Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show Judges' profiles

SHOW CHAIRMAN:

Michael Fridjhon

Chairman of the judges at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show. Author, co-author and contributor to a number of wine books including ICONS (SA), The Global Wine Encyclopaedia, The Oxford Companion to Wine and John Platter (SA). Recipient of the Chevalier de l'Ordre du Merite Agricole (France). Panel chairman for the WINE Magazine Shiraz and Chenin Blanc Challenge (SA) and judge at numerous other competitions including the International Wine and Spirit Competition (UK), the Australian National Wine Show, the Tri-Nations Challenge as well as benchmark tastings in France, the United States, Chile and South Africa. He was the first international co-chairman of the International Wine Challenge (2007). Visiting Professor at UCT Graduate School of Business.

Editor of WINE magazine, Christian Eedes was an associate judge at the Trophy Wine Show in 2005 and 2006 and judge since 2007.

Australian judge Brian Croser has been an innovator in the Australian wine industry for 35 years.

SA judge Carrie Adams. Partner and wine buyer at leading Johannesburg retail outlet Norman Goodfellows, and a wine industry professional for over 20 year

Owner winemaker of Jordan Winery, SA judge Gary Jordan has been a judge at the Trophy Wine Show since 2007.

SA judge Ginette de Fleuriot is a Cape Wine Master and is the national retail sales manager for Wine Worx, she was a Trophy Wine Show associate judge in 2008.

SA judge, James Pietersen achieved the Certificate of Competence with distinction from the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2007. He was an associate judge at the Trophy Wine Show in 2007.

Julia Harding is based in London and works full-time for Jancis Robinson as writer and editor for www.jancisrobinson.com and as assistant editor for The Oxford Companion to Wine and the World Atlas of Wine.

Michael Fridjhon is the chairman of the judges at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show.

France's leading wine critic, Michel Bettane is credited with coining the term “vin de garage” and its winemakers “garagistes”

 

INTERNATIONAL JUDGES:

Michel Bettane (France)

France's leading wine critic, Michel Bettane was born in Maryland and graduated in Classics. Writer for the French consumer wine publication La Revue du Vin de France for 20 years, most recently as editor. Since leaving the Revue he co-writes the annual wine guide, Le Classement des Meilleurs Vins de France. Bettane also contributes to Le Monde and Decanter and has a regular column in The World of Fine Wine. Professor at the Academie du Vin from 1977 to 1989. Bettane is credited with coining the term "vin de garage" and its winemakers "garagistes". After wine, he is passionate about classical music. Trophy Wine Show judge in 2004.

Brian Croser (Australia)

Brian Croser has been an innovator in the Australian wine industry for 35 years. Educated at the University of Adelaide, of which he was Deputy Chancellor for eight years and at the University of California at Davis, Croser was involved in the establishment of the Charles Sturt Wine Science degree in Wagga Wagga and in the establishment of many industry associations through the 1970s and 1980s.
Brian Croser is recognized as Australia's leading exponent of terroir-driven wines. Founder and owner of Petaluma for 27 years, he has continued is commitment to research and development of unique sites with the establishment of Tapanappa. He has also established vineyards in Oregon, USA.

Brian Croser has been made an Officer of the Order of Australia for his contribution to research, education and service to the Australian wine industry. He has been the President of the Winemakers Federation of Australia, the Chairman of Adelaide, Sydney and Canberra (The National) wine shows and has received numerous awards for service to the Australian wine industry including the prestigious Maurice O'Shea award, an Honorary Doctorate from Charles Sturt University and most recently he was made Doctor of the University of Adelaide in July 2007. In 2004 Brian Croser was Decanter's Man of the Year. Trophy Wine Show judge in 2004.

Julia Harding MW (UK)

Julia is based in London and works full-time for Jancis Robinson as writer and editor for www.jancisrobinson.com and as assistant editor for The Oxford Companion to Wine and the World Atlas of Wine.

