Shivani Tomar

In honour of National Wine Careers Week, we're kicking-off a Diverse Voices of Drinks series - starting with wine - to celebrate the people, stories, and breadth of opportunities that make the industry so dynamic. Introducing @shivanitomar , Awards Manager at Decanter. If you'd like to be featured, get in touch with us! How did you get started in wine? I first discovered my passion for wine while working as an international flight attendant. Travelling the world exposed me to diverse wines, cultures, and dining experiences, which sparked my curiosity and inspired me to pursue WSET qualification. After completing WSET Level 3, I realised I wanted to build a career in wine and went on to study Wine Management at the Burgundy School of Business in France. That journey eventually brought me to London, where I now work as Awards Manager at Decanter, managing the world’s largest and most prestigious wine competition. I have since completed my WSET Diploma. What's one thing that's supported you during your career? Having supportive mentors and, in particular, the incredible community of women in wine has been one of the biggest sources of support throughout my career. When I first moved to London and entered the wine industry, I barely knew anyone and often felt out of place. Joining Women in Wine provided me with a sense of belonging, confidence, and connection at a time when there were very few people of colour in the UK wine trade. What's one piece of advice you have for someone joining the industry? Stay curious and say yes to opportunities, even if they feel outside your comfort zone. Maintaining a strong work ethic, building genuine relationships, and seeking out mentorship are equally important. You will find that people in this industry are incredibly generous with their time and knowledge. What's the best thing about working in wine? Wine uniquely brings together culture, hospitality, travel, storytelling, and community. It is an industry filled with passionate people who genuinely love what they do, making the work endlessly rewarding and inspiring. Image Credit: Ellen Richardson. #NationalWineCareersWeek #VoicesOfDrinks

This International Women’s Day, the theme Give to Gain feels very close to home. When I first arrived in the UK 10 years ago, every trade tasting felt like a challenge. I would walk into rooms that were mostly older white men, with only a few women in sight. As a brown woman trying to find my place in the wine industry, it could feel intimidating and sometimes even frightening. What changed everything for me was finding @womeninwineldn community in London. Meeting women who were generous with their time, advice and encouragement made a huge difference. They helped me find my first job, recommended me for what later became my dream role and opened doors I did not even know existed. Through my work since then, I have also had the privilege of meeting and working with fascinating women in wine from around the world who continue to inspire me. Those experiences are exactly why I try to give back today. Whether it is mentoring, sharing my time or supporting others starting their journey in the industry. Joining the @drinks_united advisory board was also an important step for me. Creating a safer and more inclusive working environment for everyone in the UK drinks industry truly matters. A big thank you to @drinks_united @womeninwineldn and @curious.vines for the incredible work they are doing to support and uplift people in our industry. Happy International Women’s Day 💜 #InternationalWomensDay #IWD2026 #GiveToGain #WomenInWine #Community

Still dreaming about this ✨🥂 This day last week, I was attending a once-in-a-lifetime evening at Maison Champagne Bollinger, celebrating the release of the 2018 La Grande Année. An unforgettable menu by @maisonstroisgros paired with exceptional champagne and even better company. What a stellar organisation and some really lovely people 😊 Truly one for the books 🤍 Thank you @la_dame_de_vic_ @mentzendorff_co @champagne_bollinger for having me.

By popular demand… Spot the Baldie Part 2 🍷 The cast has expanded to include Decanter’s MD and several highly accomplished hairlines 🤣🙈🍷 @ronansayburn @winejames @mhsnotebook @sullensjonny @decanterawards @decanter

DWWA 2026 judging completed ✅ 🍷 Somehow we’ve spent days intensely debating, swirling, sniffing and managing/judging nearly 17000 wines… and it’s honestly a miracle we still enjoy each other’s company. Huge congratulations to everyone involved in delivering what is, without question, the best wine competition in the world @decanterawards Now can we all please take a year off? @decanter @ronansayburn @caro.maurer @bethcwillard @andrewcjefford @mhsnotebook @jardonnayy

Can you find who’s who? 🙈🙈 I was considering the Master Sommelier route until I saw the side effects @court_of_master_sommeliers @ronansayburn @mr.kamalmalik @bebert888_ms @eleftherios_hanialidis_ms @camdouglasms Pic credit: @nigelwilkinsonms

Half way there! Smiles on our face and content in our heart! We have just delivered week one of the best wine competition in the world 🍷🍾🙏🏼❤️🔥 @decanterawards @decanter @jcasewell92 @sullensjonny @ninafanfeng @jardonnayy

Raising a glass to our incredible team at @decanterawards who just delivered the best judging week ever! @decanter @decanterawards @mhsnotebook @caro.maurer @bethcwillard @andrewcjefford @ronansayburn

All work and a little play ✨ Got the sweetest nod of approval from my little human for what our team’s been working on, guess we really are starting them young 😊🍷 @decanterawards @decanter

I'm still on cloud nine after celebrating my WSET graduation - what a day filled with joy, reflection, and a pinch of disbelief! Shoutout to all fellow graduates for their hard work and perseverance. And to those with doubts - follow your heart, and your love for wine might just lead you to success 🍷🎉 #wsetdiploma #wsetglobal #wsetgraduation

When your friend knows your too well! Perfect present for my upcoming @wsetglobal graduation, thank you Shekhar @phoenix_re.born @masonsofyorkshiire

April photo dump 🍷😋🍕