Registration Opens
1 May 2024
Judging
Date
24 & 25 March 2025
Winners Announcement
22 April 2025
1 May 2024
24 & 25 March 2025
22 April 2025
24 & 25 March 2025
points
points
points
David is a wine importer with Raeburn Fine Wines, UK. Raeburn is a large portfolio company, with a focus on the mid-to-top end of France and Italy. Over half the list practices organics or biodynamics, and 170 wineries have certification. Household names include Soldera & Stella, Conterno & Rinaldi, Gravner & Cornelissen, DuMOL & Alkina.
His specialist area of interest is implementation of UN SDGs into the wine sector. This includes via DRVs, and selection of and communication of materials. This overlaps with TCQ regarding closure choices, and Quality Assurance for the market.
David worked on Etna with Frank Cornelissen in 2004, after organising his launch tasting in London, and cycling Bolzano to Gallipoli. (The name orange wine was cooked up on Etna.)
His teachers in spirits tasting included Carlo Gobetti, Jamie Walker of Adelphi, Charles Braasted of Delamain, Richard Paterson.
He is a contributor to The Oxford Companion to Wine, 4th & 5th Editions. He was a speaker at Sustainable Wine Forum conferences, and columnist for The World of Fine Wine 2011-2013. Before that, he was a panel chair and super-juror at the IWC 2002-2004, and panel taster for Wine Magazine. He holds the WSET Diploma in WIne & Spirits.