Berrys' Wine School Tutors

Rebecca Lamont, Berrys' Wine School Manager

Rebecca joined BBR in 2000 following a career in music teaching at Warwick Academy in Bermuda. She now manages Berrys' Wine School, Tastings, Dinners and Food & Wine matching events. Rebecca is passionate about wine education because it encompasses so many fascinating subjects which interconnect and have relevance to individuals: sensory perception, history, innovation, tradition, art, health, geography, geology, biology & chemistry, to name but a few!

She is convinced that everyone can be an excellent taster, especially with the delicious range of wines at Berrys, and she encourages you to learn through taste. She sees this as her mission when you attend Berrys' Wine School. Rebecca is also dedicated to bringing together the talents of Berrys' many gifted experts to share their profound knowledge of great wine throughout the schedule of ticket events.

Jasper Morris MW, Buying Director

Jasper founded Morris & Verdin, the highly respected specialist wine importers, in 1981. Despite running a growing business he found time to gain his Master of Wine Qualification in 1985. When BBR acquired the company in 2003 one of the notable assets was Jasper himself, now appointed Berrys' Buying Director.

His expert knowledge of Burgundy, California and New Zealand has already impacted on our list and we are delighted to have many new, exciting producers. Jasper also writes for many wine publications and lectures widely around the world.

Simon Field MW, Buyer

Simon has worked in the wine trade for 7 years and joined BBR in 1997. On graduating from Oxford in modern languages, he spent several years working as a chartered accountant - however he became bored by banking and intrigued by wine and decided to change careers.

A passionate opera lover, Simon is a committed Francophile and is responsible for buying wine from many of the major French wine regions, Portugal, Austria, Chile and Argentina. He gained his Master of Wine qualification in October 2002.

Nick Page, Berrys' Bin End Shop Manager

During a high-flying City career Nick caught the wine bug and decided to leave the world of finance to join the world of wine in 1995. For 8 years Nick was the wine buyer and senior lecturer at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust where he taught many of Berrys' wine experts. Lecturing at all levels of their qualifications to members of the wine trade, he ran over 1,000 tastings for them every year and developed their wine and food courses.

Nick joined Berrys in 2005 to run our hugely popular Bin End wine Shop in Basingstoke. However, as well as utilising Nick's business acumen we also make good use of his educational expertise and he lectures on many of Berrys' Wine School courses. Nick has a passion for and specialises in wine and food matching and he has written many of our courses. His enthusiastic, fun style of imparting his vast knowledge of this subject at many of the food and wine events we hold in our Cellars at 3 St James's Street has made him one of our most popular tutors.

Martin Hudson MW, Berrys' Bin End Shop - Sales

Martin Hudson joined the wine trade in 2002, after 25 years in quality assurance and designing computer cables. Alongside this he had run an internet company importing and selling Loire Valley wines, so deciding on a career change was made easier, especially as he could not find a way of making money from his other passion, racing classic motorcycles.

Martin joined Berrys' Bin End Wine Shop in Basingstoke in 2003, and successfully completed his Master of Wine qualification in September 2008. He is convinced that winemakers are some of the most passionate, varied, opinionated and in some cases eccentric people around, who in turn make wines that reflect their personality. This diversity is the great appeal of the world of wine.

Chris Pollington, Fine Wine Sales

Chris has worked in the wine trade since 1992 and joined BBR in 1997. After working at the BBR Heathrow stores for many years, he joined the Head Office team in 2004. Initially working with the Website and Telesales teams, Chris has recently joined the Fine Wine Team, selling to private clients and Cellar-Planners.

With a passion for all things Italian, especially the wines and food, Chris has been presenting our Italian themed Dinners in The Cellars since 2000 and now also presents our One-Day Italian Wine Schools.

Anne McHale, Wine Education specialist

Anne has worked in the wine trade since 2003. Her passion for wine began during her studies at Cambridge University where she was a member of the Wine Society. Upon graduating with a degree in French, she made the most of her language skills by working with London-based French wine agency Mistral Wines.

She joined BBR in 2006 and is now studying for the Master of Wine qualification while working alongside Rebecca Lamont in the Wine Education Department. She co-ordinates the ticketed events in the Berrys' Cellars: tastings, dinners, food & wine matching events, luncheons and of course wine school. Wine education is one of her great passions, as she believes that everyone should have the opportunity to discover more about the infinitely fascinating and rewarding world of wine.

Anne is also a winner of the prize of Young Wine Writer of the Year 2010, awarded annually by the Circle of Wine Writers.

Catriona Felstead, South African Wine Specialist

Catriona graduated from St Andrews University with a languages degree and spent the first few years of her working life at a Spanish petrochemical company. Having rapidly discovered a love for wine, she moved her career to the wine trade in 2004 and gained a thorough grounding in the trade as an Oddbins’ Manager. She joined Berrys’ marketing department in April 2007, and became Direct & Interactive Marketing Manager in September 2008.

As manager of the 'D&I' team, Catriona is responsible for overseeing all wine-related marketing collateral, both through the creation of physical brochures/leaflets as well as emails and offers on bbr.com. Having gained her WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits in 2008, Catriona is currently studying for her Master of Wine (MW) qualification. Her ‘spare’ time is consequently spent tasting wines, revising hard and visiting as many producers as possible around the world!

Edwin Dublin, Champagne Specialist

Edwin left a 20 year medical sciences career, during which time he organised staff wine tastings, to enter the world of wine full-time. Having 'graduated' from Oddbins and via a short spell with Laithwaites, he arrived at BB&R in 2005. Since then he has developed a passion for the wines of Alsace, Burgundy and especially Champagne.

Nicola Giacomelli, Italian Wine Specialist

Nicola joined Berrys in 2008 having previously worked in Oddbins and Nicolas in Glasgow. Her love of wine flourished during a year working in the South of Italy. As well as Italian wines, Nicola particularly enjoys the wines of Alsace and Burgundy and of course, the odd dram.