Before university (History, Magdalen, Oxford) I spent a year in Italy, first helping with a vintage at a friend’s farm in Chianti, then studying œnology and viticulture at Florence university. From here it was an easy decision to enter the wine trade. I worked for various companies before setting up a small agency company specialising in New World wines, and after that becoming an independent wine merchant importing mostly from France. I have judged wine at various competitions including International Wine Challenge, Banco d’Assaggio Torgiano, Vinitaly and MundusVini. I became a Master of Wine in 1990.