Sarah Abbott MW
Sarah Abbott MW is the founder and director of Swirl Wine Group.
A classicist. A Romantic. A logophile. Sarah brings a truly personal flair to all her work.
With two degrees under her belt, she joined the wine trade in 1996, working in roles from buying to business development, marketing to commercial strategy. Her initial experiences were with the classics – the Bordeaux, Burgundies and Barolos which are her specialisms – but she has a deep-rooted appreciation for the new frontiers of wine. Today, she is widely recognised for her work with some of the wine world’s most exciting emerging regions.
After a decade in the trade, Sarah founded Swirl Wine Group in 2006. Since then, she has built her reputation as a preeminent judge, competition chair and communicator.
She is co-chair of the International Wine Competition, the world’s largest wine competition, as well as judging competitions globally, from London to Tokyo, Melbourne to Tiblisi. She has been a finalist in the Louis Roederer wine writing competition for her columns for timatkin.com, and has co-author of the Burgundy section of ‘The Wine Opus’, an award-winning wine guide published by Dorling Kindersley in 2010.
Closer to home, she is also a vocal advocate for women in the trade, actively supporting projects to promote diversity and empower the trade’s next generation of change-makers.
MADELEINE WATERS
With over twenty-five years’ experience in drinks PR, Madeleine has extensive experience running campaigns for various renowned brands including; Champagne Deutz, and Pinkster Gin.
Madeleine has an instinctive understanding of the industry, making her one of the most trusted and respected PRs in the business. Her contact book for the on and off trade buyers and journalists is the only one you’ll ever need. Madeleine founded, We Are Coco, and is our chosen PR partner for all of our clients.
BELINDA STONE
Belinda has more than 20 years’ experience as a wine marketer. She holds the WSET Diploma and is one of very few Chartered Marketers in the wine trade. She has worked with some of the world’s leading wine brands & UK importers. Belinda is a Director of The Old Vine Conference and is responsible for the day-to-day running of the non-profit alongside her boutique wine communication agency: Wine x Marketing x Media.
SIOBHAN TURNER MW
Siobhan is a specialist wine authenticator, freelance wine consultant focusing largely on fine wine and cellar management, and regular judge for the International Wine Challenge.
After qualifying as a Chartered Accountant with Ernst & Young, she became Executive Director of the Institute of Masters of Wine for nine years. Originally from Canada, but now residing in London, she is passionate about the potential of the Okanagan Valley to produce world class red wines, immersing herself in the countryside, and has discovered that actually, she quite likes running.
SHALINI SINGH
Happiest surrounded by wines, Shalini is our digital strategist and analytics expert. With a keen eye for data-driven insights, she manages Swirl’s online presence and engagement, ensuring each campaign resonates with audiences and maximises impact. From developing targeted strategies to optimising social media outreach, Shalini raises Swirl’s digital footprint at every step.
She is the founder of Winetelgrams (a wine communication platform) and has a strong background in wine tourism, marketing, and analytics. Her expertise helps shape Swirl’s approach to digital marketing, ensuring that each initiative aligns with the brand’s vision and drives measurable success.
KIMBERLEY BRANT
Kimberley is our wonderful administrative assistant here at Swirl Wine Group, her expertise include seamless diary management, arranging appointments and ensuring meetings are organised efficiently. In a previous life, Kimberley was a teacher and so multi-tasking comes naturally, and her ability to be responsive and supportive to be able to coordinate lots of stakeholders is second to none.