Greg was born in Pretoria, South Africa, and as the son of a career diplomat, spent his first 21 years travelling the globe with his parents. All the related wining and dining, in the line of duty, is where he first realised his passion for fine wine.

With a Business Management and Marketing degree from Webster University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA, Greg began his working career as a commodity trader. During this time, he rediscovered his passion for the wine trade and passed his Diploma wine degree at the Cape Wine Academy in Johannesburg in 2000.

A move back to Europe in mid-2000 to pursue a wine career in London, “the centre of the world fine wine trade” according to Greg, allowed him to work with and amongst some of the great wine personalities of the modern era.

His extensive tasting exposure enabled Greg to pass his Master of Wine tasting exam in his first sitting in 2004. Greg completed his theory examination in 2006 and the MW dissertation process in 2007 with a topic entitled “Method Cap Classique Production in Constantia Valley, South Africa.”

Greg is long standing columnist for Winemag.co.za, a regular contributor to Decanter Magazine and Senior Judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards, serving as the acting panel chair for South Africa in 2020 and 2021. In addition, Greg is a regular judge at the SA Top 100 and National Wine Challenge, the Nederburg Wine Auction, the WOSA World Sommelier Awards, the International Wine & Spirits Challange and was panel chair of the South African Wine Awards London 2022.

While Greg personally expresses no firm wine drinking preferences other than for “well made wines”, his knowledge and expertise in the field of South African wines in particular is considerable.

Greg is proud to be counted as one of only five South Africans ever to pass the prestigious Master of Wine examinations. He became the 265th Master of Wine in 2007. Today, there are still only just over 400 Masters of Wine in the world.