Julia started out in book publishing with a Cambridge degree in Modern languages, then began the Wine and Spirit Education Trust courses, working for nearly five years for upmarket UK supermarket Waitrose in their wine buying department. Julia started the Master of Wine in January 2002 and passed the theory and tasting exams at the first attempt in June 2003, winning the Robert Mondavi Award for best theory papers. In October 2004 she completed the Master of Wine with a distinction in her dissertation and was awarded the Tim Derouet Memorial Prize for excellence. In 2007, she was awarded the Noval prize for wine communication by the Institute of Masters of Wine for her writing, teaching and mentoring Master of Wine students.

Julia has traveled widely in response to her passion for wine, visiting wine regions around the world. Her current role means she has to keep up to date with styles and trends in as many corners of the wine world as possible.

With the focus of the competitive UK wine market, Julia has the opportunity to taste widely. She is a judge for Decanter magazine and previously for the International Wine and Spirit Competition. In January 2008 she judged at the Wines of Chile awards in Santiago, and in October at the Limestone Coast Show in Australia.

SOUTH AFRICAN JUDGES:

Carrie Adams

Partner and wine buyer at leading Johannesburg retail outlet Norman Goodfellows, and a wine industry professional for over 20 year. Serves on tasting panels for various national publications and ratio stations and occasionally writes wine articles. Judge at Diners' Club Winemaker of the Year. Trophy Wine Show judge in 2006.

Ginette de Fleuriot CWM

Ginette de Fleuriot is a Cape Wine Master and is the national retail sales manager for Wine Worx. She began her career in wine in Germany managing a specialist wine retail store in Cologne. She later left wine retail to focus on wine education and training for sommeliers and the wine trade before returning to South Africa in 2006. A lecturer for the Cape Wine Academy and a regular WINE Magazine tasting panel member, Ginette also served on the 2008 SAA Wine Selection panel. She was a contributor to the Platter Wine Guide in the 2007 and 2008 editions and a taster for the 2009 edition. Whilst in Europe, Ginette worked as a wine judge and freelance journalist for publications including Gault Millau WeinGuide Deutschland and Selection Wine Magazine. Wine buyer at winesense until 2008. Achieved Certificate of Competence with distinction from the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2008. Ginette was a Trophy Wine Show associate judge in 2008.

Christian Eedes

Editor of WINE Magazine and author of Gulp!, the weekly WINE magazine webletter, Christian joined the magazine as a fulltime journalist in April 2002, having graduated with a B.A. Honours degree in Philosophy from Stellenbosch University. In 2005, he completed a small-scale winemaking course as well as a wine evaluation course under the auspices of the Department of Viticulture and Oenology at Stellenbosch University, and in January 2007 obtained the Certificate of Competence at the inaugural WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy. He was an associate judge at the Trophy Wine Show in 2005 and 2006 and judge since 2007.

Gary Jordan

Owner winemaker of Jordan Winery, Gary trained as a geologist before pursuing his interest in winemaking to California, where he and Kathy graduated from the Masters programme at the University of California (Davis). After a further year spent working in California, they returned to the Jordan family farm in Stellenbosch Kloof as South Africa's first husband and wife winemaking and viticultural team. Gary has been responsible for the development of this magnificent 146 hectare property, which overlooks Table Mountain, False Bay and Stellenbosch. His passion to grow top quality fruit has produced wines displaying the ripe, concentrated and fruity accessibility of New World wines, while retaining the complex elegance of Classic wine styles. Gary has been a judge at the Trophy Wine Show since 2007.

Angela Lloyd

Angela Lloyd is a freelance wine writer, contributor to www.grape.co.za, co-author of The South African Wine Cellar Book, contributor to the John Platter South African Wine Guide (since 1987), Wines of the World (Dorling Kindersley), Oz Clarke's Pocket Wine Guide and About Wine (Delmar Learning). She has been a judge at the Sydney International 100, Vinitaly's Consurso Enologico Internacional and at various tastings in South Africa, including the Diners Club Winemaker of the Year Awards and the SAA Wine List Selections and has been a member of the Trophy Wine Show judging panel since its inception.

James Pietersen

Former wine buyer for the Vineyard Connections. A University of Stellenbosch graduate, James is a WINE Magazine Panel taster (since 2006) and contributor to John Platter South African Wine Guide for the 2008 and 2009 editions. Achieved the Certificate of Competence with distinction from the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2007. James was an associate judge at the Trophy Wine Show in 2007 and a judge in 2008.

