Author, journalist and consultant, Charles Curtis is a Master of Wine and the founder of WineAlpha, a fine wine advisory serving private, trade and institutional clients with an interest in the market for fine and rare wine. This unique consultancy provides advice on the buying, selling storing and shipping of fine wine to private clients, USPAP-compliant appraisals, and advice on varied topics to a number of trade clients. Former Head of Wine for Christie’s auction house in both Asia and the Americas, Curtis has a wealth of experience in the wine trade. He joined Christie’s in 2008 from LVMH, where he was Director of Wine and Spirit Education for Moet Hennessy USA.

Over the years he has held a variety of sales and marketing posts in the wine trade, and his professional career began as a chef who trained at the Cordon Bleu Paris, working in restaurants around the world. Curtis earned his Diploma from the Wine and Spirits Education Trust of London, and in October 2004 became the 22nd Master of Wine in the United States. Through the years, he has garnered a number of honors, including the prestigious “Bourse André Crispin” in 2002, presented by the Commanderie de Bordeaux aux Etats-Unis, of which he is now a member, along with the Ordre des Coteaux de Champagne, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs and the Société Mondiale du Vin, where he holds he rank of vice-echanson.

He is a member of the board of the Institute of Masters of Wine (North America) and their Events Committee. He has been a guest lecturer at a number of universities, and is a Certified Member of the Appraisers Association of America. Writing has also long been among Curtis’ interest. His first book, The Original Grand Crus of Burgundy, was released in 2014. He is a columnist for the Chinese version of La Revue du Vin de France and was formerly Senior Editor at Le Pan Media covering Champagne, the Rhône Valley, and other regions, and has been a freelance contributor to other magazines. He works as a wine and spirits judge, and has been a featured speaker at dozens of wine and food festivals over the years. His work is featured on the websites www.CurtisMW.com and www.WineAlpha.com. Classical music, contemporary art and global gastronomy are his abiding free time passions.