233067
232830

BC  

Best Wine Taster in BC

British Columbia wine professionals tasted over 1000 glasses of mystery wine to determine the “Best Wine Taster in BC.”

Matthew Landry took the Tasting Games trophy home to the Stablehouse Restaurant in Vancouver.

The first ever Tasting Games competition featured wine celebrities battling on stage to determine the origin and varietal of mystery wine in their glasses.

Over 200 wine industry participants competed alongside them, with the top scoring celebrity and top scoring audience member from each of the three Tasting Games divisions graduating to the finale event in Kelowna this week.

At the end of the evening, the results were tabulated by organizer Terroir Consulting, and Matthew Landry, wine director at the Stablehouse Bistro in Vancouver was awarded the “Best Wine Taster in BC” trophy. 

“I really was surprised to win. These wine professionals are really at the top of their game throughout the industry, and it was a privilege to be tasting alongside them.”

The wine professionals all prepared for the Tasting Games by tasting wines and studying. “There is nothing innate about blind tasting,” Landry added.

Landry took home the honour of “Best Sommelier in BC” from the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers earlier this year.

“I have tasting sheets written for every major grape, so I know what they should taste like. I add everything I sense up in my head against that list, and simply make my best guess.”

The Tasting Games events, organized by the wine researchers at Terroir Consulting and wine educators at

Proceeds from the Tasting Games benefit viticulture students at Okanagan College and participants in Start Fresh Project’s Culinary Arts and Farm Education program, for those experiencing employment barriers due to mental health.



More BC News