Our Wine Guides

All of our wine guides work or  have worked in the wine industry.  This is what sets Decanter Tours apart from other wine tour companies.   Highly qualified, all hold either an MW, WSET or the Bordeaux Enology Faculty’s DUAD qualification or the equivalent in their region. Here is a short list of some of the people who will look after you during your wine tour.

Bordeaux Guides

Wendy

Wendy Narby, teacher at the Ecole du Vin, has been a wine and food consultant in Paris and Bordeaux for the last 20 years. British born Wendy’s wine experience is not just based upon study but years working as a marketing consultant, journalist, teacher and guide. Leaving Paris to marry a local Château owner and negociant Wendy now shares her passion for the region with friends and clients from all over the world.

Gabrielle

Gabrielle was Buying Director of Royal Warrantholder wine merchants Corney & Barrow in London for a number of years. In 1993, having succeeded in passing the notoriously difficult Master of Wine examinations she went freelance, working as a broadcaster and guide and judging in international wine competitions. At the same time she co-authored and -edited the Bordeaux Atlas & Encyclopaedia of Châteaux published simultaneously in five languages. In 1998 Gabrielle spent a year in Japan teaching Wine & Spirit Education Trust courses. Since 2001 she has been based in Bordeaux where she selects wine for the Japanese market, teaches, tastes and guides.

Alex

After graduating with a degree in law from Oxford University Alex spent his early career in the financial services industry.  Following a sabbatical spent on his family’s vineyard in New Zealand, he decided to pursue his passion for wine on a full time basis. He worked at a number of leading estates, including Dog Point Vineyard and Wither Hills in New Zealand and Clos Puy Arnaud and Château Beau-Séjour Bécot in Bordeaux; gaining hands-on experience in all aspects of viticulture and winemaking.  Alex is an accredited tutor at the Ecole du Vin de Bordeaux and he has an Advanced Certificate from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust.

Maxine

British-born Maxine Colas has a Masters degree in French from the University of London. She also studied wine at the Bordeaux Chamber of Commerce & the University  of  Bordeaux Oenology department.  She holds a diploma from the Insititute of Wines & Spirits.

Maxine lectures at the Bordeaux Wine School and the CIVB, specializing in both Bordeaux wine tasting initiation and advanced levels.

She has worked in public relations for various Bordeaux châteaux as well as for Wente Vineyards in California : for whom she has organised gala events around wine, in Château Pape Clement .
Maxine is also involved as a consultant and seminar leader for corporate wine-tasting events and organizes private customized Bordeaux wine tours for small groups.

Languedoc

Wendy  WSET 

Wendy is an English woman with a passion for French wine especially those from the Languedoc-Roussillon where she lives part of the year.  She holds the WSET Diploma which she achieved in 2006 since then and has carved a very successful career as a wine teacher and running wine tours in France. Wendy has an excellent knowledge of wines and the region of the Languedoc-Roussillon and also the history including the Cathars. Her hallmark is her enthusiasm and depth of knowledge of the subject of wine delivered in a friendly and fun way with no wine snobbery in sight!

Champagne

Laura

Laura has worked very happily in the wine trade for almost 25 years. The last 10 have been her most enjoyable spent as a freelance writer, educator, presenter and guide. She holds the WSET Diploma, is an Accredited Bordeaux tutor and is UK Champagne Ambassador 2010. A fluent French speaker, having spent some of her childhood in Burgundy, Laura is a self-confessed Francophile – and that goes for the food, the people, the country as well as the wine! Champagne is her great passion and pleasure.

She began working in the wine industry in 1988 with Hallgartens importer, then worked for a local wholesaler supplying restaurants – working in all aspects of the business: selling, buying, marketing, training staff. Laura  have been freelance for over 10 years focussing on tastings, dinners and trips as well as cellar advice and valuations and a spot of writing.

She is a member of the Circle of Wine Writers, Honorary Secretary of the Association of Wine Educators, Vice-Chairman of the Midland Wine and Spirit Association and works closely with many Grandes Marques, including Taittinger and Veuve Clicquot, as well as several independent growers.

 Burgundy

Sherry

American born, certified guide and lecturer in Burgundy, has been residing in Dijon for the past 28 years (in France for 40). Former sports magazine editor and art gallery director, she has a whole gamut of interests to share from the art of winemaking to medieval history to contemporary art … Sherry’s passion for winemaking and the region will give you not only a good understanding of the wealth and difference of Burgundy’s major asset, but a most enjoyable experience.