Northern Hemisphere 2026

Didier Mariotti, Chef de Cave and Executive Director of Winemaking at Veuve Clicquot, Reims.

As the 11th Cellar Master of Maison Veuve Clicquot, Didier Mariotti embodies the pursuit of excellence through precision, sensory expertise and craftsmanship. His work combines respect for tradition with a contemporary vision of winemaking, making him one of the leading figures in the world of sensory evaluation.

Kostas Liris is an agronomist and miller based in Kalamata. A renowned teacher of oleology, he shares his expertise worldwide, from Paris to London and from New York to San Francisco. A respected tasting panel leader, he also serves as a jury member at major international competitions in cities such as New York, Tokyo, Athens and Hamburg. He has been with Olio Nuovo Days since the very beginning.

Christophe Lavelle is a biophysicist and research fellow at the CNRS and the National Museum of Natural History, and deputy director of the Sorbonne University Food Initiative. He co-curated the exhibition and book Je mange donc je suis (I eat, therefore I am). Since the very beginning of Olio Nuovo Days, he has specialised in high phenolic olive oils, explaining them to teachers and students in masterclasses, and he provides scientific support to the jury.

Alexandra Paris chairs the jury of the “Virgin Olive Oil – The French Art of Olive Oil” competition, which judges virgin olive oils. She is one of the most influential French women in the olive oil sector. As head of communication of the French interprofessional organisation FRANCE OLIVE, she leads its promotion and follows all regulations affecting the French and European markets. Born in Provence, she was raised in the tradition of extra virgin olive oil, and her work keeps her informed of every industry development and trend. She is also a professional olive oil taster.

Gabriel Lepousez is a French neuroscientist and international expert on the brain circuits that govern sensory perception, memory, emotions, and brain–body communication. Beyond his research, he shares his deep knowledge of how the brain engages during wine and food tasting with both professionals and enthusiasts. He contributes to academic courses, international conferences, wine education programs, and specialized publications. Gabriel also serves on the tasting committee of La Revue du Vin de France and is a member of both the Académie du Vin de France and the Académie Amorim.

Marlène Staiger sits on the jury of the Extra Virgin competition and will design the 2027 masterclass. A taste designer and creative director, she has spent more than fifteen years exploring the meeting point between flavour and fragrance. She co-founded the poetic liqueur brand H.Theoria, where she developed the recipes, blends and sensory rituals. Through her studio Poetic Molecules, she works with spirits houses, chefs, designers and perfumers to create sensory experiences where taste becomes a language.

Nicolangelo Marsicani is panel leader for the Extra Virgin competition. He is a Master Miller at Frantoio Marsicani in Campania, Italy. He blends the heritage of Italian olive-growing, rooted in terroir, historic varieties and generational craftsmanship, with a rigorous analytical approach to extra virgin excellence. He has judged national and international olive oil competitions since 2016.

Aida Lazzez is an olive-oil researcher and chemist based at the Olive Tree Institute in Sfax, Tunisia. Dr Lazzez brings advanced expertise in quality improvement and authentication of extra virgin olive oil. She is jury member in International Olive Oil Competitions.

Mirella Žanetić sits on the jury of the Extra Virgin competition. With more than 25 years dedicated to the sensory analysis of virgin olive oil, she holds an IOC diploma for tasting VOO and table olives. Based at the Institute for Adriatic Cultures in Split, Croatia, she leads quality-control analyses and regularly judges national and international competitions. Her work focuses on the authenticity and quality of oils from autochthonous cultivars, and she shares her expertise through tastings, seminars and workshops for producers, consumers, teachers and students.

Roberto Alvarez sits on the jury of the Extra Virgin competition. Raised in Reims by a family of Spanish origin, he has known olive oil since childhood. A journalist first, he covered conflict and crime for Paris Match, Le Figaro Magazine and Marie Claire International, then ran Gamma’s Los Angeles bureau for eight years and headed France-Soir. In 2015 he founded Flacons of Champagne, a lifestyle supplement to L’Équipe dedicated to the region’s winemakers and houses.

Sabrina Pupillo is a food technologist, professional olive oil taster and qualified panel leader. She sits on the Olio Nuovo Days jury. She is also a member of the Bari Chamber of Commerce’s professional tasting panel and panel leader of the Mignola d’Oro competition, which celebrates extra virgin olive oils from Puglia’s Gargano region. As a consultant to olive growers and mills, she helps producers turn olive variety and terroir into distinctive extra virgin oils.

Patrick Dubois is a grape and wine buyer with more than three decades of experience in the Champagne industry. An agronomist by training, he graduated from ENSAM Montpellier and began his career in agricultural journalism. He was cellar master at Champagne de Castellane, part of the Laurent-Perrier group, from 1995 to 2006, and has been head of supplies at Mumm and Perrier-Jouët since 2007. He sits on the final jury of the Olio Nuovo Days.