BWW2020 - BEST WINE CRITICS OF THE WORLD COMPETITION

BWW 2020 - Best Wine Critics of the World have been selected!

The Best Wine Critic of the World -competition is part of the The BWW2020 - Best Wine of the World Competition, which was held in the world's largest wine information service - tastingbook.com. The 50 shortlisted wine critics received in total 218,966 votes from wine professionalists and wine lovers from 56 countries during the voting period.

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best ...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Neal Martin. 

"Thank you to everyone who voted for me in the Best Wine Critic Competition, not least since many of the votes are cast by fellow wine professionals. Although by definition a competition, everyone that contributes towards communicating about wine has something to offer and is fighting the same cause - to encourage more people to drin...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Bordeaux Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Michel Bettane. 

​

  "All my team at Bettane Desseauve and myself are very proud about the result of your votes. It is sure than after more than 40 vintages ( my first was 1978 and I was the first to assess that 1982 will be a great one) and 40 harvests looked after I think I am beginning to know something about Bordeaux wines. Once ag...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Burgundy Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Allen Meadows.

"It is rewarding to be recognized by the wine community and fellow professionals as the “Best Burgundy Wine Critic in the World.”  When we started Burghound.com in 2000, it was the first of it’s kind to offer specialized, and more importantly, exhaustive coverage of a specific wine region/grape and pioneered the on-lin...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Rhône Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Jeb Dunnuck.

An aerospace engineer by training, Jeb Dunnuck grew up on a farm in rural Indiana where 2% milk was the beverage of choice and wine was hard to come by. It wasn’t until 1996, when living abroad and traveling through Europe, that he became interested in fine wine.

Moving to upstate New York in 1999 to work for Lockheed Mar...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Alsace Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Stephan Reinhardt.

Stephan, born 1967 in Düsseldorf, is a German journalist who began to specialize in wine in 1999/2000 after a decade of studying and teaching theatre science at Münch University in the morning and selling wine in a wine shop in the afternoon. Initially he wrote about theatre and music but after the translation of Oz C...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Champagne Critic of the World -title was awarded to Richard Juhlin.

“I feel so extremely honored receiving the prize as the best Champagne Critic in the world. It is a fantastic proof for me that my hard work over 33 years were not only for my own pleasure. To be able to share my enthusiasm over the most elegant and multifaceted wines in the world is a privilegued gift for which I will always ...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Spain Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to José Peñin.

La Guia Penin is Spain's most famous and comprehensive wine guide. It is compiled by José Peñin, whose impressive knowledge of international and Spanish wines has been gathered over more than 25 years as a professional wine writer and journalist.

In 1980 Peñin created Bouquet – Spain's first magazine dedicated to wine and ...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Port Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Axel Probst.

Born in one of the greatest Vintage Port years - 1970, Axel succeeded in becoming European Champion in 100m Backstroke during his early years. He graduated from School in 1989 and studied Business Administration, which he successfully finished with a Master Degree (German: DiplomKaufmann). He joined the Air-Force and bec...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Italy Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to James Suckling.

​

James Suckling is one of the world’s most powerful wine critics, and his scores are widely popularized and used among consumers, collectors and wine trade worldwide, especially in Asia. Combining over three decades of tasting experience — 200,000 wines and counting — and extensive wine knowledge, his dedicated websiteJam...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Napa Valley Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to James Laube.

James Laube has been writing for Wine Spectator since 1980, and joined the staff full-time in 1983. During his career with the magazine, he has reviewed every category of wine made in California, as well as wines from around the world, and he continues to apply his experience to verticals, retrospectives and other spec...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Australia Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Andrew Caillard MW

"I am rather surprised and delighted. I am a small voice in fine wine and not nearly as prolific as those in the top ten. Neal Martin is a wonderful writer with a barbed wit and insightful palate. He is a very worthy winner and I am extremely pleased for him. Wine writing is very specialised. Most of my work is related...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Germany Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to David Schildknecht.

​

David Schildknecht worked as a restaurateur before spending a quarter century in the U.S. wine trade. His curiosity and affection were aroused by bottles of German Riesling savored during his University years, but it was only after he entered the trade, and especially after (in chronological order) Barbara and Joha...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Austria Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Peter Moser.

Peter Moser – editor-in-chief of Falstaff Magazine, is a descendant of a famous Austrian wine dynasty (Lenz Moser), and born in the excellent vintage of 1961. Since 1997 he has been the editor-in-chief of Falstaff magazine, one of the leading wine and gourmet magazines published in Austria, Germany and Switzerland.

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best South Africa Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to John Platter.

The South African journalist John Platter established his reputation in professional circles as an excellent wine critic of South African wines, because he was not only an objective, reserved critic, but also a subjective-emotional fan of the Winelands. For many, this is not necessarily positive but particularly in regar...

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Wine Notes of the World -award was given to Neal Martin. 

What defines a good tasting note, like Neal's? 

1. Describes the profile of the wine (aromas, structure and balance) in a way that reader can sense and form an understanding of the wine without tasting it 

2. Assess how the wine reflects the vintage of the region

3. Compares the wine to other vintages of the same wine if remini...