TESTIMONIALS

Anne has a unique talent for demystifying the world of wine and sharing its secrets. Her abilities as an educator and presenter are first class. Her personal and professional approach ensures that your experience – whether you’re a beginner or a budding professional – is always relaxed and enjoyable. Her expertise, insights and encouragement were invaluable to me in my WSET studies through from the introductory courses to Diploma level and her passion for wine is contagious. Whether your objective is to understand more about the wines you already enjoy, to improve your tasting technique or to discover new grape varieties or wine regions with friends or for educational purposes, I highly recommend Anne as your expert guide!

Jon Therkleson, Energy Derivatives Marketer, BP

Anne was a brilliant presenter and perfect for our audience. She was knowledgeable, engaging and encouraging of any questions, with the perfect tone. It was truly fantastic to have an intimate event with people from all over the UK (and beyond) able to join. Every attendee had positive words to say and we’d have no hesitation in running these virtual wine tasting events again.

Marketing Manager, Tax Compliance Company

Anne is an outstanding educator in wine and spirits and transfers her passion for the subject in a joyful and highly effective way. She never loses sight of targets to achieve and details not to be overlooked. Anne does not just teach facts; she provides you with the keys to build a lasting and growing knowledge base. She accompanied me on my journey through the world of wine while she worked at Berry Bros, she was a role model while I studied for the WSET Diploma and she remains an inspiration today. One of the best coaches I ever came across.

Susanne Seibel, Managing Director at Seibel Consulting Ltd

Anne has organised wine tastings for our clients, and each has been a great success. She wears her knowledge lightly, and her selection of approachable wines, together with a quiz accessible to non-specialists has proved a winning combination on each occasion.

Gavin Teague, Partner, Clifford Chance LLP

Anne organised a wine tasting for us at a networking event held in our offices. She selected a lovely range of wines and liaised expertly with our hospitality team to ensure the smooth running of the evening. She pitched the wine tasting perfectly so that both experts and beginners could enjoy it. Her approach is fun, interactive and never stuffy; she really got people talking and engaging with each other over the wines. I highly recommend Anne’s services.

Helen Barnett, Associate, Bircham Dyson Bell LLP

Many presenters are exceptionally knowledgeable but have a limited ability to convey that knowledge in a manner which builds a rapport with their listeners. Anne bridges that gap effortlessly; immense personal charm helps, but she is an exceptionally gifted presenter who readily engages her audience, imparting her vast knowledge in a way which is neither patronising or daunting. Participants emerge from her talks feeling as though they have shared her knowledge and passion, rather than being lectured to. “Effortlessly” is perhaps a misnomer because to be this good requires a lot of preparation behind the scenes. Anne has 10 years’ experience of not only presenting but also of organising every facet of wine events, showing great attention to detail, and adapts her material and tone precisely  to fit the needs of her audience, with a wealth of anecdotes, a self-deprecating sense of humour and a sharp wit. Moreover, Anne’s skills are not confined to the arena of presentation. She is commercially very astute with a ready grasp of the current state of the market, and can effectively bring these attributes to bear, along with her vast knowledge of wine, in an advisory capacity to any wine business.

Alun Griffiths MW, International Director, VATS Liquor

Anne McHale is a remarkably brilliant spokesperson for and expert in the field of fine wine. Indeed, as a graduate of the Wine & Spirit Education Trust examination courses, I have Anne McHale entirely to thank for inspiring me to venture from the world of wine enthusiast to that of wine student. Five years ago, I moved from California to London to build a new division in the tech-meets-politics sector and spontaneously took one of Anne’s evening tastings at Berry Bros. & Rudd, London’s oldest wine merchant. Anne’s command of her subject, combined with her warmth of style and charisma of presentation, inspired me to come back and back into the world of discovering, learning about, and exploring the great wine regions of the globe. I now have an understanding about fine wine that is useful in my business working across senior leaders in the Europe, Middle East & Africa region, as well as a richer context in which to understand the region I call home in California’s Napa Valley. Anne redefines the prototype of the Master of Wine and leads her courses with the aplomb and passion which is both relevant to and indicative of 21st century tastes.

Elizabeth Linder, CEO and Founder, The Conversational Century

Anne is a star of the wine world and her engaging, down-to-earth style makes her both a great educator and a brilliant event hostess. I’ve enjoyed several events she has run immensely and been hugely impressed by her teaching ability in more formal settings, up to Master of Wine level. Her passion and knowledge on the subject are boundless, making her one of our industry’s über-gurus – but, beyond this, it’s clear that she has a genuine talent for opening up the fascinating, complex, world of wine to all – making it fun, refreshing and immediately accessible, whatever your background or experience.

Ken Mackay MW, Wine Buying Manager, Waitrose

I worked with Anne closely to develop the wine offering across a global group of luxury hotels. She was integral in taking the company on the journey from just buying wines to developing world class wine lists and training programmes for the on the ground teams. She really excelled at relationship-building skills, particularly useful in getting things accomplished in larger organisations and in working with suppliers. Anne has a talent for enthusing staff about wine and motivating them to pursue their studies and develop their knowledge, which ultimately will increase sales and reputation for wine in the hotel/restaurant. She has a fantastic ability to pick out wines with superb price-quality ratio. During the time we have worked together she has demonstrated extensive experience in building a wine list which meets all of the client’s criteria, maintains required margins and is varied and on-trend. She also has a keen eye for detail and 100% accuracy in the presentation of wine lists.

Paul McKenna, Managing Director, Red Branch Hospitality