ASSOCIATE JUDGES:

The Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show draws upon several of South Africa's new-generation winemakers, all of whom have appropriate tasting experience. They are provided with the opportunity of working in a rigorous show-judging environment and learning from the international and local tasters to whom they are seconded. Associate judges work in the tasting room with the main panel and are invited to participate in the discussion, however their scores are not included in the final tally.

Trizanne Barnard

Owner winemaker of Trizanne Wines and wine consultant - currently to The Berrio, Elim. Graduated in 2002 from Stellenbosch University with a BSc Viticulture and Oenology degree. Trizanne was chief winemaker for Anwilka Vineyard from 2005 to 2008. Her extensive international experience includes vintages in Portugal, Bordeaux, Alsace and Western Australia. She has served on the judging panels for the Winemaker's Choice Award and the Young Wine Show and achieved distinction in the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2009.

Howard Booysen

Currently working at Graham Beck, Jordan Wines and Flagstone Winery. Graduated at Elsenburg Agricultural College in 2006 and was appointed the first The Cape Winemakers Guild protégé in 2007 after which he completed his first internship at Hartenberg Estate. Achieved the Certificate of Competence with distinction from the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2007. Worked a vintage in Sonoma California in 2008.

Miguel Chan

Certified sommelier and Beverage Manager at Relais & Chateaux, The Cellars-Hohenort Hotel in Constantia valley, part of The Collection by Liz McGrath. Represented South Africa in 2007 at the Inaugural Concours Internationales des Jeunes Sommeliers, world final, in Frankfurt, Germany. Employment history includes the Royal Palm and The Oberoi hotel in Mauritius. Achieved Certificate of Competence with distinction from the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2008. Trophy Wine Show Associate judge in 2008.

Higgo Jacobs

Sommelier at Steenberg Hotel and is completing a post-graduate LLB part-time. Experience in wine industry started at Hazendal Estate and Hoopenburg, after which he was employed by UK wine importer Anthony Byrne, followed by a stint with the Jeroboams group. In 2008 he pursued the craft of Sommelier while volunteering his skills to London restaurants. Higgo has completed Wine and Spirit Education Trust UK Advanced Certificate, the Court of Master Sommeliers Certificate Course and achieved a distinction in the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy in 2009. He is also judge for the International Wine Challenge and a WINE Magazine Tasting panelist.

Mark Norrish

General Manager of Ultra Liquors Wine Division. His wine industry career spanning 30 years started in seriousness on his appointment as national head of the Shoprite Checkers Wine Division in 1994. His extensive trade experience includes participation at international wine shows, auctions, consultant to wineries and buying into a small vineyard in Burgundy. Wine-of-the-Month Club judge for many years and WINE Magazine panelist. He completed the Cape Wine Academy Diploma II and achieved distinction at the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2009.

Gareth Robertson

Newly appointed Sales Manager at L'Ormarins after position as General Manager at Waterford Estate until April 2009. Passion for the wine industry started with working part-time at 96 Winery Road while studying financial accounts at Stellenbosch University. Completed the Cape Wine Academy Diploma II and achieved distinction at the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2009.

Rianie Strydom

Following ten years as winemaker at Morgenhof Estate, Rianie Strydom moved across town in 2004 to take up the dual role of General Manager and winemaker at Haskell Vineyards and Dombeya Wines in the Helderberg. A regular panelist for WINE magazine and a judge at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show in 2007, Rianie has an in-depth knowledge of international wine styles and a passion for 'improving the breed' of South African wine. She achieved the Certificate of Competence with distinction for the WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy in 2007.

Arnold Vorster

Part of Graham Beck Wines' marketing team since 2006, Arnold has completed the Stellenbosch University Course in Wine Management and Marketing. His broad experience in the hospitality field started with a Diploma in Hospitality Management from the Granger Bay Hotel School. After a stint in the UK in the coffee industry he was employed as sommelier at the Cape Grace hotel. Panel judge of the Diners Club Wine List of the Year Awards since 2005. Cape Wine Academy Diploma II and WINE Magazine Michael Fridjhon Tasting Academy 2009 Certificate of Competence recipient.