Author of The Tequila Encyclopedia (Kosaido Publishing). Regular seminars in collaboration with the Mexican Embassy, about Tequila and Mezcal in Japan.

Certified sommelier. Columnist and writer for Mural Newspaper, in Guadalajara. Tequila expert and wine judge. Contributor for W Radio Guadalajara.

Maestra Tequilera, sommelier and WSET Level 3 in Spirits. WSET Certified Educator. Member of the Mexican Academy of Tequila, Wine and Mezcal Tasters A.C., and of Tequila Culture and Training. Master distiller for Casa Zea and MI Mezcal. Teacher at Domecq Academy. Baijiu Ambassador for Mexico.

Sommelier, restaurateur, academic and promoter of wine and spirits culture. Certified Sommelier by The Court of Master Sommeliers. WSET Level 2 in Wines. Cultural Promoter of Mezcal by the Center for Studies on Maguey and Mezcal A.C. Certified Taster of Mexican Beverages with D.O. and Baijiu Ambassador for Mexico.

Bachelor of Education, professor at ISU University. Sommelier. WSET Level 3 in Wines. Consulting and training for Consumer Centers in the city of Puebla. Design of corporate tastings and literary pairings.

Wine journalist, lecturer, international judge and event coordinator. Wine taster at the Academy du Vin in Tokyo. Freelance wine journalist and regular contributor to Winart, Wands, Taru and Cuisine Magazine.

Wine educator, consultant, and wine-focused content creator. SEP-CONOCER certified instructor and curriculum designer. Founder of Wikivinos (2017) and creator of Sommeliers.mx. Consultant for brands, restaurants, and premium events. WSET Level 3 holder and one of Mexico's top 25 wine leaders.

Biochemical Engineer. General Certificate in Brewing and Spirits by the IBD. Mead Beer Judge, BJCP. Certified Cicerone. Unionbirrai Beer Taster. Master Mezcalier by the Pro-Cultura del Mezcal Association A.C. Cigar Sommelier. Instructor at the Mexican Academy of Sommeliers.

Sommelier certified by the Escuela Española de Sommeliers México. Professional Beer Tasting and Style Evaluation by the Siebel Institute of Technology. Certified Sake Sommelier by the Sake Sommelier Association. Certified Cicerone and BJCP Judge. Speaker, presenter, and trainer specializing in wine, spirits, and specialty and craft beer.

Sommelier, specialist in mezcal. Consultant in processes and marketing of various mezcal brands. Contributor to Sibarita Magazine, with presence in Argentina, Spain, Colombia, and Mexico.

OIV MSc, WSET Diploma, WSET Level 3 in Spirits, OIV FORMAT expert, WSET Certified Educator, CMS Certified Sommelier, Spanish Wine Specialist (ICEX), Diploma in Wine Marketing from UC Davis and leader of Domecq Academy.

Co-owner of Bossanova Wine & Beer, one of Ontario's premier, independent wine shops, as well as a wine bar and import company. WSET levels 1-4 Teacher, with Fine Vintage, Ltd and George Brown College in Toronto. WSET Diploma and Italian Wine Ambassador and Certified Sherry Educator/Specialist.

Founder of Preiss Import in the US, one of the leading and most dynamic company in the US, pioneer in developing small premium brands and placing them strategically with distributors in virtually every market of the USA.

Degree in Oenology from the ISVV Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences in Bordeaux. Diploma in Oenology and Viticulture from the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences at the University of Chile. Student of the Winemaker program at the University of California, in Davis. Content creator with ~395K total followers, ~730K monthly reach, 3 active platforms.

Dining Room Manager & Sommelier at El Mural de los Poblanos. Bachelors degree in Gastronomy and Master in Management for Hotels and Restaurants. Sommelier certified by the Mexican Sommelier Association. WSET Level 2 in Wines and Spirits. Michelin Sommelier Award 2026.

Vice President of Communications for the ASM and food journalist with 20 years of experience. Contributor to El Universal and NRM Comunicaciones. Sommelier certified by the Mexican Sommelier Association and the Mexican School of Sommeliers. WSET Level 2 in Wine.

Global Commercial VP of Orendain Distillery. International Sales and Marketing Consultant for the Wine and Spirits sector. Former collaborator with Tequila Herradura, Centinela, Casco Viejo, Ocho, and Orendain. Over three decades of experience leading commercial and marketing strategies in key markets such as the United States, Europe, Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and Latin America.

Certified Sommelier by The Court of Master Sommeliers. Co-owner of Hermitage. Maestra Tequilera by the Mexican Academy of Tequila, Wine and Mezcal Tasters A.C. Global Consulting Director of WineAdvisor. Ambassador of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles for the United States.

Advanced Cicerone, WSET Level 2 in Spirits and Certified BJCP judge. Journalist for Forbes on beer, travel and spirits. Founder/Cartoonist for Pints and Panels. Podcast Co-Host for All About Beer Magazine. 2022 British Guild of Beer Writers Awards - Honorable Mention for Best Beer Book. Author of Beer is for Everyone! (of Drinking Age), One Peace Books; Hooray for Craft Beer!, Brewers Publications, and Pairing Beer With Everything, Pints and Panels Press.

Sommelier from the Spanish School of Tasting. WSET Diploma in Wines and Spirits. Sherry Master. Member of the Union of Tasters of Spain and the Association of Professional Sommeliers of Madrid. Rhum sommelier. Advisor for Distribuidora Istmania, in Honduras. Ambassador of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles for Central America.

Import and Distribution in Quebec, consultant to the SAQ and member of the Quebec Craft Distiller Association.

Founder of INVINO Distribuidora & Invino Cava y Copeo. WSET Level 3 in Wines. Content and community creator on Instagram under the account @vinohistorias. Marketing and Branding Consultant for ElBulliFoundation, in 2013.