About Us
The Real Review is a pioneering platform that redefines wine criticism for the digital age. The Real Review’s international expert tasting team reviews around 10,000 wines per year, with a focus on Australia and New Zealand, more than any other wine publication, offering comprehensive tasting notes, ratings, and recommendations to empower consumers and elevate their wine experiences.
With a commitment to transparency, integrity, and the highest standards of professionalism in wine criticism, The Real Review has the largest reach of any wine publication in Australia and New Zealand, and is the go-to destination for wine lovers around the world.
Contributors
Huon Hooke
Australia · Principal
Huon Hooke is an internationally recognised Australian wine writer, critic, educator and show judge, best known for his columns in Sydney Morning Herald Good Food and Good Weekend. He judges several wine competitions each year, and was co-author of the Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide for 14 years. He has won nine awards for wine writing since he started in 1983. Read more…
Stuart Knox
Australia
During his 20 years in the wine trade, Stuart Knox has been named the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide Sommelier of the Year 2012, and accepted to become a Len Evans Tutorial scholar, of which there are only a dozen accepted nationally each year. He judges a number of well-known Australian wine shows, including the Sydney Royal Wine Show, the Hunter Valley Wine Show, the McLaren Vale Wine Show and the NSW Wine Awards. Read more…
Aaron Brasher
Australia
With over 30 years’ experience in wine, Aaron Brasher’s wide-ranging career includes regional director, export panel judge at Wine Australia; head of business development at Winedepot; business development, marketing at top wineries in Australia; panel judge at AWRI Advanced Wine Assessment Course and many wine shows. He is a Len Evans Tutorial scholar, WSET educator (Advanced) and certified sommelier. Read more…
Gabrielle Poy
Australia
Gabrielle Poy is a highly experienced wine professional, educator, judge and buyer, and is a key part of a leading independent Melbourne wine retailer. She is a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers, a WSET Diploma holder, AWRI Advanced Wine Assessment Course alumna and Len Evans Tutorial scholar. She is also the chair of judges of both the Riverina and Heathcote wine shows. Read more…
Melissa Moore
Australia
Melissa Moore is a wine professional with over 20 years’ experience across hospitality, retail, consulting, and education. WSET Diploma graduate, Len Evans Tutorial scholar, Master of Wine student, Sommeliers Australia founding committee member, she’s judged major wine shows and led beverage programs for top hospitality groups. Based in Sydney, she manages sales for Patrick Sullivan Wine, and pairs her wine knowledge with a love of sunshine and beaches. Read more…
Ralph Kyte-Powell
Australia
Ralph Kyte-Powell has worked in and around the wine and hospitality industries for over 35 years, and has extensively travelled in Australia’s and the world’s wine regions. He had a wine column in Melbourne newspaper The Age for 20 years, co-authored the Penguin Good Australian Wine Guide for eight, writes in leading magazines in both Australia and New Zealand, and is a columnist at Good Food. Read more…
Stephen Wong MW
New Zealand
Malaysian-born Chinese, Stephen is an internationally recognised Master of Wine, wine judge and consultant. He has written for various publications, including Cuisine and The World of Wine, and is on The Institute of Masters of Wine’s education committee and co-chairs its diversity and transformation committee. Working closely with New Zealand Winegrowers, he is also an ambassador for Germany’s VDP Estates. He specialises in New Zealand, Burgundy, Germany, Austria, and natural wine. Read more…
Jane Skilton MW
New Zealand
Jane Skilton is an experienced Master of Wine and accomplished wine writer, public speaker, show judge and educator with her own New Zealand based wine and spirit education business. Beyond education, Jane is an accomplished wine writer and commentator. She is the NZ contributor to Jasper Morris Inside Burgundy and regularly writes for various wine publications. Jane has judged in NZ, London, Australia, China, and France. She represents New Zealand in the annual Global Fine Wine Challenge in Sydney. Read more…
Dr Jo Burzynska
New Zealand
Jo Burzynska PhD is a New Zealand-based wine critic, author, judge, and academic. In addition to contributing to general interest and specialist wine publications worldwide, she is the Wine Editor of the New Zealand Herald’s Viva magazine and writes the Oenosthesia – Blending Wine and Music Substack. A respected international wine judge, she has served as the New Zealand panel chair at the International Wine & Spirit Competition. She is also a WSET-certified educator. Read more…
Anthony Rose
Great Britain
Anthony Rose is an award-winning wine writer and contributor to publications that include Decanter Magazine, The World of Fine Wine, The Financial Times How to Spend It online and the Oxford Companion to Wine. After co-chairing the Australia panel at the Decanter World Wine Awards for many years, he is now the chair for Southern Italy. Read more…
Young Shi
Great Britain
Young Shi DipWSET MSc is a wine expert and educator based in both London and Shanghai. She is a contributor to The Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition, The World Atlas of Wine 8th edition and Jancisrobinson.com. She co-founded TasteSpirit and judges international wine competitions. With deep knowledge of both Western and Chinese wine markets, she lectures globally and contributes to major wine publications and events. Read more…
Rosemary George MW
Great Britain
Rosemary George MW entered the wine trade in the 1970s and became one of the first female Masters of Wine in 1979. A prolific wine writer since 1981, she’s authored numerous books on Chablis, Tuscany, New Zealand, and southern France. She is president of the Circle of Wine Writers and was awarded the Ordre du Mérite Agricole for services to French wine. Read more…
Steve Blandford
Italy
Steve an Aussie expat with over 30 years of experience in the wine industry, living in Italy amongst the vines of Barolo in the beautiful hills of the Langhe, Piemonte. He is an AWRI Advanced Wine Assessment Course graduate, two-time finalist of the Vin de Champagne Award, L’Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne member, wine educator and experienced taster, having judged at Boutique Wine Awards and many quality assessment panels. Read more…
Former Contributors
Bob Campbell ONZM MW
New Zealand · Principal wine
Amanda Yallop
Australia · Wine
Toni Paterson MW
Australia · Wine
Team
Lars Herold
Executive Director
Terence Ling
Executive Director
Peter Williams
Chairman
Muriel Altink
Marketing Lead
Nicola Reid
Membership Sales Lead
Jo Moody
Events Manager
Deb Pearce
Online Producer
Richárd Szabó
Operations
Kolja Lange
Operations
Diana Ampil
Customer Success
Eddy Knochs
Wine Samples Assistant
Mark Gibson
Marketing Advisor
Will Cox
Software & IT
Luka Evetovic
Software & IT
Chris Parton
Software & IT
