Emily Brighton MW is Head of Technical at North South Wines, one of the UK's leading wine importers and distributors and the first UK wine importer to achieve B Corp accreditation—an achievement that was also the focus of her Master of Wine research paper.

In her role, Emily works closely with wine producers from around the world across quality management, blending, QA/QC audits, bulk shipping, sustainability initiatives, regulatory compliance, and new product development, including the rapidly growing no- and low-alcohol category. Her responsibilities also include preparing the business for BRCGS Agents & Brokers audits, where North South Wines has achieved the highest AA grade for three consecutive years, as well as training buying assistants from major UK supermarket groups.

For producers entering the London Wine Competition, Emily brings a unique combination of technical expertise and commercial market understanding. Her experience evaluating wines, benchmarking quality standards, overseeing product development, and working directly with suppliers provides entrants with insights that extend beyond tasting alone. Her judging perspective reflects the realities of today's wine market, where quality, consistency, value, sustainability, and commercial viability all play a role in long-term success.

Emily's passion for wine began while studying Law at the University of Bristol, where she joined the wine society and developed an interest in blind tasting. After graduating in 2013, she began her career with Majestic Wine before managing independent merchant The Wine Reserve. She later joined the Buying & Technical team at Bibendum PLB and subsequently served as Technical Manager at Buckingham Schenk.

Emily embarked on the Master of Wine programme after receiving the Derouet Jameson Scholarship for her outstanding WSET Diploma results in 2018. Along the way, she was awarded the Lallemand Prize in 2021 and the Vintners' Company Davies Langton Award in 2017. Most recently, she was shortlisted for the IWSC Emerging Talent in Wine Award 2024.

Emily is currently the world's youngest female Master of Wine and, through her dual citizenship, the first Latvian Master of Wine. Her expertise across technical wine evaluation, sustainability, supply chain management, and commercial wine development makes her an invaluable member of the London Wine Competition judging panel.