South African Journalist Malu Lambert brings home a Louis Roederer International Wine Writers' Awards for 2019

By Admin | 23rd September 2019

At a glamorous affair attended by the world’s most revered wine writers at the Royal Academy of Arts, South African journalist Malu Lambert was honoured with the title of Montblanc Emerging Wine Writer of the Year Award 2019.

The entries for the 15th annual Louis Roederer International Wine Writers’ Awards were praised variously by judges as “well researched”, “beautifully written”, “absolutely brilliant” and “thought provoking”. As Charles Metcalfe, the chairman of the judges, noted “each year I think the entries must be as good as it gets, but each year it gets better”.

The entries were judged by a panel of esteemed industry heavyweights, the panel comprised a mix of previous winners, journalists, editors and picture editors, who spent hours debating and assessing the over 600 entries.

Malu was up against stiff competition from writers hailing from California, Australia, Amsterdam and Denver. She won the judges over with her emotive piece on JancisRobinson.com on Clairette Blanche in South Africa (read it here). 

The tributes have been pouring-in in honour of Malu, wine.co.za said:

“Proud moment as one of our leading wine writers wins the Mont Blanc World Emerging Wine Writer Award. Congratulations Malu Lambert - you make our wine industry a more colourful place with your beautiful storytelling and spot-on recommendations.”

Malu is a freelance wine journalist, having got her start as a features writer at Good Taste magazine. Since then she has gone on to work for numerous titles as well as winning the title of Veritas Young Wine Writer in 2015. Currently she is the wine editor for Food & Home Entertaining, and contributes regularly to Winemag.co.za, Wines of South Africa, Winelands, and wine.co.za.

Deeply passionate about wine and telling the stories of the industry she says:

“Bottled in every wine, is a lost summer, hopes and dreams of human endeavour and, of course, the story of the very soil itself. How can I not want to tell that story?”

Malu channels this passion into studying wine too; she is currently a WSET Diploma student as well as a graduate of the Michael Fridjhon Wine Judging Academy.

When asked what the award means to her Malu says:

“Everything! I am beyond happy to be recognised by the most prestigious wine writing awards in the world! In my early twenties I worked as a waiter to pay for my studies, and continued to do so when I started writing for a magazine—worked all night, wrote all day! I have pushed myself and took many, many leaps of faith. To be recognised like this makes it all so worthwhile.

“The outpouring of support from the industry at large In the wake of the award has truly moved me, what an incredible industry we have and I am so proud to bring this award home for us.”

Read the official release here.