Meet the Judges of BIWC 2025: Elizabeth Gabay MW
As part of our special series introducing the jury members of the 14th edition of the Balkans International Wine Competition, we’re honored to spotlight Elizabeth Gabay MW – one of the world’s leading experts in rosé wines and a passionate advocate for wine diversity and regional expression.
Elizabeth became a Master of Wine in 1998 and has dedicated her career to writing, consulting, and teaching. She has authored three books on rosé wines, including Rosé: Understanding the Pink Wine Revolution and The Rosés of Southern France (co-authored with her son Ben Bernheim), and is a regular contributor to respected wine publications like Decanter, Club Oenologique, Quench, and Sevenfifty. Her deep curiosity for the lesser-known has led her to explore regions far beyond the spotlight—and the Balkans is one of them.
Last year, Elizabeth joined BIWC as a panel chair for the first time. In our interview with her, she shares her impressions of the wines in the region, the challenges and excitement of judging in such a diverse context, and how she prepares to evaluate so many wines with both structure and openness.
Read her full interview below.
Dear Ms. Gabay, your first experience in the BIWC as a panel chair was last year. How do you see, in general, the wines produced in this region?
I don’t think I anticipated not just the high quality but also the wide range of styles – not just different regional styles, but also a range of varieties and winemaking. It made it both interesting and exciting.
What is the biggest challenge in judging wines from such a diverse region as the Balkans?
The biggest challenge is the lack of knowledge, and here the inclusion of local judges on every panel is invaluable – making every session not just an evaluation of quality, but also an opportunity to understand the local wines. Sometimes, there can be a wine that might be dismissed as not being good, but once you understand the traditions and maybe the challenges of working in a region or with a variety, the evaluation can fully take into account the background of the wine. For example, the Stanušina rosés were an eye-opener for me.
How do you prepare for judging so many wines? Is there anything specific you do before the competition?
In an ideal world, you need lots of energy for a competition – so healthy eating, being well rested, feeling good (including dental visits!). In reality, competitions are part of a hectic working schedule, so I do like getting to bed early. Also, if possible, I try to do some research beforehand – largely general research on the regions, the climate… but it’s also important to come with an open mind and be prepared for the unexpected. A competition does not end on the last day – I make notes while judging and need to follow these up.
