Star Wine List’s Milan Ambassador becomes Italy’s first female Master of Wine
Cristina Mercuri MW has been reporting for Star Wine List since 2022, when she was a mere three years into her Master of Wine journey. And she has just received the news that she has passed the fiendish final exams, making her the first Italian woman to earn the title.
In 2015, Cristina Mercuri gave up a legal career to pursue her passion for wine, gaining her WSET Diploma by 2018 and soon embarking on her Master of Wine Studies; in February 2026, the writer, educator and consultant completed the programme.
She tells us about the “responsibility” and “added cultural dimension” of being the first Italian woman to become a Master of Wine and what this means for her in the future. For now, she’s been celebrating with Cristal 2002 and her biggest emotion so far? Relief!
Our warmest congratulations to Cristina on this huge achievement.
How long have you been studying for the MW?
“I was accepted onto the programme in 2019. The MW has been a long journey, spanning several years of structured study, research and professional growth alongside my daily work in wine education, communication and consultancy. It is not simply an academic programme; it becomes part of your life. Over time, studying stops being something you do and becomes a way of thinking – analytical, disciplined and constantly curious.”
What's been the hardest part?
“The most challenging phase was definitely Stage Three, particularly the Research Paper. After years focused on exams and technical preparation, you suddenly move into a very different kind of difficulty: intellectual isolation. You spend months – often years – questioning your own ideas, refining methodology, and learning to defend every argument with academic rigour. It is demanding in a deeper way than the exams, because there are no clear milestones and very little external validation. Alongside that, you continue working full-time, which requires extraordinary discipline and emotional resilience. That stage forces you to slow down, rethink how you analyse wine and communication, and accept uncertainty as part of the process.”
How many attempts did it take you?
“I passed Stage Two in two attempts, which is a result I value greatly considering that the pass rate at that level is around 10%. The longest and most demanding phase was Stage Three, where I spent several years developing my Research Paper alongside my professional commitments.
“What makes this journey particularly meaningful to me is its time frame: I entered the wine world in 2015 after leaving my legal career, joined the MW programme in 2019, and within ten years reached one of the highest and most prestigious qualifications in the industry. Each stage required a different form of growth – technical precision during the exams and intellectual depth during research – and together they shaped both my professional and personal evolution.”
Has it changed your view on wine at all?
“Yes, profoundly. The MW shifts your perspective from opinion to evidence. You learn to see wine as a complex system – agriculture, science, economics, culture and communication all interacting together. It also teaches humility: the more you learn, the more aware you become of how much there still is to understand. Wine becomes less about personal preference and more about context, balance and purpose.”
How did you/will you celebrate the news that you've passed?
“The first emotion was actually relief – something many MWs describe. After so many years focused on the goal, it takes time for the news to truly sink in, so the celebration has been gradual rather than immediate. I have been sharing the moment with family and close friends, opening an amazing Cristal 2002.
“In the coming months we will definitely organise a proper celebration with friends, and I am planning a special trip to mark the occasion. For now, though, my focus is already back on work – this milestone feels less like an ending and more like the beginning of a new phase.”
How do you think this will change things for you?
“The title brings visibility, but above all it brings responsibility. I see it as an opportunity to contribute more actively to the international conversation around wine, especially in areas that matter to me: education, fair and responsible communication, and building bridges between generations and markets. Becoming Italy’s first woman Master of Wine adds a cultural dimension that I feel deeply aware of.”
What's next?
“My focus now is to use the MW platform to support education, strengthen international dialogue around Italian wine, and continue working toward a more inclusive and contemporary wine culture. The goal remains the same: helping people understand wine more clearly, more responsibly and with greater confidence.”
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