Dr. Josef Schuller MW wins the Vinitaly International Award 2023

The prestigious Vinitaly International Award was initiated in 1996 and is annually awarded by Veronafiere to an international company or personality for their special contributions to the world of wine. Amongst the recipients in the past were personalities such as Robert Mondavi, Piero Antinori, Hugh Johnson or Steven Spurrier. Veronafiere president Frederico Bricolo presented the Vinitaly International Award 2023 to Dr. Josef Schuller MW for his contributions to global wine education at the opening ceremony of Vinitaly 2023 in Verona on 2 April.

President Bricolo explained the background of this award: “Dr. Josef Schuller MW is the founder and managing director of the Austrian Wine Academy, the largest wine school on the continent.  The Wine Academy has been active in Austria and its neighbouring countries for 35 years and provides education for 15.000 students annually. The Academy has been offering the WSET Diploma qualification since 2015 also in Italy. Alto Adige and Florence are the Diploma course centers and Veronafiere welcomes the Academy´s Diploma students annually to Operawine and Vinitaly.”

Dr. Josef Schuller MW passed his MW exam 25 years ago and became the first Austrian MW and 10 years later he was elected as the first non-British Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine in 2008.  For the past 20 years he has been involved in organizing the European MW course at the Austrian Wine Academy in Rust and until today more than 100 MWs have started their MW education at the Campus of Austrian Wine Academy.”

Press release from Vinitaly