Master of Wine, Peter Mark joins the USA Wine Ratings judging Panel

02/02/2021 In 1995, Marks became the first American to receive the Madame Bollinger Foundation Award, which is bestowed annually to the MW candidate with the highest blind tasting score.

Peter Marks, Master of Wine, is the Vice President of Education and a Partner of the Napa Valley Wine Academy in Napa, California. Peter is an internationally respected wine industry consultant and educator with 39 years of industry experience. Marks is one of only 54 Masters of Wine residing in the United States and one of 409 in the world. The prestigious Master of Wine (MW) title is bestowed by the Institute of Masters of Wine (IMW) in London. Marks received his MW designation in 1995 when he became the 10th American to pass. That year he also became the first American to receive the Madame Bollinger Foundation Award, which is bestowed annually to the MW candidate with the highest blind tasting score.

From 2008 to 2019 Marks was Vice President of Education for Constellation Brands, overseeing programs such as the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) for employees and customers. He implemented a diverse education curriculum delivered both in-person and online.

Before joining Constellation Wines, he was the Senior Vice President of Wine at Copia: The American Center for Wine, Food & the Arts in Napa, where he was responsible for all wine sales and education programs.

Previous to working at Copia Marks was the Chief Wine Merchant at Wine.com, a wine Internet retailer serving more than 40 states. For 15 years prior, Marks was Director of Wine for the upscale Draeger’s Supermarkets located in Northern California.

Marks graduated from the University of California at Davis in 1976 with a B.S. degree with the highest honors in Food Service Management. His personal interest in wine led him to the wine trade in 1981.

Marks is on the Education and Exam Board of the Institute of Masters of Wine, he is the Panel Chair of the Practical (Tasting) Exam for the Institute of Masters of Wine and he judges many international wine competitions. He is also a member of the Society of Wine Educators and he assists with many charitable fundraisers throughout the year. Marks enjoys riding his bike in the Napa Valley, especially up Mt. Veeder and through the beautiful vineyards.