Master of Wine Jo Ahearne
Posted on Sun 13th Jul 2014 at 09:10
Signature Wines is proud to have a dedicated and experienced team of professionals on board, each selected for their specific expertise to enable Signature to bring exceptional wines to the UK market.Master of Wine Jo Ahearne was carefully selected to be part of the Signature Wines team because of her impressive experience in the wine trade. Initially working for the innovative UK retailer Oddbins in the early 1990's, she went on to study as a winemaker in Australia completing her Oenology BSc. in 1998. In Australia, Jo worked for iconic boutique wineries such as Charles Melton and Pipers
Signature Wines is proud to have a dedicated and experienced team of professionals on board, each selected for their specific expertise to enable Signature to bring exceptional wines to the UK market. Master of Wine Jo Ahearne was carefully selected to be part of the Signature Wines team because of her impressive experience in the wine trade. Initially working for the innovative UK retailer Oddbins in the early 1990's, she went on to study as a winemaker in Australia completing her Oenology BSc. in 1998.
In Australia, Jo worked for iconic boutique wineries such as Charles Melton and Pipers Brook as well as making wine for such global brands as Jacobs Creek, Leasingham and Hardy's. At this time, she also took up a variety of flying winemaking positions in Spain and France. Jo moved back to the UK as winemaker/selector for Marks & Spencer in 2004, travelling the world in search of the best each region has to offer and blending to produce unique wines for M&S. She became a Master of Wine in 2008. In 2011, she went to head up the Wine Department for Harrods and now works as a winemaking consultant in France, Spain, Italy, Hungary, Romania and now with the Stobi Winery in the Republic of Macedonia.
Jo joined the team this year and works closely with the Stobi winery to develop and blend wines specifically for the UK market.
Jo Ahearne chats with Signature Wines
1. How did you get into the Wine Industry? When I was a kid I always loved cooking and playing with flavours. I didn't come from a wine family but we did drink it on special occasions which was quite rare where I grew up but it was Hirondelle and a bit of Spanish red really. I saw all these wines that I knew nothing about and wanted to learn. So I got a job with Oddbins which was pretty much the University of Wine back in the day.
2. What is your responsibility at Signature Wines? I'm the consultant winemaker for Stobi winery, looking to tailor the styles of wines made to more suit the UK.
3. How long have you been working for them? I started in January 2014
4. What qualities does a MW need? It depends what they do for a living. But to pass the qualification you need determination, dedication and the ability to not have a life for a while! And a good palate obviously.
5. Which is your favourite grape variety and why? That's a tough one. It's like having a favourite CD. It depend on my mood, the weather and what I'm eating. I love fino and manzanilla sherry especially in the summer. White Burgundy, Nebbiolo, old oxidative white Rioja. Actually the list is endless.
6. What is the best part about your job? Getting to work closely with people in different regions with different grape varieties to achieve their different goals. Monday it could be Macedonia looking at barrel samples of Vranec and by Thursday I'm in Provence looking at rose. I'm never bored.
7. What is the worst part about your job? The security queue at Luton Airport!
8. Where would you most like to live? In a world with no security queues!
9. Does anything frustrate you in the wine industry? How would you change it? I'll take the 5th Amendment on that question....
10. Your last bottle of wine……..who would you share it with? My mum and dad.
11. Finish this sentence: “a world without wine is like……” ……a life sentence.