Cristina Mercuri, Master of Wine (MW)
February 20, 2026 — Cristina Mercuri has been awarded the title of Master of Wine (MW), becoming the first Italian woman to achieve one of the most rigorous and selective qualifications in the international wine world. This milestone recognises outstanding technical expertise, academic rigour and leadership capability.
Born and raised in Tuscany and based in Milan for nearly twenty years, Cristina Mercuri is the Founder and CEO of Mercuri Wine Club, a strategic consultancy and education academy that supports wine businesses and professionals in developing positioning, communication and wine culture, integrating traditional and digital channels.
Before entering the wine sector, Cristina built a career as a lawyer in international law firms, specialising in mergers and acquisitions and intellectual property. In 2015, she chose to change professional direction, applying to wine the same analytical rigour, method and discipline developed in her legal career. In less than ten years, she has established herself as a leading figure in the industry, culminating in the achievement of the Master of Wine title.
The MW programme requires years of study and exceptional personal resilience. Cristina passed Stage 2 in 2022 (after only two attempts) and subsequently completed Stage 3, obtaining final accreditation.
“It was an extremely demanding journey, built on daily study and without shortcuts. It taught me method, humility and total dedication to my work,” she says.
The programme was completed with a final research paper entitled Wine, Women and Fascism: A Visual Analysis of the Representation of Women in Propaganda in Enotria (1922–1942). The study applies visual semiotics to the analysis of illustrated covers of Enotria, Italy’s first wine magazine. It highlights how female representation was used as a propaganda tool and offers a timely reflection on contemporary wine communication, encouraging the sector to look beyond the product and critically examine language, stereotypes and cultural models, with particular attention to the role of women in wine.
MERCURI WINE CLUB: Education and strategic consultancy for wine
Since the beginning of her activity, Cristina has promoted a more conscious and contemporary approach to wine communication, capable of creating value through solid content, strategic vision and practical tools.
Mercuri Wine Club integrates education and consultancy, offering in-person and online courses, bespoke training programmes and development projects for companies across the wine value chain. On the B2B side, it supports wineries, restaurants and professionals through staff training, sales strategies, wine list development, brand positioning and digital communication management.
Mercuri Wine Club also develops incoming programmes for wineries and associations, facilitating connections between producers, importers and international journalists, and creating commercial and visibility opportunities.
Among its socially impactful initiatives, the company promotes scholarship programmes and dedicated training pathways for young professionals and women, with the aim of making the wine sector more inclusive and merit-based.
“Italian wine is not just something to be told,” Cristina concludes. “It must be experienced — with new words and with a perspective that is finally free.”
About Cristina Mercuri
Cristina Mercuri is the first Italian woman Master of Wine and Founder & CEO of Mercuri Wine Club, a consultancy and education academy specialising in wine strategy, positioning and communication. She is Wine Editor for Forbes Italia and an international judge for Decanter. She works alongside wineries, consortia and companies as a product and market development consultant. With a legal background and the WSET Diploma, she combines analytical rigour and strategic vision in her work as an educator and trainer for hospitality, distribution and luxury. She is among the most followed Italian wine voices online (@cristinamercuri_wine).
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