Neil Beckett's interest in wine stretches back for many years, so much so that his MBA dissertation was on White Burgundy. He has spent time in Burgundy, and has also qualified for the WSET Diploma, graduating with distinction. As well as working for wine shipping company Richards Walford, he has also worked at Harpers Wine & Spirit Weekly where he was a contributing editor for many years and in 2004 became the first editor of the critically-acclaimed, leading wine magazine, The World of Wine, on which he works with Hugh Johnson and Andrew Jefford. He is one of two UK tasters on the Grand Jury Europeen du vin and his wine writing has won prizes.