Jury members
Meriç Akbay
gastronomy and wine consultant, Germany / Turkey
Meriç has been a wine enthusiast for many years and decided to pursue wine as a career after successfully completing WSET Level 3 and attending numerous wine events. Previously, Meriç was a sales professional in multinational companies in Germany, Turkey and the UK for thirty years. Having traveled extensively, she has had the opportunity to visit numerous wineries and taste wines from different areas of the Old and New World. Meriç lives in Frankfurt and still travels frequently to discover the hidden treasures of the wine world. She is passionate about the wines of the Old World and endemic grape varieties of Turkey. She is also excited about New World developments, new trends and promising winemakers. She is currently a DipWSET student in Greece, member of the Turkish Society of Wine Experts and Educators, as well as several wine clubs in Turkey and Germany. Meriç regularly hosts and participates in wine programs in Turkey and Germany, gives lectures and moderates tastings that help spread the wine culture.
