Jury VINARIUM 2024 – Page 3

03/042024

Janna RIJPMA-MEPPELINK

Wine Woman of the Year in 2024!

Since 1996 she is a registered Vinoloog (Certified Wine Expert) of the The Dutch Wine Academy and member of the United Wine Specialists (VVN). She wrote 5 editions of “The Wine Guide for Business People” for the Dutch Financial Times and her latest book is called “The Wine Guide Only for Women”.

Consultant for international wine companies and an educator for wine professionals.

Founder of “The Concours de Grands Cru du Beaujolais”, and the wine festival “The Night of the Wine”. Her latest project is the “Wine Festival of the Low Lands” that will celebrate its second edition in August 2025.

03/042024

Pasi KETOLAINEN MW

Master of Wine (since 2020) holds also an BSc in hospitality management and an MBA. After a career as a sommelier with award of the best restaurant wine list in Finland 1999 and completing his WSET Diploma in 2003, he worked in sales and product management positions at various wine importers in Finland. Pasi has partner and board member experience and has consulted in an advisory role on strategy, customer relationship management and start-up company development. He has also represented Finland in Nordic sommelier championships and international blind tasting competitions. in 2019 started as the commercial director at Viinitie Oy.

11/032024

Neslihan IVIT

Neslihan Ivit is the Head of Unit Oenology and Methods of Analysis at the International Organization of Vine and Wine (OIV). She manages the OIV’s scientific and standardization activities within the Oenology Commission, the Sub-Commission of Methods of Analysis, and groups of experts in technology, microbiology, and specifications of oenological products. Neslihan is a wine professional with international work experience in numerous grape and wine-producer countries. She worked as an oenologist in France, Spain, Chile, Turkey and the USA. In Canada, she worked as a Winemaking and Innovation Specialist, providing consultancy services to the local wineries in the province of Nova Scotia.

04/032024

Aina Mee MYHRE MW

She has been a Master of Wine since 2017. She lives in Oslo, Norway. She started working in the wine business in 2005 for Pernod Ricard and continued to work for some of the main wine importers in Norway with both global brands and fine wines. In 2015, she founded her company Heyday Wines together with Scandinavia’s leading wine group Anora, where she is managing director. In 2023, she became a Certified Cava Educator (The Regulatory Board of Cava) and completed The Advanced Course of Jerez (The Regulatory Council of Jerez). In addition to her daily work as a wine importer, Aina is also a freelance journalist, writing for some of the largest media outlets in Norway.

26/052023

Cornel BANIȚĂ

Engineer. Graduate of the Faculty of Horticulture at USAMV Bucharest, graduate of the Master’s program in Vitivinicultural Performance Technologies, Management and Marketing. Ph.D. student – currently at the same university in the winemaking sector. Technical Director and Oenologist at Pietroasa Research Station.

14/052023

Mar GALVÁN ROMERO

Oenologist, sommelier, and expert in sensory analysis. Analyst of Perishable Agricultural Food Products. Technician in Food Safety. Writer and poet, with three books published to date. Qualified Educator in Spanish Sparkling Wine, Wines from Jerez, and Wines from Montilla-Moriles. Master in Sherry at González Byass. Delegate for Catalunya at AEPEV. Spanish Association of Journalists and Writers on Wine. Member of FIJEV (International Federation of Journalists and Writers on Wine and Spirits).

06/032023

Jorge SAMPAIO

Vice-President of the City of Anadia. President of the wine route of the Bairrada region, from 2006 to 2021, currently President of the Wine Routes of Portugal and President of the General Assembly of the World Wine Tourism Association. DWM partner in the coordination of the Portugal Wine Trophy (wine competition) and member of the jury of several Portuguese and international wine competitions (Italy, Germany, France, Spain, and South Korea).

02/032023

Anca POIANĂ MARTINS

Has a specialization in Physical-Chemical Analysis Laboratory Techniques. In 2011, she finished the Environmental Engineering degree. She has a Master’s in Viticulture and Enology Engineering / Vinifera Euromaster, from Instituto Superior de Agronomia (University of Lisbon). In 2012 she founded the winery project “Casal Martins”, where until today, in addition to management, she performs technical tasks in oenology. She is also a trainer and teacher. With a strong activity in the Associação dos Escanções de Portugal (national Sommelier Association), she is an official taster of the Tasting Board in the Tejo Region Certification Wine Entity.

17/052021

Anne-Wies van OOSTEN

Anne-Wies has obtained the degree Register Vinoloog of the Wine Academy® in The Netherlands, followed by successfully completing the international WSET Diploma level 4 and obtaining the title Weinakademiker with her thesis about the ‘Development and Future of Wine Tourism in Transylvania’. She is a member of the ‘Verenigde Vinologen Nederland’ (United Wine Specialists of The Netherlands) the FIJEV (International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers) and the Circle of Wine Writers. She passionately shares her insights and knowledge on Wine & Food on her own website Anne-Wies.nl, and as a guest writer on several other wine & food websites.

Nominated at the Wine Travel Awards 2025 in the category ‘Wine & Food Influencer – Expert Opion & The Brightest Journey’.

04/052021

Marian TIMOFTI

Professional Sommelier (Italian Sommelier Assoc.) President of OSR 2011 -Romanian Sommeliers Organization.