Jury

Gabriel Almeida Da Silva, ‘An agricultural engineer who graduated from the Federal Institute of Santa Catarina, with a career dedicated to the wine sector in the Serra Gaúcha region. He is currently an Agronomy Analyst II at the Institute for the Management, Planning and Development of Viticulture in the State of Rio Grande do Sul (CONSEVITIS-RS).’

Head Sommelière | Wine Educator | Food & Wine Pairing Specialist Sommelière and Food & Wine Pairing Specialist certified by Le Cordon Bleu, with expertise in wine curation, wine list management, staff training, and food and wine experiences. Currently Head Sommelière at Paparoto Cucina Group, leading wine strategy, team development, and customer experience initiatives. Formerly a buyer and sommelier at Ivini, involved in portfolio selection and producer relations. Regular participant in leading international wine fairs and dedicated to wine education through a technical, sensory, and accessible approach.

Architect, mezcal producer and marketer for the domestic and international markets through the company Le Vignoble SA. Member of the Mexican Regulatory Council for Mezcal Quality (CRM – COMERCAM). Founder of Promotora y Comercializadora de Destilados S.A. de C.V., a company specialising in the marketing of spirits and mezcal, registered with the national register of alcoholic beverages and the register of exporters, as well as with the FDA.

Wine journalist and owner of international PR agency xenos-comm.

Químico industrial, mestre em Síntese Orgânica pela UFSM e doutor em Ciência e Tecnologia de Alimentos pela UFSC, com pesquisa realizada também na Fondazione Edmund Mach, na Itália. Pesquisador da Epagri desde 2002, atua em enologia, avaliação de cultivares e variedades resistentes a doenças. Possui experiência em análise sensorial, vinhos, espumantes, sidras e sucos, além do desenvolvimento de produtos e processos enológicos.

A sommelier trained by Senac, a judge for Brasil Selection by CMB and a member of the São Paulo State Sommeliers’ Guild. With a solid track record in the world of wine, he works as a speaker, consultant and curator of wine lists for restaurants, combining technical knowledge, a keen palate and commercial acumen. His aim is to promote wine culture, share knowledge and provide unique food and wine experiences, bringing together producers, industry professionals and wine enthusiasts around a shared passion for wine.

Mauro Cingolani is a chef, gastronomy educator, and consultant trained in Italy and Brazil. Director of the UCS-ICIF School of Gastronomy, he has worked in renowned restaurants in Italy, New York, and London, and has taught internationally through ICIF. He is the founder of Arte In Távola Restaurant, Executive Chef at Boscato Vinhos Finos, and a consultant for Tramontina Professional Kitchens, with a strong focus on wine gastronomy, sustainability, and culinary education.

Winemaker, Nutritionist and Sommelier. Holder of a Master’s degree and a PhD in Food Science from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, specialising in Oenology. Lecturer in the field of beverages at the University of Caxias do Sul. Wine producer. Executive Director of the Vale dos Vinhedos Geographical Indication.

Dr. Caroline Dani is a Brazilian scientist, sommelier, and wine educator with a degree in Biomedicine, a PhD in Biotechnology, and postdoctoral training at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. She is President of ABS-RS, founder of the Instituto Dra Uva, and an expert member of the OIV's CONUSA Subcommission. Caroline Dani has authored more than 100 scientific papers and is recognized for her work on grapes, wine, health, and wine education. She also served as a consultant to IBRAVIN on international grape juice promotion projects.

Leomar De Bortoli holds a degree in Mathematics and Physics and a Professional Master’s in Science and Mathematics Teaching from the University of Caxias do Sul. A certified Cachaça Sommelier, he presided over the Confraria Gaúcha da Cachaça in Bento Gonçalves (2018–2021) and has trained extensively at INOVBEV (Piracicaba, SP) in blending, sensory analysis, cachaça chemistry and ageing in Brazilian woods. He has judged several competitions, including the cachaça contest at Expointer and the 2025 Brasil Selection by Concours Mondial de Bruxelles, and in 2026 serves as a sensory analyst of sugarcane spirits for the Rio Grande do Sul Premium Products Programme (SICT). He is co-author of (Quase) Todos os Segredos das Cachaças Gaúchas, now in its second, bilingual edition, and is developing the book project Cachaças, Carretas e Tropeadas.

