Women leading women – Star Wine List ambassadors hail their mentors
With International Women’s Day just around the corner, on 8 March 2026, we share stories of inspiration from some of our ambassadors. Who are the women who have supported, mentored and encouraged them? Hear from eight of our ambassadors located around the world.
Star Wine List is a network of wine lovers spanning the globe, and our ambassadors epitomise our ethos of spreading that love of wine, across their respective regions. Yet a career in wine is not an easy or straight path, and so we asked a few of our ambassadors about the people who’ve helped them along the way.
Read their stories...
Alicia Dorey
Wine critic and journalist
Star Wine List’s Paris Ambassador
Mentor: Paz Levinson
“I met Paz early in my journalism career, during an interview. I have always admired Paz’s path, her gentleness, her intelligence and her open-mindedness towards everything related to the world of beverages. She has an extraordinary ability to listen, a rare sensitivity and a boundless curiosity.”
How has she impacted you?
“I have always admired Paz's path, her gentleness, her intelligence and her open-mindedness towards everything related to the world of beverages. She has an extraordinary ability to listen, a rare sensitivity and a boundless curiosity.”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from them?
“That it is possible to succeed in the wine world without ever compromising on kindness.”
Marie Ponsonnet
Founder, Colète wine
Star Wine List’s Lyon Ambassador
Mentor: Rita Jammet
“We met in New York City in 2013 at a Bordeaux tasting organised for the trade, held in a super cool loft in SoHo.”
How has she impacted you?
“Rita had a strong impact on me through her openness, kindness, and generosity in sharing her world with me on a professional as well as a more personal level. I had just arrived in New York City and knew very little about the city or the sommelier community, and she truly helped me find my footing.
“Through her guidance, I quickly gained confidence in such a fast-paced and demanding environment. Her incredibly positive and inspiring mindset made a real difference in how I approached this new chapter.
“Beyond that, being exposed to her world was deeply inspiring. Her experience with the iconic La Caravelle restaurant – once a true institution of French fine dining in New York – and her continuation of its legacy through La Caravelle Champagne gave me a powerful example of what hospitality, vision, and passion can look like at the highest level.
“I also feel incredibly grateful to have been inspired by other remarkable women who have helped shape the way I navigate and grow within this industry, including Pascaline Lepeltier, Wendy Wilmoth, Jordan Salcito, and the truly outstanding team of female sommeliers at Le Bernardin (Sarah, Katja and Maya).”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from them?
“The biggest lesson I’ve learned from them is to see the bigger picture, stay one step ahead, and move forward with confidence and boldness – while using your voice and staying humble.”
Sara Underdown
Founder, VINE & BUBBLE
Star Wine List’s Champagne and South Australia Ambassador
Mentor:
“Kaaren Palmer, a multi-award winning author and Champagne educator, Dame Chevalier, Winner Best French Wine Book 2016 and Winner Best of the Best Gourmand International, World Cookbook Awards 25 Years.
“We met through our mutual appreciation for Champagne! I was referred to Kaaren's regular tasting groups through another friend and mentor.”
How has she impacted you?
“Kaaren is, without question, one of Champagne’s most committed advocates, championing the region through rigorous tastings and structured education. Early in my own journey, her influence was profound – what began as curiosity evolved into a defined career path. Her depth of knowledge consistently revealed Champagne to me not only as a wine, but as a place of layered history, complexity and intent.”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from them?
“More than a single lesson, it was the refinement of a skill. Early on, Kaaren trained me to concentrate intently on what was unfolding in the glass – not just to observe it, but to interrogate it. That discipline of curiosity fundamentally sharpened the way I taste and think about Champagne.”
Kelcie Jones
Educator and Managing Partner, This is Wine School
Star Wine List’s Vancouver Ambassador
Mentor: Michaela Morris
“Michaela was one of my many wonderful WSET educators during my Diploma.”
How has she impacted you?
“She took a lot of time to bring colour and cultural connections to the wine lecture - from bringing regional cheeses in her suitcase to share with class, to inviting her students to taste with her when she had particularly interesting samples to taste for her writing, she is always generous and kind with her time and her knowledge.”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from them?
“She was instrumental in developing my love for Italian wine and weaving in grape science and winemaking into discussions in a way that felt natural yet deeply enriching. What’s more, Michaela gave me confidence in my own tasting ability and gave all of us so much credit as students. This really empowered me to move forward in the world of wine. I wouldn't be where I am today without the opportunities she gave me!”
