The Institute of Masters of Wine has welcomed five new Masters of Wine into its membership bringing the total number of MWs to 332 globally.
"On behalf of all Masters of Wine worldwide, I am delighted to welcome these new members to our community. Today is a memorable day for them - each one of us can remember that special moment when we received the news that we had become MWs. My congratulations to them on their achievement," said Sarah Jane Evans MW, chairman of the Masters of Wine.
Two of new MWs are from Canada, two are from the UK and one is from Australia. All of the new members now currently London-based.
The five new members are:
Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW (Canada)
Michelle Cherutti-Kowal MW
Miles Corish MW (Australia)
Miles Corish MW
Jennifer Docherty MW (Canada)
Jennifer Docherty MW
Patrick Schmitt MW (UK)
Patrick Schmitt MW
Victoria Stephens-Clarkson MW (UK)
Victoria Stephens-Clarkson MW
Cherutti-Kowal has taught at the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) since 2004 and a judge in several international wine competitions.
Corish moved to England to play professional cricket but now is the current managing director of Bowland Forest Vintners in Lancashire. He too is a wine educator with WSET and an international wine competition judge.
Docherty is a wine buyer for Liberty Wines and has been in London since 2005.
Schmitt is the editor of the The Drinks Business and chair's the publications annual awards.
Stephens-Clarkson started in the wine trade in 2000 working in Champagne and is the current head of buying at Atlas Fine Wines.
Each MW submitted a dissertation, which was the third part of the Master of Wine examination, but it is to be replaced by a research paper this summer moving forward.