Welcome to episode 2565 of the Italian Wine Podcast from wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum 2025, Wine titles decoded: why MS and MW both matter.

Speakers: Jessica Dupuy DipWSET, Doug Frost MW & MS, Jim Bube MS

What’s the difference between a Master Sommelier and a Master of Wine? Is one more for blind tasting parlor tricks? And the other for breaking down the finer points on what soil compositions and export markets have in common?

Join Jessica Dupuy, DipWSET, Certified Sommelier and seasoned wine journalist, for a dynamic discussion exploring the differences, similarities, and shared value of two of the wine world’s most respected credentials. For too long, confusion has hovered between the two. In the U.S., Master Sommeliers are often elevated to near-celebrity status, while in Europe, the title is less understood or recognized. Conversely, Masters of Wine are widely revered across Europe as the pinnacle of expertise yet often perceived in the U.S. as overly academic or inaccessible. This panel shifts the conversation from “which is better?” to “which path is best for whom?

The Italian Wine Podcast is proud to be a media partner of wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum and is pleased to present this series of conversations from Vinitaly.USA in Chicago. wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum is an international wine business event, held annually since 2014. This year the Forum was held alongside Vinitaly.USA in Chicago, taking it outside of Verona for the first time.

Full details about this and all other wine2wine Vinitaly Business Forum sessions available online at: https://www.vinitaly.com/en/forum/wine2wine-vinitaly-business-forum/programme/.

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