Michael Harrison's Linkedin Analytics

I have a wide and varied experience in the wine trade, intially working in privately owned wine shops/off licences in Surrey and West London ,whilst taking my early WSET qualifications. I moved into a historic London wine merchant employed as a trainee in all departments, packing , orders ,loading, labelling, shipping, stock office and finally into sales. This company had many blue ribbon agencies as well as clients. I then moved into the licensed trade , running wine bar restaurants in the City for nine years, i spent a further five years with Youngs brewery as a publican, before going into restaurant managership with the Bluebecker chain. I then moved to Sainsburys as a trainee wine buyer before going to work for the small boutique group of companies the Albert Arms /Albert Wine Co/ George restaurant. I was then employed as the wine director of the Marriott Hotel chain in India based in Mumbai,but this was cancelled because of the bombs. i set up my own business in 2007 as a wine consultant , currently i consult on lists, educate ad supply small customers. From 2008-2014 i was Head Sommelier of four different Hotel du Vin, Brighton, Poole, Bristol and Henley. I am currently Brand Ambassador for the award winning Portuguese wine importer D+F WINES. Also i am a major shareholder of Digby Fine English Sparkling . Specialties: My specialist areas ar South America, Bordeaux, Champagne, England. I am a frequent pundit with Imbibe magazine and Harpers Wine and Spirit, and have been a judge of the Sommeliers Awards since there conception.I am also a judge of the International Wine Challenge,and the International Wine and Spirit Competition. I can now also add being a judge of the Decanter World Wine Awards.Also i now judge Winestars World London and Winestars World Vinitaly, as well as a foreign judge at the wines of Portugal challenge. Later this year i will be judging the Quality Food and Drink Awards (supermarket sector) for the first time.