Judges
Fong Yee Walker
Fongyee Walker is the co-founder of Dragon Phoenix Fine Wine Consulting, Beijing’s first and fully independent wine consulting and education service, with Edward Ragg in 2007.
She is a Member of the Institute of Wines & Spirits and is also mainland China’s only Master of Wine exam candidate, having passed her theory paper.
Having starting to study fine wine while at Cambridge reading for a PhD in Classical Chinese, Walker was Captain of the Cambridge University Blind Wine Tasting Team and led the team to victory as well as winning ‘Best Blind Taster’ in the Oxford-Cambridge wine tasting match.
Currently, she is a specialist wine educator (in English and Mandarin) and wine consultant as well as a WSET Certified Wine Educator and is largely responsible for Dragon Phoenix having becoming mainland China’s most successful WSET provider by results. She has also designed special trade-targeted wine courses in Mandarin for
such bodies as Wine Australia and the American Trade Organization.
Walker has also written articles for Decanter Magazine, The World of Fine Wine, Hong Kong Tatler, Drink Magazine (Shanghai), The Beijinger, Caijing Ribao, Wine Review and Fine Wine & Liquor (China) and acts as a blind-tasting panellist for RVF China and Wine in China amongst Chinese wine magazines.
Walker has been visiting winemaker at Brown Bros. Winery in Australia and in 2010, she was one of only 13 people worldwide chosen to attend the Landmark Wine Tutorial.
She has judged at numerous wine competitions including the London International Wine Challenge, the Hong Kong International Wines and Spirits Competition and was guest international judge in the Royal Melbourne Wine Show in Oct 2011.
Tersina Shieh
Born and raised in Hong Kong, Tersina quit her successful marketing career in 2002 to pursue her interest in wine. She graduated as top student in the winemaking diploma course at Plumpton College in England and was also one of the handful of students passing the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 5 Honours
Diploma.
She has made wines in the UK, Portugal and South Africa and visited wine regions on every continent. She returned to Hong Kong in 2009 as a wine marketing consultant.
Her mission is to promote wine culture in Hong Kong and China, explaining wine in a no-nonsense way and inspiring the average consumer to appreciate and enjoy it. She also contributes to the South China Morning Post (Hong Kong) and WINE (China).
She has judged at the Hong Kong International Wine & Spirit Competition and the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles.
In addition to her winemaking qualifications, Tersina also holds an MBA and is a Chartered Marketer.
Yumi Tanabe
Yumi is wine educator, Writer & Wine consultant 1952 September 19, Born in Hokkaido, Japan.
Graduated from Tsudajuku University, Tokyo with a Mathematics degree.
78-80 Resided in New York and attended the Wine and Spirits courses at Cornell University.
Opened TANABE YUMI WINE SCHOOL l in1992 and on, Now the school is operated in main Japanese cities as “Sapporo, Tokyo, Yokohama, Kofu, Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka and Fukuoka.”
Yumi acted as educational consultant to Japanese wine importers and others.
Administrative Work for Spanish wine promotion(ICEX) in Japan (2001-2007).
2001 on Jury of Japan Wine Competition
2005 on Jury of “Value Bordeaux” selection by SOPEXA
She also writes wine books such as “California Wine” (1988), study guide books named “Success Wine Book” and “Success Notebook” (1993). Study guide books named “TANABE YUMI Wine Book” and “TANABE YUMI Wine Note” (1995 on).
“”U.S.A. WINE GUIDE” (2002).
Among others Yumi is Chevalier dans l’Ordre du Mérite agricole of France. Member of « Bontemps de Medoc , Graves et Sauternes » « Les Chevaliers du Tastevin at Bourgogne » « Ordre des Conteaux de Champagne » and others.
Like wine columnist Yumi also works for
. Goumet Jarnal
. WINE KINGDAM
Walker Kei
Being a Hong Kong/Great China renowned travel and food entertainer, FOOD & WINE columnist and writer, Walter travels extensively.
