Meet the 2025 edition tasting panel
Each member of the tasting panel is committed to maintaining the highest standards, assessing each reference thoroughly with impartiality and respect for the art of winemaking and for the entities that support the competition by submitting their wines for evaluation.
PEDRO BALLESTEROS
SPAIN
Executive President Zarcillo Awards 2025. Master of Wine
ED ADAMS MW
UNITED KINGDOM
Master of Wine
PAULO AMORIM
PORTUGAL
President of ANCEVE (National Association of Wine Merchants and Exporters), FINE ambassador, CEO, and owner of Wine Vision
RALF ANSELMANN
GERMANY
Winemaker. Technical Director of Anselmann Family Winery
JONATAN ARMENGOL
SPAIN
Gastronomic critic
FRANÇOIS BELISLE
CANADA
Wine expert. WSET3. Participant in international wine competitions
RAFAEL BLANCO
SPAIN
President DO León
FERNANDO BORDEJÉ AZNAR
SPAIN
Winemaker, participant in wine competitions
JOSE MANUEL BRAÑA CAYADI
SPAIN
Secretary DO Tierra del Vino de Zamora
JOAO BRAZAO
PORTUGAL
Head of Internal Control Division at ASAE
LUIS BUITRON BARRIOS
SPAIN
President of the Spanish Federation of Winemakers
MARTA BURGOS GARCIA
SPAIN
Technical Director DOP Cebreros
NIEVES CABALLERO BARRIGÓN
SPAIN
Specialized wine journalist
JOSÉ ANTONIO CABAÑAS BENEITEZ
SPAIN
Freelance Sommelier / Associate Professor at Fernando Perez International School of Culinary Arts
MARCELINO CALVO
SPAIN
Sommelier at El Ermitaño Restaurant
CARLOS CAPILLA BARREDA
SPAIN
Technical Director DO Arribes
CARLOTTA CASCIOLA
ITALY
Sommelier. Wine distributor – Participant in international wine competitions
HÉCTOR CASTIELLO
URUGUAY
Wine importer. Participant in international wine competitions
JOANNA CIBOROWSKA
POLAND
WSET Level 3. Brand Ambassador Bodegas Perica
ANNA DATSENKO
RUSSIA
Sommelier, wine blogger
FRANCISCO DEL CASTILLO GARCÍA
SPAIN
Professor of Sensory Analysis at UPM Master and sommelier courses
JESUS DIEZ SÁNCHEZ
MEXICO
Winemaker, chemist, and viticulturist. Specialist in wine and gastronomy education
RAUL ESCUDERO FERNANDEZ
SPAIN
Manager DO Cigales
CLAUDIA ELISABETH FARINA
ARGENTINA
Host and specialized wine journalist
JOSÉ ANTONIO FERNÁNDEZ ESCUDERO
SPAIN
Technical Director of Zarcillo Awards in previous editions. Winemaker
MARCOS FLORES TLAPAN
MEXICO
Vice President for the Americas at AIS
MATTHEW FORSTER MW
UNITED KINGDOM
Master of Wine
JOSÉ GALINDO
SPAIN
President DOP Valtiendas
CARLOS GALLEGO GUTIERREZ
SPAIN
Technical Officer CRDO Toro
JULIO GALLO FAVOUT
URUGUAY
Judge at Virtus Lisboa, Silk Wine, Zarcillo, and Vinduero-Vindouro. Founder of Bodegas Gallo-Viscay S.L.
RAMIRO GARCÍA ARNÁIZ
SPAIN
President DO Arlanza
MARINA GARCÍA GONZÁLEZ
SPAIN
Winemaker. President of the Spanish Tasters Union. Bacchus President. VINOFED representative.
THIERRY GASCÓ
FRANCE
President of VINOFED
GIOVANNI GIARDINA
ITALY
Managing Director of IRVO (Regional Institute of Wines and Oils of Sicily)
CARMEN GOMEZ VIFORCOS
SPAIN
Technical Director DO Bierzo
AURELIO GONZÁLEZ ALFAYATE
SPAIN
President of the Association of Sommeliers of Ávila
CARLOS GONZÁLEZ HUERTA
SPAIN
Professor of the Higher Sommelier Course at the Chamber of Commerce of Valladolid
ALEJANDRO GONZÁLEZ JIMENEZ
SPAIN
Technical Director DO Ribera del Duero
CARLOS GONZÁLEZ SÁEZ
SPAIN
Director of Peñín Guide
ANNA GRANQVIST
SWEDEN
Representative in Spain and Portugal for Meininger Verlag of Germany. WSET Teacher and Diploma. QUBEL Wine Center
CASILDA GURUCHARRI
SPAIN
Sommelier. WSET 4
FERNANDO GURUCHARRI JARQUE
SPAIN
Honorary President of VINOFED. Specialized taster in international wine competitions. Wine expert.
