Sarah Heller Master of Wine is an acclaimed figure in the international wine industry and a visual artist.
The aim of her work is to enlarge our experience of wine through deep engagement with its cultural history and rich, multi-sensory content. Her paintings, drawings and digital works, including the Visual Tasting Notes series, have been exhibited and published in Asia, North America, Australasia and Europe. Her series of online educational videos has over 10 million students. She is frequently invited to speak on subjects including Italian fine wine, Champagne and wine collecting and investment.
Sarah is the Italian reviewer and a columnist for Club Oenologique; faculty of the Vinitaly International Academy; wine editor for Asia Tatler; a host of the television series Wine Masters; and co-designer of an award-winning collection of handblown crystal glasses with Lucaris Crystal. She is a Knight of the Order of the Star of Italy; an Honourary Advisor of Hong Kong’s International Culinary Institute and a member of the First Initiative Foundation Circle of Friends.
Having graduated from Yale University with a fine art degree, Sarah began her career in the New York and Hong Kong wine trades, including as Executive Director of Meiburg Wine Media, and working with wineries in France, Italy, Spain and Austria. Sarah is a SWE Certified Specialist of Wine and Spirits and speaks English, Italian, German, French and Chinese with basic Korean and Spanish.
Awards and Recognition
2024
The Drinks Business Asia Asian Wine Personality
Knight of The Order of the Star of Italy
2022
WINWSA Wine & Spirits Educator of the Year
IWSC Wine Communicator of the Year
2020
DEmark Design Excellence Award: The Elements Collection
2019
IWSC + WSET Future 50
2018
Hong Kong Tatler Gen.T List
Wineluxe Magazine Person of the Year
2017
Austrian Wine Marketing Board Outstanding Achievement Award for highest overall score in the Master of Wine exams
Villa Maria Prize for the MW Viticulture Paper
Errazuriz Award for the MW Business of Wine Paper
Robert Mondavi Winery Award for MW Theory
The Drinks Business’ Asian Awards Young Achiever of the Year
Prestige Hong Kong 40 Under 40
2013
Vintners’ Cup and IWSC Scholarship
2010
Ethel Childe Walker Prize for Art (Yale University)