France

Iulia Scavo

Iulia is a sommelière and freelance wine journalist and educator, as well as being a Stage 2 MW student. Born in Romania, Iulia originally wanted to pursue a career as a Mathematics teacher. While in the end it was wine, rather than Maths, which became her calling, Iulia believes that it was this experience which inspired in her a love of sharing knowledge and education which she maintains to this day. After graduating in 2008 from the Lycée François Rabelais - Lyon with an MC Sommelier - French National Sommelier Diploma, and then gaining a further course in wine, spirits and beverage sales & marketing in 2011, Iulia became a regular participant in major international sommelier competitions. She has reached the podium of the ASI Best Sommelier of Europe Competition twice, gaining 3rd place in 2013 and 2017; as well as coming 5th in the ASI Best Sommelier of the World Competition in 2013. She won the 2018 Ruinart Sommelier Challenge in France, and in 2019 gained the WSET Diploma, passing with Distinction and gaining the WSET’s “Gérard Basset Memorial Prize” as the highest scoring student in that year with a background as a sommelier. These achievements are just a handful among many which Iulia gained, and yet sadly she has often had to face discrimination and adversity throughout her career in spite of these. As somebody with autism and ADHD, she has often been judged because of these without the chance to prove herself first. Undeterred by such prejudice and determined to set an example to others with such difficulties, Iulia is pursuing the MW, which she feels not only to be the pinnacle of wine education, but that will also further credentialise her as a knowledgeable, passionate and determined wine professional.