While the samples of the participating wines are still arriving at the 5StarWines warehouse, Veronafiere and Vinitaly today announces the names of the Panel Chairs who will form part of the jury for the ninth edition of the highly prestigious wine selection event taking place in Verona on 1-3 April 2025 ahead of the fifty-seventh edition of Vinitaly. This year's selection will also feature an exclusive masterclass dedicated to the "Top Scoring" wines.
VERONA, Italy, March 19, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- 5StarWines – the Book is the wine selection event organized by Veronafiere and Vinitaly and held every year in the days before Vinitaly, one of the most important international wine fairs in Italy and Europe. Each year, over two thousand wines are tasted by a jury of international experts, who assign a score and prepare a tasting note for each wine. After three days of tasting, all the wines that received a score of at least 90/100 are published in the "5StarWines - the Book", the official guide to the selection.
International Wine Tasting Jury Panels: A Global Collaboration of Expert
This year the tasting includes - over 2200 wines from more than 600 wineries - which will be subjected to the judgment of 56 expert judges from across the world: Belgium, China, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Spain, the Netherlands, USA, Canada, UK, South Africa, Hong Kong, Japan and Australia. Their diverse backgrounds and extensive experience enhance the credibility and authenticity of the selection process, ensuring a well-rounded and fair evaluation of the wines.
The international jury is organised in several panels, each led by a Panel Chair. The Panel Chairs coordinate the judges in their panel, oversee the score, and write a tasting note for the wines that obtain a score equal to or greater than 90/100. For the 2025 edition, thirteen Panel Chairs have already been confirmed: Susan Hulme MW, Italian Wine Expert and Director of Vintuition Limited; Richard Kershaw MW, Master of Wine, Founder and Winemaker of Kershaw Wines; Pietro Russo MW, Winemaker at Donnafugata; Ned Goodwin MW, Director of Procurement and Private Client Sales at Grand Cru Wine Concierge; Michaela Morris DipWSET, IWE, Contributor on Italian wine for Decanter, educator; Gill Gordon Smith, IWE, Italian Wine Expert, CEO of La Madrina Wines; Cristina Mercuri DipWSET, Wine Educator & Presenter, Founder and Head of Education Wine Club; Hayley Black DipWSET, IWE, Fine Wine Specialist at Winebow Imports; Corinne Keddie DipWSET, IWE, Italian Wine Expert, DipWSET, Journalist, Wine Consultant, Architect; Andrea Eby IWA, Italian Programs Director at the Wine Scholar Guild; Alan Kwok IWE, Managing Director of DECO Wines Limited; Torrence R. O'Haire IWE, Corporate Beverage Director, Gage Hospitality Group; Jean Dubois, winemaker.
The Panel Chairs of 5StarWines – the Book embody and reflect the international scope of the selection. This distinguished group comprises leading experts—including Masters of Wine, Master Sommeliers, WSET graduates, Italian Wine Ambassadors and Experts from the Vinitaly International Academy, journalists, and other key industry figures — who bring diverse professional backgrounds, specializations, and cultural perspectives. Their varied expertise ensures that participating producers receive a well-rounded evaluation, shaped by a comparison of different palates and viewpoints. This serves as an invaluable reference for wineries looking to gauge their wines on the global market.
The score and tasting note assigned during the selection process result from a collective evaluation fostered through close collaboration between each Panel Chair and their fellow judges. This shared tasting experience not only benefits the wineries but also offers judges a unique opportunity for personal and professional enrichment. Each year, the selection allows them to expand their knowledge by discovering new styles, lesser-known grape varieties, and emerging industry trends. It is a chance to refine their palate, broaden their horizons, and gain insight into the ever-evolving world of Italian wine.
Celebrating excellence: The 5StarWines – the Book 2025 Trophies and Masterclass at Vinitaly
Among the wines selected for inclusion in the prestigious 5StarWines – the Book 2025 guide, the jury will also bestow official recognition in the form of nine exclusive Trophies.
On April 8th at 4:30 PM during Vinitaly, General Chairs Robert Joseph, Daniele Cernilli, Andrea Lonardi MW will lead an exclusive Masterclass, unveiling the seven "Top Scorer" wines—the highest-rated selections in the 5StarWines – the Book 2025 guide. This prestigious lineup will include the top-scoring wines in the following categories:
- Best Sparkling Wine
- Best Semi-Sparkling Wine
- Best White Wine
- Best Rosé Wine
- Best Red Wine
- Best Sweet Wine
- Best Fortified Wine
During the Masterclass, the General Chairs will offer a behind-the-scenes look at the Selection process, guiding attendees through the tasting methodology and evaluation criteria that define the award-winning wines. Following this, the proclamation ceremony of the "5StarWines – the Book 2025" Trophy Awards Ceremony will take place, participation in which is open to all interested parties. The winning producers will present their award- winning wine to those present, before hosting a final walk-around-tasting of the award-winning wines together with the winning producers, representatives of Veronafiere and the General Chairs and judges of 5StarWines – the Book.
At the end, an official photograph will be taken of the winning producers with their diploma and plaque, crowning a special moment for them and providing an opportunity to promote their company and share their success.
About: 5StarWines – the Book is the annual wine selection organized by Veronafiere, held in the lead-up to the biggest Italian wine fair in the world. The event is now in its eighth edition. 5StarWines – the Book is a blind tasting aimed at shedding light on wineries investing in the improvement of their products. During the event, a highly qualified panel of wine professionals will taste and score — using a 100-point scale — participating wines. In the 2024 edition, over 2,300 wines took part in the competition and 884 were selected for inclusion in 5StarWines – the Book. The Guide is a useful tool both on the promotional and commercial side. It introduces international buyers and wine lovers to new wine products of great value. It guarantees wine quality and it maintains and certifies their value at an international level.
Media Contact
5StarWines – the Book Media Dept., Veronafiere, +39 045 8101447, [email protected], https://www.vinitaly.com/en/awards/5starwines-the-book/
SOURCE 5StarWines
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