WSET awards: 30% more students in 2011

Published: 24 January, 2012

Last night's glittering WSET awards ceremony at London's Guildhall saw Majestic Wines once again take home a huge haul of gongs.

In 2011, 331 students from 25 different countries completed the WSET Diploma, and received their certificates from honorary president Jancis Robinson MW yesterday.

Ian Harris, WSET chief executive, said 30% more candidates had studied for qualifications in 2011 - a grand total of 35,737 - and he hoped this would increase by a further 30% in 2012.

Harris said: "There was an increase in the number of WSET candidates in the UK, in spite of the demise of some high-profile UK businesses. The UK remains the biggest market for the WSET, but it was no surprise that major growth was driven by an increase in the number of international students, particularly from the Asia-Pacific region, where Hong Kong and mainland China have shown exponential growth."

Robinson congratulated the "burgeoning number of independents" in the UK, who she said were responsible for fostering "curiosity" about wine.

Majestic won UK Educator of the Year, and its 19 diploma graduates collected seven special awards. These included the Champagne Scholarship, awarded by the CIVC, which was won by Majestic's Alison Yuill and Fiona McLaughlin. David Walker won the Grupo Codorníu scholarship, which involves a trip to Raimat, Scala Dei and Codorníu. Majestic's Victoria Burt picked up the Derouet Jameson award, alongside La Cava Wines Alistair Cooper.

Other notable winners included Wine Australia's Emma Harrison (formerly of the Sampler) who took home the Vintner's Cup as the top scholar from the UK wine industry, and Maggie McNie MW, who was awarded the lifetime achievement accolade.

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