Wines of British Columbia
Ambassador Program Facilitators
Brad Royale
Corporate Sommelier
Concorde Entertainment Group
Calgary AB, Canada
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Brad Royale is a Sommelier and event consultant based in Calgary, Alberta. Royale works with restaurants, hotels and trade organizations in British Columbia, Alberta, and Ontario. Royale holds Diploma credentials from the International Sommelier Guild and WSET. Known for discerning tasting skills, Royale has been a professional wine judge for 23 years, retained by Culinaire, Wine and Spirits Magazine and WineAlign. Royale has won awards for his wine programs from Wine Spectator, Wine Enthusiast, World of Fine Wine (Three Stars, one of only 4 in Canada at the time) and is the most awarded sommelier at The Vancouver Wine Festival. Royale was the Wine Director for Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts for 18 years directing wine programs in Banff, Lake Louise and Emerald Lake. In 2012 Royale launched Kitten Swish, a micro-negociant wine company curating wines from Europe, United States, and Canada. Royale has been a consistent talent in the Canadian wine scene for 28 years.
His current full-time role is the Corporate Sommelier for Concorde Entertainment Group, overseeing 25 different venues between Canmore, Calgary and Toronto.
www.bradroyale.com www.kittenswish.com www.concordegroup.ca
@bradroyale
Christina Hartigan
Wine Director
The Stable Group
Vancouver BC, Canada
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Christina Hartigan is the Wine Director at The Stable Group in Vancouver. Working on a vineyard during harvest in Burgundy, Christina fell in love with all aspects of wine, from vine to glass. A Court of Master Sommeliers Advanced Sommelier, Christina has also completed the WSET Diploma and French Wine Scholar.
Christina Hartigan is a wine educator and sommelier in Vancouver. She is the Wine Director for The Stable Group and a WSET instructor. A chance opportunity to work in the vineyards during harvest in Burgundy sparked her passion for wine and this inspired her to pursue a career in hospitality and wine. Christina is a CMS Advanced Sommelier, has completed the WSET Diploma and the French & the Spanish Wine Scholar programs. She was named Vancouver Magazine’s Sommelier of the Year in 2022.
@christinahartigan
@christinahartigan
Colin Ross
General Manager
Little Engine Wines
Penticton BC, Canada
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Colin moved to the Okanagan in 2020 to finally get closer to the heart of the wine business, taking on the role of General Manager at Tightrope Winery on the Naramata Bench. It was a long-time goal—and one he jumped into with both feet.
With a background from Simon Fraser University in Business Administration (plus the slightly unexpected combo of Economics and Philosophy), Colin’s career has taken him through hospitality, tourism, and wine in just about every way possible. He’s been a restaurant owner, wine director, general manager, wine agent, and WSET educator—always focused on building great teams, creating a clear vision, and making wine feel a little less intimidating and a lot more fun. He has also served on the boards of TOTA (Thompson Okanagan Tourism Association), Travel Penticton and the Naramata Bench Wineries Association, contributing to the broader growth of the region’s wine and tourism sectors.
These days, Colin is the General Manager at Little Engine Wines in Penticton. He also consults on the side, teaches WSET courses, and works with the Wine Growers BC Ambassador Program—basically, if there’s good wine and good people involved, he’s probably in.
@cjross7
Emily Walker
Wine Director, Naramata Inn
Group Sommelier, Tap & Barrel Restaurants
Summerland BC, Canada
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Emily Walker is an Okanagan-bred Sommelier, Educator, Wine Judge and a key player in the BC wine scene. After having run some of Vancouver’s top wine programs, Emily has returned to her Okanagan roots and is now overseeing the wine program at one of BC’s hottest tables – Naramata Inn. As the former wine director for the Four Seasons Hotel Vancouver, she poured her passion into creating authentic, memorable and always approachable food and wine experiences for guests and took their wine program from Bronze to Gold at the Vancouver International Wine Festival’s “Wine List Awards”. As an independent wine consultant Emily also oversees the wine program for the Tap & Barrel group of restaurants – recently touted by Vancouver Magazine as one of the Top Five wine lists in the City. Emily’s Okanagan Valley upbringing continues to influence an affinity for honest, terroir-driven wine and a passion for championing the region.
