Profile

Ex-sommelier with an unused law degree, Stephen found his place in wine through hospitality and education; advising restaurants and hotels on their wine programmes, providing training courses for industry and running masterclasses. He has consulted on several award-winning wine programmes in New Zealand and Singapore over the past 22 years. Since gaining his MW in 2016, Stephen has served on the Institute’s Education Committee; is co-chair of the Diversity and Transformation Committee; and sits on the organising committee for the upcoming IMW Symposium (Adelaide April 2027). 

He is most passionate about education in all forms, including developing a wine training method taught to hospitality staff. Stephen presents seminars on NZ, German and Austrian wines; is the NZ ambassador for Germany & VDP estates, and sits on the jury panels for Star Wine List in the USA, Europe/UK and Asia. He also judges both national and international wine shows, speaks at several conferences each year; and writes for Cuisine and The Real Review. Stephen’s interest in taste, language and communication combined when he co-founded Stompy, then TasteMPR, in California, a digital taste intelligence company and algorithm which maps wine taste and customer palates. An embarrassing love affair with natural wines means he is guilty of co-organising several festivals: Budburst, Nouvelle and Umberground.

Favourite Wines

Burgundy (and its varieties), the Jura, Champagne, Rhône and Loire, as well as Germany, Portugal, Hungary and Austria.

2024    Certified WSET Educator
2016    Master of Wine
            Taransaud Tonnellerie Award for excellence in the Production and Handling of Wine paper
            Robert Mondavi Winery Award for outstanding performance across all five Theory papers.