4 SEPTEMBER 2023 | LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM –Liquid Icons and the Gérard Basset Foundation are delighted to announce the winners of The 2023 Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships. These Scholarships offer 3 BAME/BIPOC winners support with their choice of either the MW or MS certification, as well as allowing them to undertake their choice of internships with more than 30 of the world’s greatest fine wine and spirits estates. Scholars are also able to choose one of the Judges as their mentor for the duration of their studies and scholarship.
36 applications were received in 2023 from 18 different countries across 6 continents, with applicants comprising 18 different nationalities. More than half of this year’s applicants were women.
These Scholarships are awarded on the basis of a Scholar’s ability, determination to succeed, financial needs and their potential contribution to promoting diversity, inclusion, excellence, interaction and learning in the global wine community.
The Judging Panel for the 2023 Scholarships comprised: Angela Scott as Head Judge, one of 2021’s Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarship winners; Nina Basset FIH; Rajat Parr (Sandhi Wines); Clément Robert MS (The Birley Clubs / Annabel’s); and Jancis Robinson OBE MW.
The 2023 Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Scholars:
- Eduardo Bolanos
- Eduardo is a Guatemalan-American Wine Buyer and Wine Director, Los Angeles, USA
- Sachindri Rana
- Sachindri is an Indian Winemaker and Wine Researcher, Blenheim, New Zealand
- Amrita Singh
- Amrita is an Indian Wine Export & Marketing Consultant, Bordeaux, Franc
Adrian Bridge, managing director of Taylor’s Port, commented on this year’s winners:
“Celebrating diversity has always been at the heart of our mission at Taylor’s, and we are immensely proud to congratulate the winners of the 2023 Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarships for this remarkable achievement. We have passionately supported the study of wine, knowing that it transcends borders and cultures. This scholarship not only opens doors to education but also fosters a deeper appreciation for the rich tapestry of the world of wine. As we raise our glasses to these deserving scholars, we toast to a future where knowledge knows no boundaries and where the joy of learning enriches us all.”
In addition to this year’s three superb winners, the Judges were profoundly impressed with two other applicants, and as such have awarded them both a Golden Vines® MW Bursary, which will cover their MW course fees for the next year, as well as allowing them a budget to undertake three short internships of their choice from the Taylor’s Port Golden Vines® Diversity Scholarship Internship Programme.
The 2023 Golden Vines® MW Bursary Recipients:
Gabriela Di Nardo
Gabriela is a Venezuelan Wine Educator and Community Manager, Barcelona, Spain
Nupur Gogia
Nupur is a Canadian Wine Importer, Toronto, Canada
Commenting on the Judging process this year, Head Judge Angela Scott remarked:
“I am both excited and profoundly proud of each candidate who participated in this scholarship process. The sheer quality and outstanding achievements of every applicant made the decision-making process incredibly challenging. I feel deeply humbled to be part of this illustrious group, as I once stood in their shoes as a grateful recipient of such a generous award. The greatest joy in this journey for me has been the opportunity to pay it forward, supporting the dreams and aspirations of others as others once did for me. Congratulations to the winners, and I wholeheartedly believe in the success of every candidate. Their futures shine brightly.”
About Gérard Basset Foundation
Set up to honour the legacy and memory of Gérard Basset OBE MS MW by addressing the wine industry’s most pressing issues through education, training & mentorship, the Gérard Basset Foundation comprises a multidisciplinary team of industry-leading professionals: Nina Basset FIH, Romané Basset, Lewis Chester DipWSET, Ian Harris MBE DipWSET, Sasha Lushnikov, Jancis Robinson OBE MW: https://
About Liquid Icons
Liquid Icons is a fine wine research and content production company founded by two friends to “do stuff in wine” – the late, great Gérard Basset OBE MW MS and Lewis Chester DipWSET. We create first-class original content and research about the world’s greatest fine wines and spirits. Our work encompasses motion picture, industry research, recognition and celebration of wine and spirits excellence, charitable and fundraising activities, as well as educational initiatives: https://liquidicons.com
About Taylor’s Port
Taylor’s is one of the first historic Port wine lodges, having been established in 1692. A family company since its foundation, it has been dedicated exclusively to the production of high-quality Port wines, from the planting of the vine and harvesting the grapes for fermentation, ageing and bottling of the various styles of Port wine. The family’s commitment to the future of Port wine is also demonstrated in its determination to preserve and, where appropriate, improve the unique environmental, social and economic aspects of the Douro region through the promotion of sustainable viticulture. Taylor’s is mainly recognised as a benchmark for Vintage Port, its classic Vintages attracting the highest scores and auction prices. The house was the creator of the modern LBV (Late Bottled Vintage), a style pioneered by the Taylor’s and it is the most sought-after brand of LBV. Taylor’s also pioneered the first Dry White Port with the launch of Chip Dry and was the first to commercialise the Single Quinta Vintages. The House is also recognized as the most important producer of Aged Tawnies and has one of the most extensive
