A unique diversity is what I offer, seek, and continuously want to develop,
striving to uncover the true identity of each wine
and its brand DNA.
With my extensive knowledge, wide experience, deep understanding and passion for the craft, I bring fresh perspectives and valuable insights.
My consultancy is built on three pillars; working together with producers, winemakers, and all relevant stakeholders, to unlock their potential and improve their success, a competence booster, conducting master classes across a wide variety of themes, and as a judge and panel chair in global wine competitions.
Because I believe that everyone, deserves excellence.
An experience that is both exceptional and true to the place.
Philosophy
I am a diamond polisher.
For me, it’s important to be respectful of traditions, honour visions, and refine the elements that will lead to further success.
With meticulous attention to detail, while focusing on the bigger picture, making decisions through analysing the impact of various factors, enhancing quality, and shaping the identity and expression of the wine, its origin, and its brand DNA, I bring forward fresh ideas for a vigorous next step.
My ambition as a member of the team is to challenge, inspire, evaluate and encourage options based on the potential I see. Adding significant value through my extensive global experience.
Together, we cultivate refinement, beyond mere trends, ensuring commercial success from vineyard to bottle.
Profession
I am on a mission to inspire, educate, mentor, and catalyse the pursuit of excellence.
My background is broad and varied, yet always rooted in wine. With experience spanning every corner of the world, and across our industry, I engage in exciting projects where I can add significant value to assist in turning ambition into exceptional execution.
By taking the pulse of the vineyards and terroir – the very soul of the place – I gain a deep understanding of the unique conditions of each location. This insight allows me to analyse and advise on refining the existing range, expanding with new portfolio additions, and enhancing a wine brand’s identity.
Refinement is at the core of my work – how to approach the harvest going forward, adjusting cellar practices to elevate a wine’s personality and quality potential, and fine-tuning blends through tastings and re-evaluations. Every decision is a step towards crafting a truly exceptional wine, perfectly aligned with the brand’s vision.
I am a team player. With fresh ideas, thought-provoking insights, healthy objectiveness and the courage to step beyond routines, we explore new possibilities together. We collaborate through discussing and evaluating different approaches, making the seemingly impossible, possible. Tasting, tweaking, and discussing until that shared smile of satisfaction – and the magic blend – emerges, ready to be bottled and presented to the world. Turning ideas into reality.
As a speaker and presenter, judge and panel chair in competitions worldwide, I also share my knowledge and insights with international audiences; challenging preconceptions and creating eye-opening 'wow' moments.
The pandemic challenged us all in different ways. For me, it was about reimagining my business and rekindling my passion. Unable to travel to my clients, I used the time to redefine what I offer. Being on-site in South Africa through the following harvests allowed me to support producers and their winemakers more deeply. The insights we gained together, through hands-on work, shaped my approach today.
It marked the beginning of something new.
My expertise is built on three pillars:
Unlocking potential
Wherever my projects take me, I deliver practical, honest, and impactful results. I’m deeply committed to ensuring that my work makes a meaningful difference.
As my work spans the world, I continously learn and exchange knowledge, helping both me and my clients to staying relevant and adaptable over time.
I support producers and their winemakers to unlock their full potential. By bringing a global palate perspective, I assist in the refinement of their wines and explore expressions
they may not have previously considered. Through evaluating past and present wines, I uncover strengths, define identity, and enhance future blends to reflect the true character of both place and brand.
As a dedicated mentor, I support talented
young winemakers to further build their confidence and
trusting their instincts to be able to push their craft to the next level. My role is to inspire and support their journey towards creating exceptional wines.
I act as a link between the viticulturists and winemakers, and the sales and marketing teams, with the focus of strengthening communication and aligning quality and style with the commercial aspects. This ensures consistency between the product, brand vision, and market competitiveness to support long-term success.
Each assignment is approached with a fresh, impartial perspective. Every step is collaborative, focused on continuous improvement, refining results harvest after harvest.
”My goal is to help winemakers unlock their potential”
Inspiring and challenging
master classes
As a Master of Wine, I take pride in covering a wide range of master class themes – from traditional, well-established wine origins and producers, to those emerging with high quality potential deserving further recognition, and challenging preconceptions and broadening perspectives through inspirational benchmark tastings.
I spark fresh thinking and push wine professionals beyond familiar territory – introducing new frameworks, lateral thinking, holistic context, and critical insight.
I thrive on challenges, therefore no topic is too small to capture my interest, and no wine origin is too complex to tackle. Some of my true specialties are the regions I’ve traveled to extensively and worked closely with. My expertise truly spans the globe.
”No topic is too small to capture my interest and no wine origin is too complex for me to tackle”
Shaping the future of wine.
What sets my career apart is the depth of my expertise, which has afforded me the honor of being invited time and time again to judge at the highest level. Because I'm passionate about making a difference.
Over the years, I have been frequently invited as an international judge for the most respected competitions in the world – from origins as diverse as Argentina and South Africa to Australia and New Zealand, to Portugal, Spain and Greece, to Russia, Turkey, China and Macau, and Decanter World Wine Awards in London, UK.
Since 2013, I am a panel chair at the prestigious International Wine Challenge, IWC in London, UK.
From the vineyards to the judging table, this immersion in the global wine community is at the core of who I am and what I do.
It's more than a profession – it’s my life’s work.
”It's more than a profession – it’s my life’s work”
Person
A lifelong passion and an endless curiosity have paved my way.
Today, the world is my workplace.