@hintsofhawthorn
Erin Korpisto
General Manager
Terravista Vineyards, Synchromesh Wines
Okanagan BC, Canada
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Erin grew up in the Okanagan and, after a career in architectural design that took her to Calgary and to the UK for several years, she decided to move back to the Valley in 2009 to pursue her passion for wine. Since then. Erin has spent time in most facets of the industry: the cellar, vineyard, tasting room, outside sales, marketing, social media, communications, and management. In 2017 she received her Wine Business Management Certificate from Sonoma State University Wine Business Institute, in order to better prepare for the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Level 4 Diploma, which she completed in 2022. Erin has been a wine educator for 10 years and is a member of several industry boards and committees. She is the General Manager for Terravista Vineyards and Synchromesh Wines. In her spare time, she enjoys hiking with her rescue dog, Molly, and spending time with friends on local patios.
@vinesanddesigns
Gerrit Van Staalduinen
Proprietor
BCWineshop
Okanagan BC, Canada
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TBD
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Ian Casterton
Key Accounts, Western Canada
Andrew Peller Limited
Vancouver, BC
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Raised around the dinner table, Ian drew inspiration from food, wine, and the people who craft them from an early age. This curiosity has evolved into a career dedicated to elevating the Canadian wine scene. From his years on the floor as a Fine Dining Sommelier to his current role managing key accounts for Andrew Peller Limited, Ian has spent nearly 15 years championing the industry’s growth.
A dedicated educator and student of the craft, Ian is a WSET Diploma holder, a BC Wine Ambassador Level 3, and winner of the 2024 Best Sommelier of British Columbia competition. Currently pursuing the Master of Wine designation, he balances rigorous studies with a passion for teaching. When he is not in the classroom, you can find him searching for fresh powder or the fairway.
Keith Nicholson
Proprietor | Instructor
Statera Academy
Vancouver BC, Canada
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Keith Nicholson is a certified Sommelier, who has spent his career in the wine and hospitality business in Vancouver. He is the owner and lead instructor at Statera Academy where they teach Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) classes in Wine, Spirits, and Sake as well as Edinburgh Whisky Association (EWA) certificate courses. He is also the Vice President with the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) BC chapter.
He has worked on the hospitality side with over twenty-seven years within restaurant management and running wine programs at some of BC’s top dining establishments such as The Bearfoot Bistro and Le Crocodile. Previously Keith was a Sales Consultant selling wine to restaurants and Liquor retail. He has spent time working a harvest at Laughing Stock Vineyards in Naramata, BC, and was a past Instructor with the International Sommeliers Guild.
www.StateraAcademy.ca
@StateraAcademy
@keith_wineguy
Kelcie Jones
Wine Director
Elephant
Vancouver BC, Canada
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As a perennial student of wine, Kelcie holds the WSET Diploma, CMS certification, and a 3IC Italian Wine Specialist certificate. She is the Wine Director at Elephant Restaurant in Vancouver and teaches WSET courses to novices and industry professionals alike. Prior to Elephant she was wine director at Chambar restaurant for half a decade and staged for two vintages in the South of France. Outside of wine, Kelcie holds a Master’s in English Literature from the University of Toronto.
@kelciejones
@kelciejones
Kelcie Jones
Kurtis Kolt
Wine Writer | Educator | Competition Judge | Event Producer | Consultant
Vancouver BC, Canada
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Kurtis Kolt is a Vancouver-based wine consultant who writes about wine, presents seminars, hosts events, judges wine competitions, works with restaurants on their wine programs, and so on.
Managing restaurants and winning multiple awards for his wine lists until 2010 when he received the ‘Sommelier of the Year’ award from both the 2010 Vancouver International Wine Festival and Vancouver magazine, Kolt opted to diversify his focus on wine through different arenas.
Vancouver magazine became one of his many writing outlets, which have
come to include Decanter and Maclean’s magazines, AskMen.com, and SIP Northwest.
