About James
Dr James Flewellen is a biophysicist, award-winning wine writer and educator based in London, UK. James learned his trade in taste during his doctoral studies through the University of Oxford Blind Wine Tasting Society, of which he was the President from 2010-2012. During his term, he represented Oxford University at many international blind tasting competitions – twice winning the prestigious ‘Top Taster’ Award in the annual Varsity blind tasting match against Cambridge University and captaining winning teams in competitions throughout Europe. Reporting on the 58th Varsity Match in the Financial Times, Jancis Robinson MW described him as "...the most impressive taster of the lot...". James's 'day job' sees him co-founding a biotech spinout delivering new technologies for detecting contaminants in water.
Infographic Wine Guides
In 2020, James launched a new way to learn about wine – infographic wine guides. These innovative printed guides cover the wine regions of France and are designed for wine lovers and wine students alike. They present a wealth of information on a wine region in a clear, concise and elegant manner.
They have been extremely well-received by the wine press and wine lovers around the world and are available for purchase here.
The guides come in two sets: an ‘Intro’ set (which follows the WSET level 3 syllabus) and a ‘Complete’ set (aimed at the more advanced wine student; e.g. WSET Diploma and beyond).
Writing, Education & Courses
James seeks to clarify the complex and hard-to-navigate world of wine for both novice and experienced tasters. He applies his scientific training to wine education, illuminating concepts of taste, tannin and terroir in an approachable, entertaining manner. James co-authored the original Concise Guide to Wine and Blind Tasting, which won the Gourmand Award for Best Drinks Education Book in the UK, and placed second in the world. His wine writing has also been recognised with the Wine Travel Award by the Millésima Blog Awards in 2019. James runs wine education events in London and further afield – including the Taste Unlocked masterclass weekend and Mindful Living Retreat in France – and offers food and wine consultancy. James holds the WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wine and Spirits and is a judge for the International Wine Challenge.
