I grew up around food and wine. As a family, we would connect over a good meal with good wine and plenty of laughter. It was a time to slow down and take your time, as my grandfather used to say. My mother loved to cook, and I was her enthusiastic taste tester. When I started bringing home wines to pair with her MasterChef-worthy meals, our wine and food matchings made magic happen. Today, I find myself trying new wine and recipe pairings and loving cooking just as much as she did!

I have visited and fallen in love with outstanding wine regions all over the world, starting with Germany’s Mosel Valley, the Riesling mecca of the world. Then I left a piece of my heart in Central Otago, New Zealand, while discovering an eclectic range of New World wines, and not just Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. I was astonished to discover what Australia’s Yarra Valley, and Mornington Peninsula are capable of. Closer to home, I’ve found treasures in the Okanagan Valley, the Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County, and Carp Ridge Escarpment in Eastern Ontario. Now I reside in the beautiful Annapolis Valley, the heart of Nova Scotia wine country. Here, Tidal Bay whites and traditional method sparkling wines are wowing the world, and rightfully so!

My wine career spans more than 18 years. I’ve run a side business for private wine tastings and classes – online and in person. I’ve managed a specialty wine shop as a buyer at store level in Vancouver. I’ve poured at high-end catering events and bartended behind award-winning wine bars. I’ve tasted, reviewed, and written about wine online. I’ve even taught a handful of wine courses at Le Cordon Bleu in Ottawa.

Getting to know my unique palate has become a sacred practice, like yoga or meditation. I’ll help you learn to stop and smell the flowers – and the market-ripe berries, peaches, and juicy honeydew melons. Practicing conscious tasting lends itself naturally to conscious living.

But my experience in guiding clients to their most delicious life goes well beyond the palate.