Last week the news broke that Cristina Mercuri had become Italy’s first female Master of Wine.
Cristina is a great friend of the Italian Wine Podcast and has appeared on the show on numerous occasions. That’s why we are so thrilled to celebrate this momentous achievement for women in wine!
Cristina joins Gabriele Gorelli, Andrea Lonardi and Pietro Russo as one of just four Italian Masters of Wine. In fact, there are just over 400 Masters of Wine in the world and, as Il Sole 24 Ore pointed out last week, “there are more human beings who have been to space than Masters of Wine!”
Leaving the corporate world behind
Before committing herself to the world of wine, Cristina was a corporate lawyer, dealing with mergers, acquisitions, and intellectual property. In 2015 she left the world of corporate law behind and threw herself into the world of wine.
After obtaining her WSET Diploma in 2018, she earned certifications as a Sherry, Cava, and Port Educator, as well as the title of Italian VDP Ambassador. Wine Editor for Forbes Italia and international judge for Decanter, Cristina collaborates with wineries and consortia to refine brand positioning and storytelling on global markets. She is the founder and CEO of Mercuri Wine Club, a strategic consulting company and training academy that supports companies and professionals in the development of wine positioning, communication and culture, integrating traditional and digital channels.
“The toughest test of my life”
Speaking to La Republica last week, Cristina said of the MW program: “It was the toughest test of my life, but I did it. Today I will bring equality to the world of wine and uphold the value of education at the international level. This is my Olympic gold.”
Cristina’s MW thesis was entitled “Wine, Women and Fascism: A Visual Analysis of the Representation of Women in Propaganda in Enotria (1922–1942)”. Her research applied visual semiotics tools to the analysis of the illustrated covers of Enotria, Italy’s leading wine magazine. The study highlighted how female representation was used for propaganda during the Fascist era and offered a contemporary reflection on wine communication today, which should go beyond the product and question languages, stereotypes, and cultural models, with particular focus on the role of women in the sector.
Cracking the US Market
Welcoming the news, Barbara Fitzgerald, International Marketing Strategist and host of Masterclass US Wine Market, said: “What makes Cristina’s achievement even more powerful is what it represents: a door opened that had been closed for far too long. In a country as fundamental to wine as Italy, no woman had held this title before. Cristina just changed that.”
Before the news broke, Barbara Fitzgerald sat down with Cristina Mercuri for the Italian Wine Podcast to discuss how Italian wines can succeed in international markets by understanding consumers, crafting clear messaging, and choosing the right commercial partners.
Listen to Barbara’s recent conversation with Cristina:
Cristina Mercuri MW on the Italian Wine Podcast
As previously mentioned, Cristina Mercuri MW is a great friend of the Italian Wine Podcast, and we are proud to have shared that journey with her. You can
- Ep. 2309 Understanding maturity by the glass: old whites from Italy with Cristina Mercuri and Gill Gordon Smith
- Ep. 1827 International Women’s Day with Cristina Mercuri and Stevie Kim
- Ep. 1416 Voice with Cynthia Chaplin and Cristina Mercuri
- Ep. 1093 Get US Market Ready with Steve Raye and Cristina Mercuri
