Price: SGD 200
Time: 11:00 am - 12:15 pm
Host: James Button - Italy Regional Editor, Decanter
Co-Host: Gerald Lu- President of the Sommelier Association of Singapore

Be  transported to Tuscany and discover Montalcino’s flagship red wine, Brunello di Montalcino, in a whole new light.

This masterclass offers a rare opportunity to explore the wines of four celebrated producers: Il Marroneto, Biondi Santi, Giodo and Col d’Orcia, across two key vintages: 2010 and 2020. Tasting geographically, from north to south, the masterclass  seeks to tease out the stylistic variations between the cooler north slopes of Montalcino and the warmer south.

For Decanter, the newest 2020 vintage offers 'Graciously structured, seductive and immediately harmonious wines [which] promise immense pleasure now and over the mid-term.' Showcasing the remarkable ageing potential of these celebrated red wines, the masterclass gives attendees the chance to enjoy the 2020 vintage alongside the highly-lauded 2010 expression, reputed to be one of the finest to date.
 

James is Decanter’s regional editor for Italy, responsible for all of Decanter's Italian content in print and online.

He started his wine career in retail, successfully completing the WSET Level 4 Diploma in 2010 and subsequently managing the fine wine department of a startup wine company in London. In 2016 he joined Decanter as digital sub-editor, where he managed commissions and content for the fledgling Decanter Premium. James has judged at several wine competitions both nationally and internationally – including the Decanter World Wine Awards – and hosts masterclasses on a variety of topics relating to Italian wine.
 

Gerald has been at the forefront of Singapore's beverage scene for the past 15 years, starting his career with the IndoChine Group as the Group’s sommelier, before rising through the ranks. In 2011, together with fellow wine aficionado Elizabeth Lin, Gerald founded the Praelum Wine Bistro, a wine bar situated close to Singapore’s Central Business District in Duxton Hill. The bistro serves French-inspired European cuisine paired with the world's best wines.

Gerald holds the Court of Master Sommeliers (UK) Advanced Sommelier Certification, the Certified Specialist of Wine (US) and the WSET Advanced Level certification. He is also a Certified Sake Sommelier (Japanese Sake Sommelier Association) and an Italian Wine Scholar (IWS).

Gerald has amassed an impressive list of accolades in his career to date: emerging twice as the National Champion in the Singapore National Sommelier Competition in 2010 and 2017; winning the World Gourmet Summit Bodegas Wine Scholarship in 2010.

Currently serving his third term as the President of the Sommelier Association of Singapore, Gerald represents the Association both locally and internationally and has been a wine judge for Decanter.