Ido Lewinsohn, the head winemaker of Barkan winery, graduated as a Master of Wine (MW) from the prestigious Institute of Masters of Wine after completing all exams and thesis demands - a title held by fewer than 100 fellow Master Winemakers.

“Lewinsohn is only the second Israeli to join the elite group of 408 Masters of Wine in the world,” commented Gabriel Geller, Royal Wine Corp.’s PR director and manager of wine education. “He is also one of the fewer than 100 winemakers to hold that distinguished title.” Royal Wine Corp. is the importer and distributor of Barkan in the United States.

The Institute of Masters of Wine is an international organisation founded in London in 1953 with the purpose of promoting excellence, interaction, and learning in the field of wine. Its members are all Masters of Wine, having passed stringent qualifying exams that are recognized worldwide for their high standards and precision.

All Masters of Wine are known for their deep understanding of all areas of the wine business and production. Lewinsohn joins a select group of influential figures in the global wine industry including Jancis Robinson, pre-eminent wine journalist and critic; wine critics Jasper Morris and Michael Broadbent; Serena Sutcliffe, Wine Curator for Sotheby’s; and winemakers Olivier Humbrecht (Zind-Humbrecht, Alsace), Drew Noon (Noon, Australia), and Michael Brajkovich (Kumeu River, New Zealand).

“Lewinsohn is one of only two Israeli Masters of Wine making kosher wine,” said Geller. “Barkan is Israel’s largest winery,” he added, “producing 1.2 million cases a year. It also has the widest presence of all wines from Israel on the American wine market.”