Ryan Robinson, Director of Education, Brescome Barton was named as the newest member of the USA Wine Tasting Team 2025. The annual competition is held in October in France.

Ryan Robinson, an award-winning wine educator and sommelier based in Connecticut, was named as the newest member of the USA Wine Tasting Team. Robinson joins returning team members Katy Long and Paige Bindel to represent the U.S. at the 2025 World Blind Wine Tasting Championship this October in the Jura region of France. The annual event, organized by La Revue du vin de France, is one of the most rigorous wine competitions in the world. Teams of four must identify 12 wines served blind, deducing grape variety, country of origin, appellation and vintage under tight time constraints. Robinson currently serves as Director of Education at Brescome Barton, leading educational programming for hundreds of sales professionals, retailers, restaurateurs and consumers. “Blind tasting is the purest expression of a sommelier’s craft. To compete on a global stage with the USA Wine Tasting Team is a profound honor,” said Robinson. “This isn’t just a win for me, this is a win for Brescome Barton and a win for Connecticut. We’ve shown the world that excellence in wine education and tasting doesn’t just come from Paris or Napa, it can come from Hartford, New Haven or Norwich.” Robinson is also an adjunct professor at the University of New Haven, whose credentials include an Advanced Sommelier title from the Court of Master Sommeliers and a WSET Diploma holder and Educator certifications across wine, beer and sake. He is an Italian Wine Ambassador for Vinitaly International Academy and is an educator for the Wine Scholar Guild. Outside of teaching, he has judged competitions such as 5 Star Wines in Verona and writes as a wine columnist for the Connecticut and Rhode Island Beverage Journal.