2021 Stars of Fine Wine Industry Recognized

Winner: 2021 Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships: Angela Elizabeth Scott I Am So Proud of My Friend and Master of Wine Candidate.

Oct 19, 2021

Angela Scott, Golden Vines Awards, Diversity Scholarship

7 OCTOBER 2021 | LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM:

The winners of The 2021 Golden Vines® Awards and 2021 Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships were announced at the Golden Vines® Awards Ceremony & Dinner held at Annabel’s Private Members Club, London’s pre-eminent private members’ club, on 7th October 2021. An auction hosted by Christie’s featured money-can’t buy luxury experience lots, which raised a staggering £1.2 million.

Guests were treated to a 5-course 3-star Michelin dinner cooked by Chef Mauro Colagreco of Mirazur, sponsored by S. Pellegrino, and an incredible list of wines from Dom Perignon P2, Egon Müller, Domaine Baron Thenard, Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Château d’Yquem, and single malt limited edition whisky from The Macallan. The After-Party included Ruinart Rosé in Magnums, Denarius from Liber Pater, and the spirit brands of Beam Suntory. For entertainment, Kylie Minogue - herself, a special wine entrepreneurship award winner on the night and maker of the highest selling rosé wine ever in the UK over the last year - topped the bill, along with world-renowned The Kingdom Choir.

Organized by Liquid Icons, the not-for-profit Golden Vines® Awards recognizes the ‘star performers of the fine wine industry,’ as well as raising funds for the Gérard Basset Foundation with the aim of funding diversity and inclusion-related wine education programs, including the headline Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships, worth £55,000 each for two BAME/BIPOC students studying for the Master of Wine or Master Sommelier programs.

Introducing the 2021 Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship Award Winners

Forty-two aspiring black and ethnic minority students from 23 countries wishing to undertake the Masters of Wine (MW) and Master Sommelier (MS) programs applied for the two scholarships covering course and examination costs, as well as loss of earnings during their work placement internships organized by Liquid Icons with some of the world’s top wine Domaines. The 2021 Golden Vines Diversity Scholarships were awarded to Angela Elizabeth Scott from the USA and Dr Erna Blancquaert from South Africa.

Jancis Robinson, MW presenting to Angela Scott

About Angela Elizabeth Scott

I think that Jancis Robinson – see quote below- said it best about Angela Scott. Angela is an extraordinary woman and wine scholar. I am proud to call her a friend. Angela and I (along with 4 others) have a wine tasting group that has been ongoing since we started studying for the WSET Diploma of Wine – Level 4 together. All six of us struggled, studied, and ultimately passed the DipWSET in 2018. Angela has moved on to be a Master of Wine student and candidate. This Golden Vines Diversity Scholarship will help her along the way. I think that she will do exceedingly well, and hopefully earn the MW designation in the next few years.

Per the awards ceremony introduction:
“Angela Elizabeth Scott, originally a human rights lawyer for a nonprofit, decided to leave the legal world behind to relocate to Napa and work in the trenches of the wine industry while studying for the Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma. After working as a tasting coordinator for Karen MacNeil, author of The Wine Bible, and working for Spottswoode Winery as hospitality manager, Angela was persuaded to drop the sunny Napa climate and move to the decidedly cooler environs of Hawke’s Bay, New Zealand, by her soon-to-be winemaker husband. The complexity of Hawke’s Bay Syrah and Chardonnay meant that there was nothing for it but to start studying for the MW, despite being closer to Chile by boat than to Europe by plane. Pandemic notwithstanding, nothing was going to thwart her plans to study, experience and travel to wine regions in pursuit of a rich, full-bodied wine career.”

Jancis Robinson, MW at Golden Vines Award

Jancis Robinson, Author of the Oxford Companion of Wine, Introduces Angela Scott

Jancis Robinson MW, on behalf of the Judging Panel, commented: “The wine world is incredibly lucky to have Angela Scott. Ex human rights lawyer, ex Karen McNeil’s tasting coordinator, current Master of Wine student who sold her house to pay for the MW course. Highly literate. Where will she go next!”