Dr. Josef Schuller MW Becomes First Non-UK Chairman of Institute of Masters of Wine

At its annual general meeting in London on September 11th, the renowned Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) elected the Director of the Austrian Wine Academy, Dr. Josef Schuller MW, as the first non-UK Chairman of the Institute since it was established 55 years ago. Dr. Schuller will be supported in his role by the Institute’s new Vice Chairman, Lynne Sherriff MW, a London-based South African native and a long-time lecturer at the Austrian Wine Academy. The election reflects the distinguished accomplishments of Dr. Josef Schuller MW and the Austrian Wine Academy, and is an acknowledgement of the development of Austria’s domestic wine industry as well.

“I am – like the Wine Academy – a child of Austria,” said Dr. Schuller. “We are wine prodigies of the last 20 years. And my greatest wish would be to soon welcome many graduates of the Wine Academy as new members of the Institute.”

The international Institute of Masters of Wine, which is based in London, has been awarding the coveted title of Master of Wine (MW) for decades. The current 278 title recipients come from 23 countries, have completed several years of study in all sectors of the wine industry and are counted amongst the international wine elite. Since 1998, Dr. Josef Schuller has been the only Austrian to hold the MW title. Moreover, as Director of the Austrian Wine Academy, he has over the last several years worked intensively in Austria and Europe together with Britain’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the Institute of Masters of Wine.

Since 2005, a part of the IMW education programme has been offered in Rust, Austria, with the support of the Austrian Wine Marketing Board, and brings to Austria 30 – 40 international wine specialists from around the world.