Judges

Erik Simonics

Group Head Sommelier

Birley Clubs

Erik Simonics is Head of Wine and Beverage at Sunset Hospitality Group. Born and raised in Slovakia, he moved to London in 2010 and started his sommelier career at Gordon Ramsay at Claridge’s, followed by the French fine dining restaurant Orrery. In 2012, he moved to one of the most iconic hotels in London, the Savoy, where he spent 4 years. Erik also looked after the wine programme at the newly opened La Dame de Pic at Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square, the restaurant of one of the most famous chefs in the world, Anne Sophie Pic. He was the Head of Wine at Annabel’s private members club in Mayfair before stepping up to the Group Head Sommelier position to oversee all the other Birley Clubs. He gained a BA (Hons) degree in Hospitality Management at the University of West London in 2015 and also successfully passed the WSET Level 3, CSM Certified Sommelier, and Sake Sommelier courses by SSA. In 2013, he was Sommelier of the year in Slovakia. He also won the Wine Bar War of Chile in 2015 and the South African Sommelier Cup in 2016. In 2016, he finished as a Semi-Finalist at the Castle European Young Sommelier Cup. In 2022, he became the first sommelier to gain the Master of Havana Cigars qualification. In 2023, he completed his MBA program at Aston Business School.

Adam Michocki

Manager & Head Sommelier

The Man Behind The Curtain

Charles Pashby-Taylor

Wine Consultant

Charles drank his first glass of sherry aged 3 so working in wine seemed to be the obvious choice!

Chris Delalonde MS

Head of Wines

The Dorchester

Claire Love

Wine Consultant

Loves Consultancy

Having previously owned restaurants for 15 years, Claire now designs wine lists, assists wine buyers and trains front of house teams and sommeliers in independent restaurants across the Midlands. She has judged for SWA since 2011 and is currently studying at the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Diana Rollan

Group Head of Beverage

D&D

Diana Rollan is originally from Spain and began her career in Madrid, at Lavinia Wine Shop, before moving to London in 2007. She worked at Hakkasan Group, as UK Head of Wine, managing the wine buying and training side for the group. Since 2018, Diana has been Group Head of Beverage for D&D London group, with a focus predominantly on the purchasing of core beverage categories for the existing D&D group of restaurants in the UK, while managing and leading product innovation and quality-focused approach to the lists at the group’s 25 restaurants. She gained the WSET Diploma in 2014 and became WSET Certified Educator in Wine, Spirits and Sake.

Guillaume Mahaut

Wine Buyer

ETM Group

Harry Crowther

Freelance Consultant

Grape Times UK

Jacopo Mazzeo

Head Sommelier

The Pig Hotel

Jonathan Giffrin

Assistant Head Sommelier

Claude Bosi @ Bibendum

Jonathan passed the WSET Level 3 in 1 month and achieved the WSET Diploma in 2016 whilst working at China Tang at The Dorchester Hotel. He is now Assistant Head Sommelier for Claude Bosi @Bibendum Restaurant in Chelsea. The restaurant was awarded two Michelin stars after six months of opening. He works alongside Isabelle Legeron MW, who provides the team with fantastic wine material to play with Claude Bosi's food.

Julien Sahut

Head Sommelier

Sexy Fish

Julien is currently the head sommelier at Sexy Fish in London. He has worked with renowned establishments and chefs, including Susur Lee in Toronto, Hibiscus and China Tang at the Dorchester. Julien studied hospitality management in France for five years, before venturing to Switzerland, Canada, and now London. Julien also just launched Wine Picker, a wine application for smartphones. Wine Picker is defined by two main goals: to increase users' wine knowledge, particularly across the younger generations, and to help prevent restaurants from failing by improving their overall wine sales.

Mattia Mazzi

Restaurant Manager & Sommelier

Cornerstone

Mattia is currently the sommelier at the River Café, as well as studying towards his Master Sommelier advanced exam. Mattia started his wine journey many years ago in Australia. His ambition took him to London, where he successfully ran the opening and operations of some fantastic venues, mostly fine-dining establishments. Mattia turned his focus on the world of wine, and after a stint a Vinoteca he aimed to polish his skills by working towards the renowned Master Sommelier title.

