Kristian’s teaching philosophy always puts the student at the centre. His aim is not simply to pass on knowledge, but to help participants understand the connections, apply what they have learned with confidence, and leave the course with a sense of achievement. His teaching motto is: “When my student passes the exam, it feels as if I passed it too.”
In his classes, rigorous professional content is combined with an enthusiastic, approachable and highly personal teaching style. He believes that learning should not be limited to memorising facts and definitions, but should also provide an experience, inspiration and enjoyment. He adapts the course material to the students’ level of knowledge, goals and interests, while placing particular emphasis on systems thinking, understanding cause-and-effect relationships and developing knowledge that can be applied in practice.
Born in Germany, Kristian holds a degree in Economics specialising in Tourism and Hospitality, as well as a qualification in winemaking. He earned a Master’s degree in International Wine Marketing in Austria and is currently pursuing doctoral research into the intersections of geographical indications, marketing, tourism, communication and sensory science.
He holds the DipWSET and Weinakademiker qualifications, as well as the Certified Specialist of Spirits (CSS) qualification, an internationally recognised spirits certification. Through his studies and professional development, he has gained extensive knowledge not only of wine, but also of spirits, sake, specialty coffee and other beverages. In addition to his SCA Coffee Diploma, he holds qualifications including Certified Sherry Educator, Rioja Wine Educator and Certified Sommelier.
Since 2018, he has been a WSET-registered Lead Educator and examiner at Winelovers Wine College, and also works as a lecturer for the Austrian Wine Academy. He has been a member of the Hungarian National Wine Expert Committee (Országos Borszakértő Bizottság) since 2013.
He has gained more than two decades of international commercial experience in England and Austria. Throughout his career, he has worked in wine and spirits procurement and sales, premium and investment wines, marketing, communications and sensory consultancy. His professional activities include geographical indications, winery and market communications and consultancy, sensory evaluation, educational programme development and professional writing. He supports wineries, commercial businesses and educational institutions with marketing, brand building, market positioning and communications, as well as with the development of sensory evaluations, training programmes and professional projects.
He regularly judges at international wine and spirits competitions, including the International Wine Challenge, Mundus Vini and Concours Mondial de Bruxelles. He continuously brings his international experience and knowledge gained from wine regions around the world into his teaching, making course material more accessible and memorable through real-world market situations, winemaking examples and stories from different countries.
His goal is not simply to prepare students for an exam. He strives to give them a way of thinking, professional curiosity and a solid foundation that they can use later in their careers, in tasting, in further education and in everyday life.
In addition to his courses at Winelovers Wine College, Kristian writes professional articles, produces podcasts, and offers educational materials and personalised consultations for those who want to explore a particular subject in greater depth or prepare for further professional qualifications and examinations.
For more information, articles, podcasts, educational opportunities and contact details: www.kristiankielmayer.com