Jeannie Cho Lee is the first Asian Master of Wine (MW), a title she received in 2008. She is also an award-winning author, television host, editor, wine critic, judge and educator. Lee was selected as one of the top 100 most influential people in Hong Kong by the South China Morning Post and Debrett’s in November 2015. She was named the 25th most powerful person in wine by Decanter magazine (UK) and was listed among the top 60 most influential people in wine by La Revue du Vin (France) in 2015.

Lee is a frequent judge at international wine competitions such as the International Wine Challenge, Decanter World Wine Awards, Royal Adelaide Wine Show, Mundus Vini and Wines of the Pacific Rim. She has also been teaching Wine and Spirit Education Trust courses since 2004 and in 2008 helped establish The Fine Wine School in Hong Kong. In 2009, she received Vinitaly's International Award, and also became a wine consultant to Singapore Airlines and Galaxy Macau. 

Lee is currently a professor at the Hong Kong Polytechnic University (PolyU) where she helped to launch the Master of Science (MSc) in International Wine Management program offered by the School of Hotel and Tourism Management (SHTM). She is also a Visiting Professor at the Chinese Culinary Institute and the International Culinary Institute. She is the former Publisher and CEO of LE PAN, a wine lifestyle publication.

Lee holds a Certificat de Cuisine from Cordon Bleu and trained as a Master Sake Sommelier at Japan’s Sake Service Institute. She is a Certified Wine Educator with both the UK’s Wine & Spirits Education Trust and the US Society of Wine Educators. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Smith College as well as a Master’s degree from Harvard University. Lee has lived in Hong Kong with her family since 1994.