The deeper I delve, the stronger my commitment grows. I strive to improve the understanding of all aspects of wine by evaluating and refining production processes, blending strategies, and quality and style development, as well as by sharing knowledge through master-classes on a wide range of topics. My creativity lies in seeing possibilities others overlook, contrasting deep knowledge with fresh ideas to craft brave, tailored solutions that elevate both wine and brand image.
As an advisor, I want to become a trusted partner, a team member – offering not just expertise, but long-term vision, strategic clarity, and heartfelt commitment to my clients’ growth and success. I aim to help people make better decisions – including the tough but necessary ones that truly drive progress in the pursuit of excellence long-term.
Choices and selections from grape to glass.
Testimonials
”Thank you for the goosebumps moments!”
Denise Johnson, Managing Director, Zevenwacht Wine Estate, South Africa
Pieter du Toit, Owner, Kloovenburg Wine Estate, Swartland, South Africa
"We have always known that we were sitting on a goldmine, but we were waiting for the goldsmith to arrive. Luckily, we were introduced to Madeleine who has helped us identify the style and quality potential of our vineyards and bringing out the real identity of our place. She is the glue that brings it all together, linking our great farming skills with young winemaking talent and she has become an important part of our Kloovenburg family."
Bruce Jack, Bruce Jack Wines, The Drift, Overberg, South Africa
”The letters MW do not come easily. They are earned through intelligence, tenacity and commitment. And those words can still be used to describe what Madeleine means to many in the South African wine industry who rely on her insight, candor, and enthusiasm. The Institute of Masters of Wine should publicly celebrate the benefit she imparts and the way she does so, as an example for others in that rarified realm of our tribe to learn from and aspire to. Her example is shining for sure, but what really makes her different is her inner glow. Madeleine exudes a positivity that doesn't just make you smile along with her; it sweeps you up and carries you along on a wave of optimism about our craft that is generous and impassioned. It’s always a pleasure working with her.”
Paul Hobbs, Owner, Paul Hobbs Wines, California & Viña Cobos, Mendoza, Argentina
A master taster, unmatched work ethic, uplifting disposition and one of the wine world’s most knowledgeable, dedicated and passionate professionals. Madeleine is genius.
Paul Pujol, General Manager/Winemaker, Prophet's Rock, Central Otago, New Zealand
"Madeleine is one of the best global wine communicators, writers, presenters and production-side professionals that I have worked with. Over the last eight years our work has covered a number of her various fields of expertise and has spanned several international markets. She has a remarkable talent for assessing, reviewing, and selecting wines for various publications, events, and seminars. Her views are always very insightful and she takes great pride in her preparation which comes through in the quality of her work, whether with small or large groups or events."
Hagen Viljoen, Winemaker, Zevenwacht Wine Estate, Stellenbosch, South Africa
"It has been fantastic to have Madeleine on board with us over the last four years. Her knowledge and understanding of wine, as well as her excellent palate, has made a huge impact in the final outcome of our top end wines. She has helped us to push further and further towards finding balance and precision in our blends and to get clarity on our vision going forward. She brings an almost tangible passion and energy to the table and has quickly become an invaluable asset to the Zevenwacht team."
Daniel Pi, Chief Winemaker, Bemberg Estate Wines, Argentina
”Since I met Madeleine more than 20 years ago, she has always continued to surprise me with both her level of professionalism, empathy and understanding. Every time we are tasting together, she is so precise and so deeply connected with the wines and generously shares the depth and breadth of her knowledge of the world of wine. I am always so grateful for her thoughts and inputs and she helps me to improve as a winemaker. During the 2007 vintage, I was happy to assist her with the research for her award winning MW dissertation about the effect of altitude on Malbec in Mendoza."
Long story short
My wine journey took off in the early 1990s when, as one of the first Swedish sommeliers. Short thereafter, I won the competition 'The Most Promising Sommelier in Scandinavia', and from there on earning several international scholarships. My passion for deepening my knowledge, led me to travel to wine regions around the world.
To further broaden my wine horizons, I moved to South Africa in 1997. While studying at the Cape Wine Academy – rewarded as the country´s top student, I worked as the head of the restaurant and sommelier department at a five-star Relais & Château hotel in the heart of the wine lands.
Upon returning to Sweden, I completed my WSET Diploma with Honours, launched my wine consulting business, and established and led the Swedish branch of Wines of South Africa (WOSA), the marketing body of the South African wine industry.
During the early 2000's I worked as wine buyer for the Swedish alcohol monopoly, Systembolaget, with the responsibility for building the categories of South Africa, South America, Italy, and Austria. Following that, I took on the role as Quality and Product Development Manager for a major Nordic importer, collaborating with producers and winemakers from around the world.
A significant milestone for me came in 2004, when I became the very first Swede to pass the practical part of the MW exam in the process of becoming a Master of Wine, and in 2008, I earned this pinnacle achievement in the wine industry. My MW dissertation, The Effect of Altitude on Malbec in Mendoza, was awarded the Quinta do Noval Award for being the best of the 15 successful submissions in that year.
Recently I was awarded The Swedish Drinks Personality of the Year, with the motivation: 'A Swedish star on the international wine scene, constantly at the forefront and generously sharing her knowledge while spreading inspiration and passion across the wine industry. An important role model and driving force.'
Much has been accomplished, but there is still so much left to do. Filled with pride, humility, and passion, I continue my journey.
*In 2025 there are 421 people in 30 countries with this qualification. There are three of us based in Sweden. I am the only woman.