Meet Our Master Of Wine - Jennifer Docherty
About Jennifer
Jennifer Docherty, our Head of Product and Commercial, manages our portfolio, selects, and sources producers for Summergate. She is also a Master of Wine.
The MW is the highest standard of professional qualification in the wine industry. There are 408 living Masters of Wine in the world across 31 countries. Three of them are based in Hong Kong (all of them women), including Jennifer.
She is the first ethnically Chinese and Mandarin speaking MW. She was born in Vancouver, Canada, and left home at the age of 18 to study fashion design in New York. She then made her way to London where she was inspired to change careers from fashion to wine, and gained valuable experience as a buyer at Liberty Wines. She achieved the Master of Wine in 2015 and then moved to Hong Kong in 2019.
Jennifer is the first ethnically Chinese and Mandarin speaking Master of Wine in the world.
More About Jennifer
From fashion to wine industry, what made you to change your career path?
It was from eating, I loved going to Michelin star restaurants when I was in the 20s, I was always fascinated by the service of sommeliers, and one day I said to myself, I want to know what they know, then I started studying about wines while being in the fashion industry and eventually fully devoted to it.
How long did it take you to get achieve Master of Wine?
It took me 6 years to get it. I passed tasting in the first attempt but failed in theory. I passed it in the second attempt. Master of Wine exam is notoriously difficult and expensive too.
What wines do you like to dink?
I love Riesling, white burgundy and Piemonte wine, nebbiolo in particular. I also like pinot and cool climate Syrah. I typically like wines from cool climate because I like acidity, the elegance that cool climate gives to grape.
What is your favourite wine region for visiting?
Piemonte, because I love white truffle and Barolo and the view of landscape with the Alps at the back is just stunning. I love the scent of Piemonte, it smells like autumn, earth, leaves...just fascinating.