Karen MacNeil is one of America's most highly acclaimed wine professionals and Chairman of the Centre of Professional Wine Studies at the Culinary Institute of America. She is the recipient of the Outstanding Wine and Spirits Professional award from the famed New York culinary association, the James Beard Foundation in 2004 and Wine Educator of the Year by the European Wine Council in 2005. MacNeil is also the host of the popular American television series Wine, Food and Friends with Karen MacNeil. Having published articles in more than 50 national magazines and newspapers, including Food & Wine, The Wine Spectator, Travel and Leisure and The New York Times, she has also authored the best-selling The Wine Bible, widely regarded as the most comprehensive and rigorous resource on wine written by an American.

In 1988, Michael Hill Smith became the first Australian to pass the rigorous Master of Wine examination. He is also a wine producer, wine consultant, wine judge, as well a writer and broadcaster. Hill-Smith is the current Chairman of Judges at the Royal Adelaide Wine Show and has extensive wine tasting experience. In 1989, Smith formed ‘Shaw and Smith’ with his cousin Martin Shaw. ‘Shaw and Smith’ specialises in Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, and Shiraz grown in the Adelaide Hills. Their aim is to make wines that rank amongst the best of their type in Australia. Michael received his education in Roseworthy Agricultural College, received an Advanced Diploma from Cordon Bleu School in London, and won the Madame Bollinger Tasting Medal in 1988.

A restaurateur and global wine consultant, Mr. Spurrier’s clients include Christie’s, for whom he created, and manages the Christie’s Wine Course. He is a Consultant Editor to Decanter Magazine and Vice President of the Circle of Wine Writers. He is Chairman of the Decanter World Wine, and since 1999 has been Chairman of the Japan Wine Challenge, the largest wine competition in Asia. Mr. Spurrier has authored several books on wine, and is co-author with Oz Clarke of "The Clarke-Spurrier Guide to Fine Wines". Mr. Spurrier founded L’Academie du Vin, the first wine school in Paris. He is the recipient of numerous awards, including “Le Grand Prix de l’Academie Internationale du Vin” (2001; the third time this award has been given since 1982), and “The Andre Tchelistcheff Maestro Award” from California. Mr. Spurrier was educated at Rugby School and the London School of Economics, and joined the wine trade as a trainee with Christopher & Co. of Saint James’s (founded 1666).