Fifty women from 14 different countries are recognized in China’s inaugural Women in Wine and Spirits Awards (WINWSA) for their contribution to wine and spirits industry in their WWS 50 List of Excellence 2020.
Judged by a panel of experts, the nominees on the top 50 list are selected based on four criteria according to the awards committee, which are insightfulness and professional accomplishment, impact, contribution and vision.
The nominees are then scored and judged for 17 grand prizes including Winemaker of the Year, Sommelier of the Year, Educator of the Year and Wine Tourism award and Wine & Spirits Writer of the Year. Recipients of these awards are marked below in purple.
“Since the opening of entry in September, we have received 110 submissions, nominations from China, Asia Pacific, America and Europe. The judging process was steered through scoring by authoritative judge panel to select the influential female professionals through four judging criteria,” says the award committee on its website.
“The finalists this year display an incredibly colorful tapestry of diversified focuses and expertise that all exemplify the evolution and trend in drink business,” it adds.
The top 50 lists consists of women working in a diverse range of sectors from winemaking, communication, marketing to wine tourism, education and design.
Severine Frerson, Chef de Cave at Champagne house Perrier-Jouët, was named Winemaker of the Year. Respected wine critic and writer Jancis Robinson was the recipient of Wine and Spirits Media and publishing Award. Madeline Puckette, Co-Founder of Wine Folly, took home Social Media Award.
More details on each finalist’s bio can be read here.
Here is the full WWS List of Excellence 2020 (in alphabetic order of surname):
Michal Akerman, Agronomist & Viticulturalist / Israeli
Marilisa Allegrini, CEO, Allegrini Winery Group / Italy (Social Responsibility Award)
Susane Balbo, Founder, Susana Balbo Wines / Argentina
Lisa Perrotti Brown, Editor-In-Chief, Robert Parker Wine Advocate / USA
Grace Cai, General Manager, Aussino Wine Academy / China
Monica Alferez Calvo, Co-Founder, Atomik Vodka / USA
Emilie Campesato-Mouragne, Assistant Bar Manager, The Lockhart London / UK
Katrina Chang, Consul General, OCC / China
Lizhong Chen, Co-Founder, Tiansai Winery / China (Sustainability Award)
Remi Cohen, CEO, Domaine Carneros / USA
Donatella Cinelli Colombini, Founder, The Women of Wine Association / Italy
Emma Ding, Founder & CEO, Jade Vineyard / China
Frida Escobedo, Architect Drinking Vessel Design For Maestro Dobel / Mexico (VI Award)
Mary Ewing-Mulligan, MW/Wine Educator & Author / USA
Jenna Fagnan, Co-Founder, Tequila Avión / USA
Severine Frerson, Chef de Cave, Perrier-Jouët / France (Winemaker of the Year)
Caroline Frey, Viticulturist & Winemaker, Paul Jaboulet /Chateau la Lagune /Château Corton C./ France
Emma Gao, Winemaker & Owner, Silver Height / China
Philippa Gee, CEO, Fatty’s Organic Spirits / UK (Product Concept Award)
Constance Guisset, Designer, Constance Guisset Studio/ France
Lesley Gracie, Master Distiller, Hendrick’s Gin / UK
Carolyn Evans Hammond, Columnist, Freelancer, The Star / Canada
Alexandra Marnier Lapostolle, Founder, Lapostolle / Chile
Christyne Lee, Bartender, Tess Bar & Kitchen / Singapore (Mixologist of the Year Award)
Paz Levinson, Head Executive Sommelier, Groupe PIC / France (Sommelier of the Year Award)
Meiyu LI , Founder of DrinkArt and Panda Wine / China
Shelley Lindgren, Co-Owner & Wine Director, A16, Author & Educator / USA (Food and Beverage Concept Award)
Sophie Liu, Founder, Shanghai Zui Pu Communication Co., Ltd, / China
Lin Liu, MW, Writer / China
Karen MacNeil, Writer & Author, The Wine Bible / USA (Wine and Spirits Writer of the Year)
Laura Maniec, Board Directors, The Guild Of Sommeliers / USA
Helen Masters, Winemaker, Ata Rangi / New Zealand
Virginia Philip, Founder, Virginia Philip Wine Shop & Academy / USA
Madeline Puckette, Co-Founder, Wine Folly,com / Canada (Social Media Award)
Véronique Rivest, Owner, SoifBaraVin / Canada
Jancis Robinson, Wine Critic, Author, Columnist / UK (Wine and Spirits Media and Publishing Award)
Elena Roppa, Founder of Camper Friendly Project / Italy (Wine Tourism of the Year)
Lucy Shaw, Editor, Writer, Freelancer, The Drink Business / UK
Robin Shaw, Founder & Lead Consultant, Wine Tourism Australia / Australia
Joy Spence, Master Blender, Appleton / Jamaica
Fiona Sun, Co-Founder, Winepicurean Website And New Media / China
Emma Taylor, Viticulturist / New Zealand
Fongyee Walker, Co-Founder, MW, Dragon Phoenix Wine Consulting / China (Wine Educator of the Year Award)
Natalie Wang, Vino Joy News, Founder & Editor / China
Kathie Wang, Vice President of PR and Communications, Pernod Ricard China / China
Rachel Wang, Wine Educator, Member of FIJEV / China (Brand Ambassador of the Year)
Shenghan Wang (aka Lady Penguin), Founder of Lady Penguin / China (Channel Award)
Bao Chun Zhang, Master Blender, Chang Yu Brandy / China (Master Blender of the Year)
Maria Zhang, Vineyard Manager, Canaan Winery / China (Viticulturist of the Year)
Fangyuan Zheng, Great China Representative for Chateau Margaux / China
