Two new Masters of Wine
Justin Martindale MW and Jonny Orton MW are the newly crowned Masters of Wine.
Announced by the Institute of Masters of Wine today (25 February), the new members of the IMW are both based in the United Kingdom, Justin in Scotland and Jonny in England.
There are now 420 MWs globally – 269 men and 151 women living or working in 30 countries. Since the first exam in 1953, 498 people have become an MW.
Justin and Jonny are the first of the 2022 MW vintage. They have proved their understanding of all aspects of wine by passing the Master of Wine exam, recognised worldwide for its rigour and high standards.
The MW exam consists of the theory and practical exams taken at the end of stage two and the research paper submitted at the end of stage three. The RP is an in-depth study on a wine-related topic from any area of the sciences, arts, humanities, or social sciences. Only when an individual passes the third RP stage of the MW exam do they become a Master of Wine.
In addition to passing the exam, and before new members have the right to use the title Master of Wine or initials MW, they must sign the IMW’s code of conduct.
The top countries where MWs are based around the world are Australia (28), Canada (10), France (19), Germany (10), New Zealand (16), the UK (211) and the US (56).
Justin Martindale MW (UK – Scotland)
Justin is an educator, consultant and wine judge based in Edinburgh. After studying a music degree at Leeds University, followed by a brief stint as a classical musician, Justin joined the wine trade with Majestic in 2008. He worked across some of London’s busiest stores whilst studying the WSET Level 3 certificate, for which he was awarded a distinction and the Cálem Port Award scholarship. Since 2010 Justin has been based in Scotland, where he studied the WSET diploma, winning the Derouet Jameson Award, which led to the MW study programme. In 2013 Justin established Lothian Wine School in Edinburgh. He now teaches WSET courses, masterclasses and bespoke private events at the school, runs a consultancy business, and judges at various international wine competitions.
Research paper
The evolving language of minerality in wine tasting: A case study of Decanter tasting notes 1976-2019.
Jonny Orton MW (UK – England)
After reading Chemistry at university and pursuing a career in financial services, Jonny discovered his passion for wine on the shelves of a French supermarket in 2014. Formal wine studies started shortly after that and have continued with abandon. Jonny currently balances interests in finance and wine, bridging the two with his MW research paper on the nuances of fine wine investment. In addition, he provides fine wine consulting and tastings and loves to pair wine and surf destinations wherever possible.
Research paper
How do the mechanics of investing in fine wine impact its viability as an alternative asset class?
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ENDS
For more information contact:
Sarah Kirkpatrick
Head of Marketing, Communications and Membership
Institute of Masters of Wine
+44 (0)207 383 9131
skirkpatrick@mastersofwine.org
Notes to editors:
About the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW)
The IMW is a membership organisation with an exceptional international reputation. For almost 70 years, its members – the Masters of Wine (MWs) – have been at the forefront of leadership and expertise in the world of wine. The IMW’s mission is to promote excellence, interaction and learning across all sectors of the global wine community. MWs prove their comprehensive understanding of wine by passing the MW exam, recognised worldwide for its rigour and exacting standards. In addition to passing the exam, members must sign the code of conduct before they are entitled to use the initials MW. This requires them to uphold the highest standards of commercial conduct within the industry. Today, there are 418 Masters of Wine working in 30 countries. The membership encompasses winemakers, sommeliers, buyers, journalists, shippers, consultants, academics, educators and more. There are 376 students from 41 countries in the 2020-2021 MW study programme. The IMW works with 31 supporters and one academic and research associate, who help promote the IMW’s mission. The five principal supporters are Austrian Wine, AXA Millésimes, Constellation Brands, the Madame Bollinger Foundation, and Waitrose and Partners.