Master of Wine Tim Triptree: “Vietnam needs real wines, real experts and real experiences”

His answer is no coincidence. The Master of Wine (MW) qualification sits at the very summit of the wine world, a title awarded to fewer than 500 people globally since 1953. “It’s like Romanée-Conti 1945,” he continues, his voice rich with reverence. “It’s complex, aromatic, and lingers on the palate. It’s something you’ve always longed to try, but haven’t yet. It stands for perfection, rarity, and a pursuit that demands everything.”

Had he tasted the fabled vintage? Tim laughs, a spark of mischief in his tone: “Not yet, Nikita. I’ve tried a few other Romanée-Conti vintages, bottles from the ’60s and ’70s, but the ’45 is still a dream I’m chasing. One day, I hope to raise a glass to it. And when I do, I’ll tell you exactly what it tastes like.”

Tim’s path to the MW title was long and marked by a deepening fascination with wine. It began in his early days, during a chapter spent living in Hong Kong, a city that pulses with energy and cultural richness. “I remember holding my first bottle and wondering: how does something as simple as a grape become something so layered and beautiful?” he recalls. “I began with the basics, tasting, reading, going to events with friends. Slowly, I realised wine is more than just a drink. It’s a language. Each bottle tells a story of land and climate, of the hands that made it.”

But to achieve the title of Master of Wine, Tim Triptree had to conquer one of the most gruelling challenges in the field: the blind tasting. “You have to identify wines with no hints: no labels, no background information, just your palate and your nose,” he explains. “I once had to identify 12 wines within a few hours, from Bordeaux to Tuscany, from young vintages to old. When I got the call saying I’d passed, it was the happiest moment of my career. It felt like bringing the gavel down at an auction: sold!—and the rush was incredible.” Tim laughs, as though the moment still feels fresh every time he revisits it.

With more than two decades at Christie’s, Tim is not simply a taster of wine; he’s a custodian of the stories that live within each bottle. “Christie’s isn’t just a marketplace. It’s where we influence the global wine scene, where one sale can redefine the value of a vintage,” he says. I ask which auction stands out most in his career, and without missing a beat, he recalls the sale of a Macallan 1926, a bottle of whisky that fetched £1.2 million (approximately $1.5 million) in London, November 2018.

“It was unforgettable,” he says, visibly energised by the memory. “I helped secure that bottle, from sourcing it from a private collector in Scotland, verifying every detail, down to the cork and the label, to preparing it for auction. When the lot was introduced, the room buzzed with anticipation. Two determined bidders, one from Asia, one from the US, drove the price higher and higher, and I stood at the podium, heart racing. When the hammer finally dropped, the applause was thunderous. $1.5 million for a single bottle. It was a world record at the time.” I ask Tim what that felt like, and he chuckles: “It was like sipping the finest whisky; adrenaline and pride all at once. I remember looking out across the room and thinking, This is why I do what I do.”

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But behind the glamour lies another, more meticulous side to his role. As an expert in wine authentication, Tim ensures that every bottle under the Christie’s banner is genuine. “Fortunately, the rate of counterfeit is quite low,” he notes. “Our protocols are strict: we check everything from labels and corks to full provenance documentation. But I’ve seen a few inventive attempts. Once, someone tried to pass off a bottle from 1981, an underwhelming Bordeaux vintage, as a 1982, which is far more celebrated. The price difference between the two can be two or threefold. But they forgot to change the cork, which still had the 1981 stamp—a basic error we caught immediately.”

Curious, I asked more about the 1981, my birth year. Tim smiled but declined to name the specific bottle. “I’d rather not embarrass anyone,” he says, laughing. “But it was a top Bordeaux, perhaps a Lafite or a Latour, I’ll leave that to your imagination. Interestingly, 1981 wasn’t a strong year for most regions: not just Bordeaux, but also Burgundy, Champagne and the Rhône. The weather simply wasn’t in their favour, and the wines reflected that.”

I joked about hunting down a decent bottle from 1981 to mark the occasion, but Tim gently shook his head. “That’s a tall order, Nikita. You might want to set your sights on 1982, a far better year. Or, if you’re open to adventure, perhaps a bottle from Tuscany. Sometimes the surprises are found there.”

As a wine lover, I’ve long believed Vietnam to be a market poised for a quiet revolution in wine appreciation. “I love Vietnam,” Tim says at once, his voice brimming with warmth the moment the country is mentioned. “I visited recently, just a short trip to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. It was truly impressive. A fantastic country, full of energy and driven by a young, dynamic population.”

I shared, candidly, a reality many Vietnamese wine drinkers face. “Here, it’s difficult to access quality wine. There are too many middlemen, and we’re never entirely sure if the source is reliable. A good bottle can feel out of reach.” Tim nods with understanding. “I get that. When I lived in Hong Kong, wine was readily available. You could find Romanée-Conti or Petrus in no time. But in emerging markets like Vietnam, there are obstacles such as logistics, taxes, and even storage. That’s why I believe education and access are essential. Vietnam is small, yes, but filled with promise. It needs real wines, real experts, and real experiences.”

A recent visit to Vietnam left Tim with a memory that still brings a smile. “I was in a little restaurant in Ho Chi Minh City and saw they were serving French wine with pho. An unexpected combination, but intriguing! Vietnamese people are curious and willing to explore. There’s a budding wine culture here, but it needs nurturing. I think things like masterclasses, tastings, even wine auctions could be an excellent way to begin.” I pictured a warm Saigon or Hanoi evening where enthusiasts gather to hear Tim’s stories and toast iconic bottles: perhaps a Krug Champagne, or a rich Mouton Rothschild.

Tim suggests that Christie’s could play a connecting role. “We’ve got a team of experts ready to help. My contact details, email, phone, are on the Christie’s website. Whether you’re a seasoned collector or just starting out, you can get in touch to ask about wine or upcoming auctions. In fact, we’re holding one in Hong Kong right now: if anyone in Vietnam is interested, do reach out. I’d be glad to assist.” I was genuinely surprised; it seems the world of fine wine isn’t as distant as it once appeared. “It’s not intimidating,” Tim laughs. “People often assume you need credentials to bid at Christie’s, but that’s not true. We’re open to all, whether at our London saleroom or online. You can bid from anywhere, including Vietnam.”

Tim Triptree is the International Director of Wine and Spirits at Christie’s. Alongside his role as auctioneer, he leads the strategic planning, curation and execution of the auction house’s global wine and spirits sales. Based in London, he oversees sourcing, authentication, inspection, and valuation. Beyond the rostrum, Tim advises on wine collection building, fosters relationships with private clients and key industry figures, and serves as Christie’s Global Wine and Spirits Ambassador.

He joined Christie’s Wine & Spirits department in 2005, following the completion of an MBA in Wine Management with Distinction. In 2008, he earned a WSET Diploma with Distinction, receiving both the Sherry Institute and Constellation Scholarships. A decade later, he became a Master of Wine, one of only 421 people in the world to do so, and was awarded the Trinity Champagne Scholarship during his MW studies. His research into reserve wine trends in Champagne Brut NV earned him the prestigious Noval Award for Best Research Paper.

Today, Tim is a senior judge at the Decanter World Wine Awards, focusing on Bordeaux and Burgundy; a senior judge for the Wynns Signature Chinese Wine Awards in Macau; and a regular on the judging panel for The Drinks Business Global Masters Series. He is also the co-author of On Champagne, due for publication in 2022, where he contributes a chapter on Prestige Cuvée Champagne.

Article published from the original in Tatler Vietnam, May 2025 issue

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