President of the Brazilian Enology Association / Enologist at Bodega Czarnobay

A wine professional since 2002, he currently works as a wine consultant for the Pão de Açúcar Group, where he is responsible for product curation and staff training.

Winemaker (IFRS Bento Gonçalves) with 15 years of experience in both Brazilian and international wine regions. Specialized in wine aging using Brazilian wood species and certified as a Master Distiller.

Sommelier Internacional pela Fisar italiana, jurado em concursos internacionais de vinhos, palestrante e professor em cursos sobre enocultura. Como escritor, tem sete livros publicados, sobre o mundo do vinho e automóveis clássicos.

Communicator and marketing specialist for wines. Taster of the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles based in France. Wine writer. Contributor for WineEnthusiast.com, JancisRobinson.com and Meininger's Wine Business International.

He has over a decade’s experience in the hospitality sector. He currently works as creative and drinks manager at Vague Disco Bar and Rádio Agulha in Porto Alegre. A qualified cachaça sommelier, he frequently acts as a judge at drinks competitions in Rio Grande do Sul, combining creative vision and technical expertise to promote the culture of Brazilian spirits.

Wine-making graduate from the Federal Centre for Technological Education in Bento Gonçalves (2007), with a degree in Chemical Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul – PUCRS (2013), a postgraduate in Quality Management from the University of Northern Paraná – UNOPAR (2020) and a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul – IFRS, with research focused on the ageing of wines in Brazilian oak.

Head Sommelier del Wine Bar by CMB México. WSET Nivel 3 en Vinos. Embajador de Rioja Alavesa en México.

He completed his secondary education as an Agricultural Technician at the former Presidente Juscelino Kubitschek Federal Agrotechnical School (1989), and holds a degree in Viticulture and Oenology and Horticulture from the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Rio Grande do Sul, Bento Gonçalves Campus – IFRS/BG (2010 and 2014, respectively), a Specialist in Cooperative Management from ESCOOP (2014) and a Master’s degree in Viticulture and Oenology from IFRS/BG (2023). From 2013 to 2014, he held the post of Municipal Secretary for Agricultural Development in the municipality of Bento Gonçalves. He is currently an oenologist at the Southern Association for Credit and Rural Assistance, EMATER/RS-ASCAR.

Filipe Toledo is a winemaker, investor and entrepreneur. He has been working in the wine sector for over 20 years, having spent the last 19 years exclusively at FTS Consultoria e Assessoria Vitivinícola. He currently heads the Wine Valley Hub. Founder of the NGOs Voluntários.DEV. and CaldeirAmigos Ambassador for various innovation events across Brazil. President of the Confraria Gaúcha da Cachaça (2021/2023 – 2023/2026). Judge at various national and international wine, sparkling wine and cachaça competitions. Founder of Grupo Front. Member of APRODECANA.

Prof.ª Dra. Sandra Valduga Dutra é engenheira agrônoma, doutora em Biotecnologia e docente da Universidade de Caxias do Sul (UCS), nos cursos de Gastronomia e de Viticultura e Enologia. Participa de diversos concursos de vinhos e é esponsável pela micro vinicola da universidade. Sua atuação abrange análises química e sensorial e formação de profissionais do setor vitivinícola.

Winemaker and technical consultant at Enovitis Viticulture and Oenology, responsible for the implementation and consultancy work for various wineries across Brazil’s new wine-growing regions. He graduated in 1998; Enovitis was founded in 2001.

Born in Garibaldi, Rio Grande do Sul. He graduated in Agronomy from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul – UFRGS (1987), where he also obtained his Master’s degree in Plant Science in 1991. He undertook specialisation courses and training programmes in Argentina (1992 – Mendoza), Spain (1989 – Jerez de la Frontera) and the United States (1996–2002 – Davis, California). He served as General Manager (2014–2019) of Embrapa Grapes and Wine in Bento Gonçalves and was coordinator of Embrapa’s wine tasting panel (2002–2026). He has been a researcher for 36 years, working on projects in viticulture and oenology, focusing on grape production systems, genetic improvement, technology and the production of wines and wine derivatives, quality control, the characterisation of wines from new wine-growing regions, and work on the development of Geographical Indications.