Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on August 2010

Congratulations are in order to former Metropolis correspondent Ned Goodwin, who in May became just the 281st person on the planet to earn the coveted Master of Wine certification—and the first Japan resident to be so honored. Goodwin, 41, a Londoner by birth but a Sydneysider by heart, has served as wine director for the renowned Global Dining restaurant group (Gonpachi, Legato, Stellato) since 2001. His previous gigs include sommelier at fabled Manhattan wine mecca Veritas and host of a Japanese TV show called Vintages.

The rigorous MW program “encourages a cross-disciplinary approach to understanding wine and communicating that knowledge.” It’s crowned by a notoriously difficult exam involving three blind tastings (of 12 wines each), four “theory papers,” and a 10,000-word dissertation. “Relief is the optimal word to describe the way I feel for myself and for my wonderful and supportive family,” Goodwin told The Institute of Masters of Wine, which oversees the certification. “MW has taught me a great deal of humility and objectivity while enabling me to engage with a disciplined, international and highly academic approach to wine.”

Metropolis readers can help Goodwin celebrate during an upcoming winemakers dinner at Salt restaurant in Marunouchi (www.pjgroup.jp/salt). The event will feature wines from Hoddles Creek, which is “among the least interventionist yet highly articulated expressions of cool climate and site in Australia” (thanks, Ned). Multiple vintages will accompany a full-course dinner of Salt’s contemporary Australian cuisine, and diners can meet Hoddles Creek winemaker Franco d’Anna—and shake the hand of the newly minted MW himself.

Sep 4, 7pm. ¥12,000. Call 03-5288-7828 for reservations or see http://meturl.com/saltdinner for details.