Association of Wine Educators

On a sunny warm day in August, 10 members of Association of Wine Educators visited two leading wine estates in Sussex.
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Our backdrop was the glorious South Downs.
First stop Ridgeview Wine Estate Ridgeview Wine Estate (Pictures 1-7) where we were met by Mardi and Simon Roberts.
They have nurtured and grown the business from the start and the passion and dedication to quality is clear to see in all areas of the winery operation as well as in the wine.
From the beginning, they have grown the three champagne grapes and made top quality sparkling wine.
Simon (Picture 1) has a refreshing honesty and a gentle manner.
We tasted seven, the first being the delightful Bloomsbury NV and the final wine being the extraordinary 2023 Sparkling red made from Pinot Noir.
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Our afternoon (Pictures 8-14) was spent at Artelium Wine Estate Artelium Wine Estate with Mark Collins and Julie Bretland, husband and wife couple who quite literally followed their dream.
The property is a group of buildings, formerly dairy farming and then racehorse breeding, transformed into a fully operational winery and tasting room.
Not scared to look at alternative varieties and techniques, Mark and winemaker Solly Monyamane from South Africa are making wines from not only Chardonnay,
Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier, but also Pinot Gris.
Piwi’s are being planted too!
Oak is on the menu!
The wines are smart, the label is smart and this is definitely an estate to watch.

Thanks to Association of Wine Educators national council member Linda Simpson for these words on the trip update 👏 👏

Give a warm welcome to a new member of Association of Wine Educators - Jaspal Calotier DipWSET.
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And here’s an intro ….

In 2017, after a long-standing interest in wine, Jaspal started his wine education journey by studying for the WSET Level One course in Wines - and thereafter completed WSET Level’s Two and Three in Wines.

Having thoroughly enjoyed all these courses, he progressed to the WSET Diploma in Wines at the WSET School in London and graduated in the class of 2021.

In 2023 Jaspal completed the WSET Educator Training Programme and qualified as a WSET Certified Educator up to and including WSET Level 3 courses in Wine.

In 2025, he completed the Diploma in D.O Navarra Wines from The Regulatory Council of the Navarra Designation of Origin, Spain.

On qualifying as a WSET Certified Educator, Jaspal has taught WSET Courses at Amps Wine Merchants in Cambridgeshire and at Aldi’s UK head office in Warwickshire.

Welcome to the Association of Wine Educators team 🍷🍾 !

Abbie Bennington, DipWSET Andrea Warren Wine events & education, Liverpool

Welcome to new Association of Wine Educators member Hugh Currell DipWSET.
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Hugh is a WSET Certified Educator and founder of Avant Wine
In his own words ….
Hugh specialises in wine education, tastings, judging, and professional training.
He completed the in 2025 and now combines formal wine expertise with hands-on industry experience.
Hugh teaches WSET Level 1 & 2 in Wine and has previously taught Level 1 in Spirits.
Alongside his consultancy work, Hugh supplies significant volumes of wine to the on-trade across South Wales for a national wholesaler, giving him a strong understanding of the UK wine market and the challenges faced by hospitality businesses.
Based in South Wales, Hugh is a passionate advocate for Welsh wine and its development in UK and international markets.
He also serves as a judge at the Welsh Wine Awards. 

Welcome to the Association of Wine Educators team Hugh !

Abbie Bennington, DipWSET Andrea Warren Wine events & education, Liverpool

Welcome to our talented wine educator Sera | Wine Communicator| Content Creator to the AWE.
Sera is a London-based wine educator, DipWSET and Doctor of Chemistry.
Over the past eight years, Sera worked across education digital content, helping people understand wine in ways that feel clear, relevant and grounded in modern life.
Sera enjoys taking traditional wine knowledge, often presented in overly technical ways, and reshaping it so it speaks naturally to today’s consumers without losing its depth.
Through teaching, writing and social media, she aims to show that wine isn’t reserved for specialists; it is a sensory, cultural experience that brings people together and rewards curiosity over time.
We are delighted Sera to have you join us!

We are thrilled to welcome one of our newest AWE members David from .grapetoglass

David has many years of global wine tasting experience and translated that into qualifications such as WSET L3 and the Plumpton College still wine making course.

For the past 5 years David has worked in Surrey Hills vineyards as a volunteer viticulturalist.

During wine tasting events David takes people on an engaging journey from Grape to Glass and is available to host wine tasting experiences in the Surrey area.

Welcome David we are thrilled to have you as one of our members.

Hearty congratulations to Maria who joins as the newest member. In her own words …. “María Laura Ortiz Chiavetta is an Argentine wine strategist, writer and educator working at the intersection of wine, luxury and place.

From Mendoza and based between Spain and Argentina, her work explores how wine creates meaning beyond the bottle — through terroir, sensory identity and cultural positioning.

She contributes to international platforms including Wine-Searcher and Great Wine Capitals, and serves as Ambassador for the International Wine Challenge and The World’s Best Vineyards.

Through her projects Winifera and Winelux, she approaches wine as both a sensory and narrative experience — advising wineries, hospitality groups and luxury brands across Europe and Latin America.

Beyond strategy and writing, María Laura is an active presence in the global wine community: she judges at international competitions across multiple continents, lectures and trains wine professionals in Europe, the Americas and Asia-Pacific, and has designed and led elite sommelier education programmes for some of the world’s leading wine organisations.

A member of the Guild of Food Writers, she brings a distinctly Latin American perspective to global wine conversations.” .simpson.35513 .warren.14

Introducing our newest member to the AWE. Congratulations Felix. In his own words……“Felix began his professional life as a chartered accountant, and spending some years in financial services before an unexpected passion took hold during the COVID-19 lockdown: wine.

What started as curiosity soon became serious commitment. He pursued formal qualifications, earning the WSET Diploma (DipWSET) as well as certified WSET educator. Today, he teaches Levels 1–3 wine courses, guiding students through the fundamentals and finer points of wine with equal enthusiasm.

Beyond the classroom, Felix hosts private tastings for groups — crafting accessible, engaging experiences that make wine approachable for all kinds of audiences.

His interests extend well beyond the vine. Alongside his wine credentials, he holds the JSA Sake Diploma International, WSET Level 3 in Sake, the Shochu Advisor qualification. He has a keen appreciation for spirits too, with particular fondness for Baijiu, Shochu, Gin, and Armagnac, and has served as a judge at the International Spirits Competition, the World Spirits Award, and a number of other competitions.” .simpson.35513 .ko1