Appearances have included running wine service at James Beard House in New York, a city where he occasionally participates in tasting panels at Wine & Spirits magazine, and a profile in Wine Enthusiast magazine. His various certifications and credits include London’s Wine & Spirit Education Trust, the Court of Master Sommeliers & the Winemaking Program at UC Davis. In recent years, Kolt also co-founded and runs ‘Top Drop’ in both Vancouver and Calgary, a terroir-focused trade and consumer wine festival Western Living magazine has dubbed, “The one wine tasting of the year you shouldn’t miss.”
@KurtisKolt
@KurtisKolt
Mike Lee
Sommelier | Wine Educator
Quails’ Gate, WSET, Fine Vintage
Kelowna BC, Canada
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After moving to the Okanagan from the UK, Mike combines his two great passions: wine and teaching. He teaches the WSET and other wine programs for Fine Vintage in Kelowna. Mike has extensive knowledge of the Okanagan wine industry and has worked for both Mission Hill and most recently at Quails’ Gate as their winery Sommelier. He has traveled and tasted throughout France, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Australia, New Zealand, and the U.S. and has also judged at Okanagan wine competitions.
Rhys Pender MW
Owner
Wine Plus+
Kelowna BC, Canada
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Rhys is a Master of Wine who combines his time writing, judging, teaching, presenting, consulting and dirtying his boots at his 4 acre vineyard and winery – Little Farm Winery – in the Similkameen Valley of BC, Canada. He runs a wine school, Wine Plus+, and judges wine competitions nationally and internationally such as the Decanter World Wine Awards, TexSomm as well as the National Wine Awards of Canada for WineAlign. In 2018, Rhys’s contribution to the industry was acknowledged as one of just five global nominees for the WSET Outstanding Alumni Award. To make sure he eats well he has also completed a Professional Culinary Diploma and has been named by Western Living magazine as one of the “Top 40 Foodies Under 40” in Western Canada. He is a regular contributor to publications such as SIP, Vitis, Macleans, Montecristo and Taste
@WinePlus
@rhyspendermw
Sharon McLean
Co-Founder
Cru Consultancy
Victoria BC, Canada
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Sharon is an award-winning wine instructor, a certified sommelier and a traveller. She is a co-founder of Cru Consultancy, which offers Wine Scholar Guild programs in B.C. and Alberta and consulting services to private clients and corporations.
Sharon is a leading instructor of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) courses on Vancouver Island, the global instructor for the instructor-led French Wine Scholar courses and the Education Director for Vessel Liquor Store in Victoria. She is also a wine judge and a freelance wine writer.
In 2009, she completed the WSET Diploma with the highest marks in Canada. Since then she has gone on to become a French Wine Scholar, an Italian Wine Scholar, a Spanish Wine Scholar, an accredited Bordeaux instructor, and a Certified Sherry Educator. Sharon is pursuing the Masters of Wine certification and has passed the first year assessments.
Sharon is excited to share B.C.’s journey and stories with you through the BC Ambassador Program.
@CruConsultancy
@CruConsultancy
Shrawan Khanna
Wine Director, Marilena Cafe and Raw Bar/ Wine Educator,
Fine Vintage/ Wine Agent. Bona Vini Wines Co.
Victoria, BC
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Shrawan Khanna is of Canadian origin, a blend of Ontario, Alberta and BC. The overtones of teaching & education on the front palate combine with formal WSET-based wine training and informal industry training on the mid and back palate, creating a smoothly well-rounded experience. The base is an overwhelming love for all wine, with complexities expressed by passion for the emerging & exciting BC wine industry. Food and its enhancement of wine plays a primary role in the experience, be it at home, in a commercial setting or for private clients. A classic pairing for Shrawan is Champagne and french fries, but he generally pairs well with any sparkling wine and fried, salty food. Accolades for Shrawan include WSET 3, Wine Scholar Guild Master of Champagne, Canadian Wine Scholar, BC Wine Ambassador. Best enjoyed now for great classes and wine lists, but will cellar for many years.
“There is a wine for every person, some people just haven’t found their wine yet!”
@Shrawan Khanna
@shravk67
@shravk67
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
Members of the WGBC are proud of their wines and are committed to ensuring their wines are promoted and enjoyed responsibly by those adults who choose to consume them for the continued enjoyment and prosperity of the BC wine industry.
To explore more and access resources visit resources.therightamount.ca
To explore more and access resources visit resources.therightamount.ca
