Congratulations to six new Masters of Wine.
Today's announcement by the Institute of Masters of Wine brings the total number of MWs around the world to 384.
The six students, from six different countries, will no doubt be extremely relieved to have overcome the final hurdle. The third part of the exam process, which follows the written theory and blind-tasting exams, involves submitting a research paper, 'an in-depth study on a wine-related topic from any area of the sciences, arts, humanities, or social sciences'.
To show just how wide-ranging these papers can be, we have listed the six research topics chosen by these students. Full details and photos of the six new MWs can be found on the news section of the Institute's website.
Edouard Baijot MW (France)
Why and how Champagne producers should react to the development of English sparkling wine sales in the UK off-trade market.
Nicholas Jackson MW (USA)
Depictions of grapes, vines and wine in the work of four seventeenth-century English poets.
Brendan Jansen MW (Australia)
How do winemakers in Australia make choices between traditional and innovative methods of oaking their wines? A qualitative study of cooperage decisions.
Jonas Röjerman MW (Sweden)
Evaluating the effect of training staff in wine knowledge at Systembolaget with regards to customer satisfaction ratings.
Harriet Tindal MW (Ireland)
Investigating the gender gap: A study into the career paths of the University of Adelaide’s oenology graduates between 1995 and 2015.
Jonas Tofterup MW (Spain)
Travel shock! An investigation into the impact of air freight and road transport on an aged, full-bodied red wine.