Claire is an independent fine wine specialist and highly skilled freelance auctioneer with 20 years’ international experience at Sotheby’s where she was a Director of the Wine Department until 2020.

During the course of her career, Claire has valued, inspected and sold a wonderful array of wine collections ranging from the bijou to some of the most valuable private collections ever sold worldwide at auction. She has advised collectors from the UK, Europe, USA and Asia and travelled widely to visit clients and their cellars.

Claire completed the Wine & Spirit Education Trust Diploma in 2003 and was the recipient of two awards for outstanding results: The Rafael Balao Lustau Memorial Trophy and The Constellation Wine Company Scholarship.  Both awards included very memorable study visits to wine regions abroad, the former to Jerez in Spain and the latter to South Australia.

A modern language graduate, Claire speaks fluent French, Spanish and German.  Whilst her love of languages and travel may have led her to develop a passion for wine, it was during her undergraduate days running the University of Bristol Wine Circle, that the seeds to becoming a wine professional were first sown.