Two Brits join MW firmament

By Jo Gilbert

Published: 25 February, 2022

Justin Martindale MW and Jonny Orton MW have become the latest Masters of Wine.

The news, from the Institute of Masters of Wine this morning, confirms that the new members of the IMW are both based in the UK – Martindale in Scotland and Orton in England.

Having joined the illustrious roster of MWs globally, Martindale and Orton now round the count up to 420 MWs globally – 269 men and 151 women across 30 countries. Since the first exam in 1953, 498 people have become an MW.

Martindale is an educator, consultant and wine judge based in Edinburgh. After studying a music degree at Leeds University, followed by a brief stint as a classical musician, he joined the wine trade with Majestic in 2008, subsequently working across some of London’s busiest stores before establishing the Lothian Wine School in 2013.

His research paper dove into the evolving language of minerality in wine tasting via Decanter’s tasting notes between 1976 and 2019.

Orton meanwhile, read Chemistry at university before pursuing a career in financial services. Today, he balances interests in finance and wine, having bridged the two with his MW research paper on the nuances of fine wine investment. In addition, he provides fine wine consulting and tastings and loves to pair wine and surf destinations.

Martindale and Orton are the first of the 2022 MW vintage.

The pair have now swollen the ranks of British MWs to a world-beating 211. In second place, though with far fewer MWs, is the US (56), followed by Australia (28), France (19), New Zealand (16), Canada (10) and Germany (10).

Top photo shows Justin Martindale

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