Konstantinos Lazarakis MW

The Golden Vines® Ambassador, Greece

After studying jazz guitar and mechanical engineering on the National & Technical University of Athens, I became Sommelier of Jajazzo Restaurant in Athens - the first restaurant in Greece to hire a full time sommelier and the first to be awarded a Michelin star. Now I work as an Imports Manager and Wine Buyer in AIOLOS ltd and the Managing Director of Wine and Spirits Professional Consultants that run WSET courses in Greece. In the last two years I have been involved in wine writing and wine journalism and I now write for four Greek publications as well as having Wines of Greece published as a part of the Mitchell Beazley Classic Wine Library in Sept. 2005. In addition, I consult for wine producers, hotels and restaurants.

Industry sector(s): Marketing, PR, Sales, Distribution, Business owner, Agency/Importer, Off trade, On trade, Buying, Journalism, Author, Educator, Consultant, Wine judge

Wine region expertise: Greece

Market expertise: Europe

Specialisms: Blending, Marketing wine, Financial and commercial structures, Supplier/customer relationships, Identifying and meeting consumer demand, Importation, Distribution, HORECA, Direct to consumer, Supermarket and multiple retail, Independent retail, Food and wine pairing, Restaurant wines, Wine labels, Branding.