Capturing every fine taste & moment in life, his work ranges from being host of travel and cooking show on TVB Jade channel, NOW TV, guest on “Fun Taiwan” & “Vir Sanghvi Asia Diary” on Travel and Living Channel.
Walter is also an entertainer for food and wine fairs & advertisements in HK:
- TVB 8 – Food Programed
- NOW TV Travel and Life Style Program – Show in Dec 2012
- TVB Channel Travel and Cooking Program
Columnist for various magazine in China and Hong Kong.
Hong Kong:
- Oriental Daily – Food and wine
- Marie Claire Magazine
- Headline Newspaper – Food and wine
- Hong Kong Economic Journal – Food and wine
- Jet Magazine
China
- NIHAO
- OLIVE – Food and wine
- Southern Metropolitan
- Modern Weekly – Food and Wine
Malaysia
- Food Sion Magazine – Food and wine
Paul finally is the engineer for original restaurant concept and menu for D17 and Myth.
Marcelo Pino
Marcelo was born on February 20th 1982 in the coastal town of Pichilemu. It is here, where he develops his particular love for the ocean, surf and nature. He becomes A Chef and Sommelier, working at the prestigious Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Santiago, where proving his culinary dexterities. Since then, he has provided several national wineries with his expertise and knowledge.
He is currently Casa Silva’s Ambassador Sommelier, and teaches at the Chilean Sommelier School, where his specialty is water. At the beginning of 2011, Casa Silva sent him to Canada to study English and to taste international wines. Upon his return, Marcelo travelled to Buenos Aires Argentina, and became Chile’s first Master Sommelier. Later that year, in October, Marcelo won the title of Chile’s best sommelier, representing our country in the 2012 Pan-American Competitions, held in Brazil, being ranked 8th in the Continent according to the ASI. Marcelo will also be representing Chile in the upcoming Worldwide Sommelier Competition, which takes place later this year in Japan.
At the beginning of 2013, Marcelo went on a 6 month trip to England, where he worked and studied alongside Gerard Basset, the world’s leading sommelier, completing an internship at The Fat Duck Restaurant.
To finalize his trip to Europe, Marcelo visited several French wine regions, aimed at culminating his preparation for the contests where he proudly represents Chile.
Mr Young-Jin YOO.
Since 1999 Youngjin is related to the wine industry. He started as a bartender and then, in 2003 began to study wine in earnest.
In 2007, the sommelier at various sommelier championship tournament yielded good grades.
Korea wine challenge while to evaluate experience. Wine as well as Korea traditional liquor review number.
Now Korea Sommelier Association International committee has a variety of activities of members.
Also in 2012, Taiwan was invited as Main judges sommelier competition.
Worked for 10 years at the hotel while he was learning a lot of things.
In order to open new Eurpean restaurants in 2010 he went to Greece.
He worked in Michelin 2 Star restaurant ‘Spondi’ and Grande Bretagne a Luxury Collection Hotel.
Now Youngjin is the sommelier at the Sheraton Grand Walker Hill Hotel.
Awards:
2007, The First-Prize Winner, 6th Korea Sommelier Competition
2009, The Second-Prize Winner, 8th Korea Sommelier Competition
2009, The First-Prize Winner, 1th Southeast Asia France Wine SommelierCompetition
2007, Referee for the Korea traditional Liquor Quality
2008-2012 Referee for Final Round of Korea Wine Challenge
2012, Taiwan Sommelier Competition Main Judges
Masaharu OKA
Chairman of Japan Sommelier Association and Master Sommelier of Rihga Royal Hotel.
Hector Vergara
Master Sommelier.
Patricio Tapia
After graduating with a degree in journalism from the Universidad de Chile in Santiago, Patricio Tapia attended Bordeaux University in France, where he studied for a diploma in wine tasting and winemaking. Since then, he has visited wine regions around the world and authored several books, including his annual Descorchados, a Chilean and Argentinian wine guide. Tapia is also the South American correspondent for The Oxford Companion to Wine, and is the critic for Wines of Argentina, Chile and Spain, and regularly contributes articles on these regions for Wine & Spirits Magazine, in New York.
