Wine Guides
To ensure you get the best out of the region you are visiting on an Arblaster & Clarke Wine Tour, we make sure that most tours are accompanied by an expert Wine Guide. All our guides are accessible and can make light of talking in depth, making even the most complex wine issues interesting, easy to understand and fun! Many of our guides are Masters of Wine (MW), the highest qualification in the wine trade, or are renowned experts in their field.
Andrew Jefford
Andrew Jefford is one of the UK’s most respected wine writers. He is also the author of the multiple award winning book, ‘The New France’ and regular columnist in Decanter, the FT, Waitrose Magazine, Fine Wine and other quality publications. He has won a number of different distinctions for his work, the latest being ‘International Wine Feature Writer of the Year’ at the Louis Roederer Awards 2011. |
Charles Metcalfe
Charles Metcalfe is best known as a wine broadcaster but he is also famous for his singing abilities, having been an Opera singer early in his career. Charles is Associate Editor of Wine Magazine and a co-Chariman of the International Wine Challenge. |
Derek Smedley MW
Derek Smedley MW, is one of the most experienced members of the wine trade as a consultant to merchants and producers and as a co-Chairman of the Wine Challenge. Derek is a popular Wine Guide and takes tours right across the programme. |
Nicola Arcedeckne-Butler
Nicola specialises in the classic regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy as a buyer for Private Cellar, but has a love of all things Italian having lived there in her twenties. MW since 1996, and in the trade for 20 years all told, she is fluent in French and Italian.
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Robert Joseph
Robert was one of the founders of the renowed International Wine Challenge and is an extremely highly respected member of the wine trade. We are delighted to have him in the team! |
Stephen Brook
Stephen Brook is a leading expert on Bordeaux and other wine regions of France and is a distinguished wine writer. He also writes about many other subjects such as travel, which he writes about from a guide book perspective and from more personal accounts. Stephen is also an award-winning journalist and has been a guest judge at many wine competitions. |
Steven Spurrier
Steven Spurrier is founder of both the Academie du Vin and the Christie’s Wine Course and he is consultant editor for Decanter. Steven has one of the most respected palates in the trade and his contacts can open the most prestigious doors. He regularly takes our top tours. |
Tim Clarke
Tim Clarke designs the tours and brochure, as well as having a great love for travelling. Tim takes many tours and was described in “Wine” magazine as “a Jeremy Clarkson of Wine Guides”. Tim’s style is to go for a broad brush rather than detail (unless you get him going on ‘terroir’) with insight, humour, history and anecdotes. |
Angela Muir M.W.
Angela Muir M.W. started working with wine in 1970 with Harveys. She gained her MW in 1980 and has been helping clients and friends to make good wine. During the last 30 years, she has spent more time in wineries and vineyards than at home! |
Caroline Guizelin Brun
Caroline is known to many of you who have visited her family at Roger Brun. Her warm personality and enthusiasm for her native Champagne make her an excellent Tour Manager. |