Michael Fiducia

Club Head Sommelier

The Royal Automobile Club

To say I have been round the block, is probably an understatement... I started my Sommelier career in 2007 as a commis, I have worked for some amazing Michelin Starred restaurants and I returned to where I consider myself at home, the Royal Automobile Club as the Club Head Sommelier. I return for my third year as a Senior judge with SWA.

Nigel Lister

Sommelier

St. Swithins Wine Shippers

Nigel has worked with some of London's best restaurants including; Asia de Cuba, Royal Thames Yacht Club, The Ledbury, Bread Street Kitchen, The York & Albany.

Olivier Gasselin

Director of Trade

OenoTrade

Olivier has been in the wine trade since 2001 and is an experienced sommelier, with stints in the UK, the Middle-East and Asia. He is now based in London and has been with Oenotrade since April 2019. He is a long-standing SWA judge and has been Senior Judge for the last 3 years.

Raphael Thierry

Wine Consultant

Self Employed

Rebecca Coates

Consultant and Winemaker

Independent/ Urban Foxes Winery

Rebecca's wine career began with a degree in Viticulture and Oenology from Plumpton College. Soon after she headed to sunny California to make wine in Sonoma County before returning to London and joining Hakkasan's Wine Buying Team. After 3 years with Hakkasan, Rebecca returned to the winery and is now making wine with a fellow Plumpton alumna under their own label. She continues to judge wine in a number of international competitions and also consults privately advising independent clients.

Rémi Cousin

Head Sommelier

Le Gavroche

Rémi is currently the head sommelier at Michel Roux Jr’s Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Gavroche. Prior to this Rémi worked for 8 years as assistant sommelier at Heston Blumenthal’s three Michelin-starred restaurant, The Fat Duck. Rémi won the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs UK young sommelier award in 2011 and holds the title of Advanced Sommelier from The Court of Master Sommeliers. From a very young age Rémi always thought he wanted to become a chef. However, after a short spell in the kitchen of the George V in Paris, he took a different route and went onto join Le Meurice as trainee sommelier where he tasted for the first time a Château d'Yquem 1988. It was then that Rémi knew he had found his career path! Rémi moved to the UK in 2004 where he started working at the Hotel du Vin in York and in Bristol.

Robert Mason

Bar Manager / Sommelier

Cheese at Leadenhall

Robert is a Senior Judge for SWA and also judges for IWC. He will be completing his Diploma in Wines and Spirits shortly and is a Wine buyer, Sommelier and Bar Manager at Cheese at Leadenhall. He is a specialist in fortified wines.

Sue Jones

Owner

The Harrow at Little Bedwyn

Sue bought The Harrow at Little Bedwyn with her husband Roger in December 1998. They created a destination restaurant in the countryside majoring on the finest food, a substantial amount of wines (most recently 900) and professional but relaxed service. Sue ran the front of house team at The Harrow and over the last 10 years, developed and run annual events such as the Tri-Nations Wine Challenge, the Mamba Awards and the World Sparkling Challenge at The Harrow and all over the world. The restaurant shut in March 2020 to allow Sue to pursue other challenges, but food and wine remain very close to her heart.

Valentin Radosav

Head Sommelier

Gymkhana Restaurant London

Valentin is the current head sommelier at Gymkhana Restaurant London. Valentin's past experience includes working at Dinner by Heston Blumenthal in London for two years, one year at Burj Al Arab in Dubai and one year at Purnell's Restaurant in Birmingham. He is an advanced sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a WSET Diploma Graduate, winner of Sud de France Sommelier Competition in 2016, winner of Bellavita Best UK Sommelier 2017, part of winning team at the Chile Wine Bar War in 2015 at Imbibe Live.

Yohann Pinol

Head Sommelier

Wiltons