MANUEL HERRERA CORONADO
SPAIN
Winemaker. Judge in international wine competitions.
MARKUS J.ESER
GERMANY
Winemaker and sommelier. Wine consultant.
BEGOÑA JOVELLAR PARDO
SPAIN
Secretary of UIOE. Winemaker
MARY LALIKOU
GREECE
Sommelier. WSET 3. Wine education professor
SOFÍA LE FOULON
FRANCE – CHILE
Director of Development at Catad’Or World Wine Awards
MANUEL LÓPEZ ALEJANDRE
SPAIN
Technical Secretary of DO Montilla Moriles
ISABEL LÓPEZ INFANTE
SPAIN
Director of Mezquita Awards. Wine competition judge. Professor at University of Córdoba
MIGUEL ÁNGEL MARTÍN JORDA
SPAIN
Specialized wine journalist. Director of Enocata.com portal
PABLO MÁRTÍN MARTÍN
SPAIN
Sommelier – President of the Association of Sommeliers of Castilla y León
FERNANDO MAYORAL SANTAMARÍA
SPAIN
Spain Sommelier Champion UAES 2024
ANNE MEGLIOLI BOGDANOVIC
FRANCE
Owner of a technical editorial in viticulture and oenology in Italy (Eno-One)
FILIPA MELO DE VASCONCELOS
PORTUGAL
Deputy Inspector General ASAE (Food and Economic Safety Authority of Portugal)
CHELO MIÑANA
SPAIN
Director of wine tourism and responsible for Ecommerce at Masaveu Wineries
ANTONIO JESUS MORAL GONZALEZ
SPAIN
President of the Association of Castilla y León Winemakers. Winemaker
ARIEL MORALES
ARGENTINA – MEXICO
Sommelier. Wine importer, distributor. Participant in international wine competitions.
MARY JOAN O’CONNOR
USA
Specialized wine journalist. Director, Wine Events, tastings, consulting at Planeta Vino, Miami
SILVIA ORTUÑEZ SASTRE
SPAIN
BEST SOMMELIER SPAIN AWARD VEREMA 2024
LISETE OSORIO
PORTUGAL
Technician at the Távora-Varosa Wine Commission; Manager at Osório Wines; Journalist at the Spanish newspaper “El Correo del Vino”; Representative of Portugal in various events related to Wine and Olive Oil
JULIO OTERO LOPEZ
SPAIN
President DOP Valles de Benavente
GEORGIA PANAGOPOULOU
GREECE
Influencer in the wine sector and participant in competitions
SARA PEÑAS LLEDÓ
SPAIN – PORTUGAL
Renowned teacher in the field of wines in Portugal and Spain; Trainer in Hospitality and Tourism in both Iberian countries; Responsible for La Vida Ibérica company
RAFAEL PÉREZ LATORRE
SWITZERLAND
CEO Vinothek Santé AG, Zurich
JAVIER PÉREZ ANDRÉS
SPAIN
Specialized journalist in wines, agri-food, tourism, and rural development
ELEONORA IVANOVA PETROVA
BULGARIA
Expert in wine marketing – Participant in international wine competitions
ÁLVARO PURAS PUERTAS
SPAIN
Technical Officer CRDO Rueda
DANIEL RAMOS
AUSTRALIA
Winemaker. Promoter and owner of Bodega Daniel Ramos in Cebreros
LLUIS RAVENTÓS LLOPART
MEXICO – SPAIN
Winemaker. Leading figure in oenology developed in Mexico. Grupo Freixenet Mexico
JON ANDONI REMENTERIA
SPAIN
Spain Sommelier Champion UAES 2018 Sommelier at Restaurante Remenetxe
JUAN CARLOS RINCÓN
UNITED KINGDOM
International journalist specialized in wines
FABIOLA RIOS
CZECH REPUBLIC
Sommelier – Co-founder of the Czech-Mexican Chamber of Commerce – Promoter of European wines and spirits in Latin America.
MANUEL ÁNGEL ROLDÁN CONTRERAS
SPAIN
Head of Wine Service area. S.G. Control and Food Laboratories. Delegate of OIV
CELIA SAMPEDRO GARCÍA
SPAIN
Winemaker
DAVID SCHWARZWALDER
GERMANY
Specialized journalist in wine and gastronomy
PABLO UGARTE CRUZ
CHILE
Vice President of VINOFED. CEO of CATADOR
JOSE VALDEARCOS CABRERA
SPAIN
Food & Beverage Director at Paradores de Turismo
JOSEFINA VILA CRESPO
SPAIN
Expert taster – Professor of Enology Degree at E.T.S.I.T.A
ADELA VISCAY GIANIECHINI
URUGUAY
Winemaker. Taster in international wine competitions.
MICHEL ZIGNANI
BRAZIL
Brazilian Winemakers Association