Few learning trajectories have gone as far and wide as that of this week's guest, Andrea Pritzker MW.
Raised in Toronto, Ontario, she showed an early interest in travel and international affairs that morphed into a travel career where wine loomed ever larger.
That took her to Europe and eventually to Australia, where she has been running her Wine intuition education business since 2018.
Her career has taken in extensive travel, mentorship and ambassadorial duties—but as she points out, she's the same restlessly curious soul as when she started.
Despite her dizzying achievements, this is a highly relatable story that highlights what happens when an inquisitive, broad-minded go-getter happens to tug on the wine-discovery thread.
That said, there are a few references to education experiences that give useful context.
As a member of the Institute of Masters of Wine, Andrea has achieved the pinnacle of achievement in wine academia. The MW started out in the 1950s as a qualification for the UK wine trade and has transformed into a hugely coveted and highly regarded qualification the world over.
As we discuss, the exam is notoriously tough, comprising rigorous theory, tasting and research papers covering all aspects of wine production, evaluation, business and beyond. Today, there are some 425-odd MWs based in 30 countries.
Andrea's Wine inTuition business offers courses at all levels of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET).
This set of formal, UK-administered qualifications covers tasting and theory across all key global wine styles. It runs from the rudimentary one-day beginner certificate to the prestigious and demanding WSET Diploma, viewed by many as a stepping stone to the Master of Wine.
Finally, we speak of the Len Evans Tutorial, which has been described as "the greatest wine school on earth". Taking place each year in the Hunter Valley, NSW, since 2001, a dozen scholars are selected from all segments of the wine profession—winemakers, viticulturists, sommeliers, retailers, writers—to take part each year.
Over five days, scholars are put through their paces in a series of judging sessions, with their performance scrutinised by a panel of veteran judges, category specialists and former top scholars. There are also masterclasses and dinners with a focus on reading, assessing and articulating some of the finest wines on earth—many of them old and vanishingly rare.
Andrea and I were privileged to get called up in 2022, and yes - she came out on top!
I hope you enjoy our conversation.
Share this post