Chicago-based wine educator Christy Fuhrman and Canary Islands winemaker Loreto Pancorbo have received the 2026 Barca-Velha Golden Vines Master of Wine Scholarships. Each will receive £35,000 to support their MW studies and visit SOGRAPE wineries and vineyards in Portugal.
The scholarships are run by the Gérard Basset Foundation. This year, the selection panel chose the two recipients from 48 applications spanning 22 countries.
The scholars
Fuhrman teaches at the American Wine School and My Somm Sense in Chicago. Her qualifications include the WSET Diploma and the Court of Master Sommeliers’ Advanced Certificate. She is also a certified Bordeaux educator. After encountering limited representation for women in parts of the wine trade, she has made mentorship a priority. Her plans include opening an affordable, accessible wine school and writing textbooks for independent learners.
Pancorbo grew up in Rioja and is now based in the Canary Islands, where she is technical director at Vinos en Tándem SC and a WSET educator at More than Wines Academy. She hopes to use the MW qualification to expand access to wine education and establish a mentorship programme for women in wine and emerging professionals.
“Both have experienced barriers during their careers yet have responded by dedicating themselves not only to their own development but also to supporting others,” said Nina Basset, co-founding trustee of the Gérard Basset Foundation.
SOGRAPE’s Joana Pais said the two scholars combine ambition with a commitment to supporting the next generation of wine professionals.
Gérard Basset’s legacy
Gérard Basset, who died in January 2019, was named World’s Best Sommelier in 2010 and received an OBE the following year. He was the first person to hold the Master of Wine, Master Sommelier and Wine MBA qualifications at the same time.
Basset was also a longstanding member of the Decanter community. He judged the Decanter World Wine Awards from 2009, later serving as a panel chair and co-chair. In 2013, he was named Decanter Man of the Year.
The Gérard Basset Foundation was co-founded in 2021 by his wife, Nina, and son, Romané. It supports education, training and mentorship initiatives aimed at improving diversity and access across wine, spirits and hospitality. Its funding comes from the charity auction at the annual Golden Vines event. Further information about scholarships and grants is available at gerardbassetfoundation.org.