It was in Italy that Sarah's curiosity turned into a true vocation, later enabling her to further her study of wine. Today, she also promotes the wine excellence of the Belpaese in Asia thanks to social platforms.
The Story
In the dynamic universe of wine, where knowledge is intertwined with passion and communication becomes an art, the figure of Sarah Heller MW stands out. Born and raised in Hong Kong, Heller recently received the Asia Personality Award 2024, a prestigious award given by The Drinks Business Asia for her ongoing commitment to wine outreach and wine education. Heller's journey into the world of wine began during her university years in the United States, but it was in Italy that her curiosity turned into a true vocation. An experience in an Italian restaurant, initially conceived to deepen her passion for cooking, marks the unexpected turning point: it is not the food that captures her, but the wine (and precisely the Italian one!). “At first I was interested in cooking, I was fascinated by the world of chefs,", Heller says. “My parents hoped this phase would pass by sending me to work in a restaurant, but the effect was the opposite: I fell in love with wine, particularly Italian wine , and that interest has never left me.”
After graduation, her goal was to pursue a career in the U.S. wine industry. A first job with a New York importer and distributor seemed like the perfect stepping stone, but a sudden accident changed everything: a fall in a vat of wine caused a serious fracture in her spine. A forced return to Hong Kong for convalescence in 2010, however, turns out to be a stroke of good fortune in disguise. During those very years, the city experienced a period of extraordinary transformation: the abolition of wine duties in 2008 propelled it as Asia's new epicenter of the industry. “It was an exciting time; I don't think we'll ever see a wine market so alive and evolving again,” Heller recalls.
In 2017, with a newborn at home, Heller was awarded the prestigious title of Master of Wine, becoming the youngest person in the world to receive it. Today she is wine editor for Tatler Asia, a lecturer at Vinitaly International Academy and one of the most influential voices in the industry. Although her focus is still strongly on Italian wines, she keeps a keen eye on Asian markets, producing educational videos for her more than 38,000 followers on Instagram. This project, which began as a collaboration with the Italian Wine Agency for Chinese audiences, has a clear mission: to tell the story of wine in an accessible and engaging way, with a focus on food pairings.
But if food and wine pairing is a mainstay of wine communication, Heller takes a different approach, adapting it to Asian food culture. “I've always had some resistance to saying that a particular wine pairs perfectly with a specific dish in an Asian context, simply because that's not how we eat here. You don't eat one dish at a time,” he explains. Rather, his method focuses on identifying “flavor families” that go well with particular types of wine. One example? Marsala, the famous Sicilian fortified wine, proves surprisingly effective with the spicy cuisine of Sichuan. “Those accustomed to high levels of spiciness-that explosive, intense sensation in the mouth-will find Marsala a perfect ally." And this is not an isolated case: according to Heller, the variety of Asian cuisines offers an endless field of experimentation for those seeking the ideal pairing of wine and regional flavors. "There is still so much to explore with different sauces and ingredients. It could be a lifetime's work."
Heller's commitment to promoting Italian wine has also received official recognition from the Italian government: she was recently awarded the Order of the Star by the President of the Republic in a ceremony held in Hong Kong. A further seal to her mission as ambassador of Italian wine culture in the world. By winning the Asia Personality Award 2024, Heller joins an exclusive circle of prominent figures in the Asian wine industry, alongside such illustrious names as Judy Chan, CEO of Grace Vineyards, Vincent Cheung, master of the Commanderie de Bordeaux in Asia, and the Kibayashi brothers, creators of the famous manga Drops of God. A well-deserved award for a professional who has combined expertise, passion and communication, becoming one of the most influential and innovative voices in the international wine scene. And, no doubt, the best is yet to come.
