Colin Gent is a Master of Wine, one of only 400 in the world to have passed the most challenging of wine exams and achieved this internationally-recognised qualification of professional excellence. An accomplished public speaker as well as an expert taster, Colin has hosted wine tastings, seminars, masterclasses and dinners all over the world. His self-stated greatest pleasure is sharing his knowledge and passion for wine, and the history, the geography and culture that shape it, with any and all who find wine intriguing or inspiring, regardless their level of expertise. Colin now runs his own company, Geewines, providing sales and marketing consultancy services to importers and exporters, as well as offering high-end wine education and wine tourism. Previously, he worked 16 years for the Bordeaux-based wine broker Europvin, with responsibilities for portfolio selection and supplier relations, communications and promotion of prestigious estates such as E. Guigal, Vega Sicilia, and Emilio Lustau sherries. A graduate of Oxford University, where he majored in Philosophy, Politics and Economics, his wine career has taken him from London to Bordeaux via Napa Valley, Paris, Provence and Tokyo.

Primary area(s) of work: Trade, Strategy, Communication

Industry sector(s): Buying, Consultant, Educator, Marketing, Project management, Wine tourism

Wine styles: Fine and rare wines, Fortified wines, Sherry, Still red, Still rosé, Still white, Still wines

Wine region expertise: Bordeaux, Burgundy, California, France, Galicia, Italy, Jerez, Languedoc, Loire, Piedmont, Priorat, Rhone, Ribera del Duero, Rioja, Roussillon, South-West France, Spain, Tuscany, Veneto/Friuli

Market expertise: Asia, Canada, China, France, North America, Russia, Scandinavia, South East Asia, Spain, United Kingdom

Specialisms: Branding, Distribution, History of wine, Identifying and meeting consumer demand, Marketing wine, Routes to market, Supplier/customer relationships, Wine tourism, Wine judging