ThePortForum.com

In BWW Competition 2020, the Best Port Wine Critic of the World -title was awarded to Axel Probst.

Born in one of the greatest Vintage Port years - 1970, Axel succeeded in becoming European Champion in 100m Backstroke during his early years. He graduated from School in 1989 and studied Business Administration, which he successfully finished with a Master Degree (German: DiplomKaufmann). He joined the Air-Force and became a Pilot, flying the Tornado and the Eurofighter aircraft. Axel retired from the Air-Force in 2011 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel.

In the early 1990s during his flying training in the United Kingdom, Axel very much appreciated the English tradition of finishing the evening with a decent glass of Vintage Port – a habit, which he has not missed ever since. With a short detour in trading with Bordeaux’ wines in Germany in the Mid 90s, Axel contacted the Instituto do Vinho do Douro e do Porto in 2005 to become their focal point for Germany. Since then he organised many large tastings under the umbrella of the IVDP, most recently a tasting of the 2016 Vintage Ports with more than 50 Producers present in Germany, a comparative tasting of the Colheita Vintages 1937 and 1995 and many Master Classes in Douro DOC and Port.

Axel teaches at the major Wine-Universities Geisenheim and Heilbronn in Germany and writes articles for WeinWisser, Weinwirtschaft and Vinum, some of the few remaining real wine-journals in the German language as well as for the World of Fine wines in the UK. He is the organiser and lecturer of the Port- and Douro Seminars held Pro-Wein in Germany, one of the most important wine-fairs of the world. Axel just published a solid book on Port for the German market, which just won the Gourmand Awards “Best European Wine Book in 2018. He is a Cavalero do Confraria do Vinho do Porto and a certified Sherry Educator from the Consejo Regulador in Jerez. In September 2013 Axel convinced the 25 major Port Shippers to unify in a Project to produce a unique Vintage Port that has never been produced before, which 100.000-Euro-profit was donated to charity (www.o-port-unidade.com). Axel Probst is married with two children.

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