Ruth Spivey
Writer and consultant
Star Wine List’s UK Ambassador
Mentors:
“I’ve never really had a mentor, which is perhaps, in hindsight, a bit of a regret (maybe it’s not too late?!) but there are many women in the business I greatly admire, some of whom have been very supportive and insightful over the years. All are an inspiration. So, in no particular order: wine strategist, competition director and entrepreneur Christelle Guibert, marketing maverick Amelia Jukes, PR queens Rosamund Barton and Gemma Duncan, TV producer Melanie Jappy, writers Helen McGinn, Kate Hawkings, Nina Caplan, Alice Lascelles and Victoria Moore, trade legends Holly Sharpe and Becca Goodall, importer Courtney Stebbings, multi-hyphenate Emily O’Hare, business owner Louisa Walls, wine school founder Debbie Warner and sommeliers Leah Kirkland, Wieteke Teppema and Katie Exton. I know I will have forgotten someone…”
How have they impacted you?
“I naturally gravitate towards networking – I like talking – so I’ve met them all ‘along the way’ I suppose. I have been thrilled to collaborate with some, others have become great friends and all of them, needless to say, are very fine drinking partners.
“Whilst individual they all possess the attributes I most respect: skill, professionalism, ambition, grit, intellect, a sense of humour and a lack of vanity.”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from them?
“Well over a decade ago, Ros gave me some advice about charging for freelance work, as have Gemma, Amelia and Melanie more recently. I’ve still done far too much work for free, or for too little, over the years which would suggest I’m not a good learner. But the financial side, especially when freelance, is critical. But it’s a subject few people talk about. I am grateful to have some brilliant and trustworthy women in my network who are willing to be open and inclusive about those tricky subjects.”
Caroline Leblanc
Sommelier and marketing professional
Star Wine List’s Quebec City Ambassador
Mentors:
Véronique Rivest and Jacky Blisson MW
How have they impacted you?
“Véronique Rivest showed me that excellence is built quietly, through discipline and integrity. Watching her lead the technical committee of sommelier competitions with such composure profoundly shaped how I approach my responsibilities within the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.
“Jacky Blisson MW has reinforced the importance of keeping innovation rooted in authenticity. At a time when the wine industry faces economic pressure and shifting perceptions, she speaks about reconnection to land, to growers, to purpose with her new project The Wine Resistance, and I am in awe of it!”
Valeria Gamper
Freelance sommelier and wine educator
Star Wine List’s Navarra Ambassador
Mentors:
“My greatest inspirations have been three extraordinary women: María Barrutia, Flavia Rizzuto, and later Paz Levinson, who trained and inspired an entire generation of sommeliers.
“María and Flavia founded CAVE, the institute where I trained as a sommelier, they were also educators. Paz Levinson was one of my professors there too.”
How have they impacted you?
“They are deeply committed to transforming wine education in Argentina. They founded one of the country’s top schools for sommelier training. They were the first to bring WSET programs to Buenos Aires and developed internships in Europe to help Argentine sommeliers reach the global stage. Paz always welcomes Argentine sommeliers in her restaurants and encourages them to keep growing in their careers. Their generosity is incredible.”
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt from them?
“They didn’t just teach me about wine; they taught me about commitment, passion, and excellence. They showed me the importance of continuous learning, generosity in sharing knowledge, and the power of collaboration.”
Sorrel Moseley-Williams
Sommelier and journalist
Star Wine List’s South America Ambassador
Mentor: Maya García
“Not long after I qualified as a sommelier in Buenos Aires in 2014, I created a pop-up wine event called Come Wine With Us. It filled the gap in the market at a time because by-the-glass options were few in restaurants, there were few wine bars, and so I conceived it to give consumers the opportunity to join me on my wine journey, trying different varieties as well as new products.
“One of the first people to back this project was Maya García, a Venezuelan sommelier who worked for what is today known as Mil Suelos winery in Mendoza as their head of sales. She understood the potential of my event, which popped up at new bars or restaurants. I would put together a selection of wines while the host venue would serve up small plates so everyone would win and guests got to try and buy a solid glass of wine at a friendly price while getting to know a new space.
“As Maya was on the ball, she picked up on the concept pretty fast and supported me with products from day one and invariably, our paths have crossed over the years at tastings, at the winery and, since 2024 we have been business partners in our consultancy.”
How has she impacted you?
“While not necessarily a mentor, Maya has been highly supportive over the years and, when it came to both of us diversifying, we were a natural fit when it came to developing our consultancy (Agencia 22) which, in less than 18 months 22 has clients in Brazil Colombia, Peru and Bolivia.
“As our mission is not just simply to highlight wine or spirits or gastronomy in a standard context, but rather bring these concepts together; my fellow sommelier is the perfect companion in this latest adventure where together we fine tune concepts and hospitality.”
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