Wine critic profile: Laura Rhys MS (Master of Wine)
Laura Rhys MS, a renowned figure in the world of wine, has been announced as a judge at the prestigious Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA) 2025. This international wine competition, held annually, attracts professionals from across the globe. In 2025, the judging panel will consist of 248 experts from 35 countries, including 22 Master Sommeliers and 72 Masters of Wine [5].
Rhys, based in London, has an impressive background in the wine industry. She started her career as a Sommelier in 2004 and quickly rose through the ranks. In 2010, she achieved the prestigious Master Sommelier status from the Court of Master Sommeliers.
Rhys's extensive experience includes working as a head of wine teams for restaurants such as Gerard Basset's Hotel TerraVina and Michelin-starred, award-winning La Trompette. In 2015, she joined Gusbourne, a renowned English winery, as their global ambassador, where she leads on communication and education of their wines, as well as sales and marketing strategy and new product development.
Rhys's role at Gusbourne also includes ambassadorial, development, and winemaking duties, and she continues to work closely with the winemaking team in Appledore.
In addition to her work at Gusbourne, Rhys is an active board member of the Court of Master Sommeliers Europe and regularly hosts tastings, wine dinners, and seminars. She has also judged for Sommelier competitions and national and international wine competitions since 2011, including the DWWA, where she was first a judge in 2011.
Rhys is also a regular host on social media platform X under the handle @laurarhysMS, sharing her wine knowledge and experiences with her followers. She has visited many vineyards around the world and was awarded the "UK Sommelier of the Year" title in 2009.
While information about other Dutch wine awards in the Netherlands for 2025 is not readily available, the Star Wine List of the Year Belgium & Netherlands 2025 does have a judging panel of top sommeliers and wine experts. However, the specific names of the judges are not provided in the available information.
Rhys's inclusion in the DWWA judging panel is a testament to her expertise and dedication to the wine industry. As the competition approaches, wine enthusiasts and professionals alike eagerly await her insights and judgments on the world's finest wines.
Rhys's extensive judging experience, stretching back to 2011 at the Decanter World Wine Awards (DWWA), extends beyond wine competitions to Sommelier competitions and national and international events. With her involvement in fashion-and-beauty platforms like social media X, Rhys's lifestyle often revolves around progressive conversations, including champagne and education-and-self-development topics.
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