Emily Brighton is Head of Technical at North South Wines, the first UK wine importer and distributor to achieve B Corp accreditation – the subject of Emily’s research paper.

Her remit includes working with producers across the winemaking world on quality, blending, QA/QC audits, bulk shipping, new product development including no/lo, legislation/regulatory requirements, sustainability, as well as training Buying Assistants from a major supermarket. Emily also prepared the company for the rigorous BRCGS Agents & Brokers audit, achieving the highest AA grade 3 years running.

Emily’s passion for wine began whilst reading Law at Bristol University, where she joined the wine society and discovered blind tasting. She started her career at Majestic on graduating in 2013, briefly managed independent merchant The Wine Reserve, before joining the Buying & Technical team at Bibendum PLB, followed by a stint as Technical Manager at Buckingham Schenk.

Emily embarked on the MW programme having won the Derouet Jameson scholarship for her WSET Diploma results in 2018. She also received the Lallemand Prize 2021, and the Vintners’ Company Davies Langton Award 2017.

Most recently, Emily was shortlisted for the IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Award 2024.

Emily becomes the current youngest female MW, and, with dual-citizenship, the first Latvian MW.