Oenologist from Porto Bento Amaral is nominated for the "Wine Person of the Year" prize

The renowned American magazine Wine Enthusiast shortlisted the oenologist from Porto Bento Amaral for the "Wine Person of the Year" award. The winemaker from the Invicta is among the five selected nominees.

Bento Amaral is the director of the technical and Certification Services of the Port and Douro Wines Institute (IVDP) since 2013 and has devoted its professional career, namely as head of the Wine tasting Department at the IVDP, and as a trainer in advanced training courses for professionals in the sectors.

The Wine Enthusiast states that "without Bento Amaral and his team, the Port and Douro Wines would not get to the market. He is the director of the Technical and certification services and runs the Wine Tasting department at the IVDP", furthering that "Bento is a remarkable personality in other ways as well; when he was preparing to sail to Australia, in 1994, to work as a oenologist, he suffered a severe accident at sea, and became quadriplegic. He overcome this hardship through his work at the IVDP since 1999".

Bento Amaral devoted to sport sailor from a young age, and after the accident he continued this sport in the adapted sailing category. He became champion in 2005, and represented Portugal in the 2008 Paralympic Games. He was honoured, in 2009 by the President of the Republic, with The Order of Prince Henry, Official Order. In 2014, the French Government awarded him the Agricultural Order of merit.

Bento Amaral is the sole nominee of the "Wine Person of the Year" award that does not carry out his activity in the USA. The other nominees are Ben Aneff, president of Wine Trade Alliance; Ann Mukherjee, director for North America at Pernod Ricard; Jeff O'Neill, oenologist from California (third generation) and founder of O'Neill Vintners & Distillers; and Heidi Scheid, also from California, and director of the Wine Market Council and vice-president of Scheid Family Wines.

This is the 21st edition of The Wine Star Awards, promoted by the Wine Enthusiast magazine. The winners of all fifteen categories will be announced in the magazine's special edition on the Best of 2020, at the beginning of 2021, in a ceremony that will take the virtual format.

+Info