Dario Barbato is Head Sommelier at Gordon Ramsay’s The Mere in Cheshire, bringing over 15 years of experience across sommellerie, wine buying, hospitality leadership and education. He is DipWSET-qualified, a WSET Certified Educator and a Master of Wine Stage 1 student.
Previously Head of Wine at Individual Restaurants Company and San Carlo Group, Dario developed wine programmes across more than 25 venues, combining exceptional curation with commercial strategy. His achievements include generating over £1 million in additional beverage revenue and improving profitability.
A passionate educator, he founded and led a WSET Approved Programme, training over 100 hospitality professionals. He also works as a consultant and mentor, supporting leading hospitality businesses.
Dario has judged at the London Wine Competition, SWA and International Wine Challenge. He was ranked #42 in Taylor’s Port Top 100 Sommeliers 2025 and received a 2025 International Wine Challenge award for Best Restaurant Wine List.
He brings a balanced judging perspective, combining technical expertise, commercial insight and a deep understanding of hospitality.