Instructors

Our passionate instructors have decades of experience instructing many of the top professionals in the Canadian wine world.

 

Rhys Pender MW - Owner & Instructor

 

Rhys Pender MW is a wine educator, freelance wine writer, wine judge and consultant to the industry. Working in the wine trade since age 14, Rhys' career has included experience in the vineyard, cellar, wine retail, education and hospitality - providing knowledge in all facets of the business. In 2010 Rhys became Canada’s youngest Master of Wine (MW) and was awarded the Taransaud Award for best Production of Wine paper.

To ensure a full understanding of wine in its key context, with food, Rhys has also completed a professional culinary diploma. He has taught hundreds of wine classes for WSET®, Okanagan College and privately to wineries, restaurants and corporate groups. He consults to the industry on marketing, new winery development, wine evaluations, viticulture, business planning, food and wine pairing and staff training. Rhys is a regular contributor on wine to publications WineAlign, Taste and Vitis. Rhys has judged with the National Wine Awards of Canada, the World Wine Awards of Canada, the Decanter World Wine Awards, Vancouver Magazine Wine Awards, Calgary Stampede Wine Competition and the Dallas Morning News Wine Competition. In 2008, Rhys was named by Western Living magazine as one of the “Top 40 Foodies Under 40” in Western Canada. Rhys instructs WSET® and educational programs for Wine Plus+.

 

 

Iain Philip - Instructor - Vancouver

 

Iain Philip gained his Wine & Spirit Education Trust diploma in 2001 and has actively been teaching all levels of WSET classes ever since. He has subsequently gained both his French Wine Scholar (FWS) and Spanish Wine Scholar (SWS) with highest honours. He currently teaches both of these courses for the Wine Scholar Guild and was recognised by them as the SWS Instructor of the Year in 2023. Iain is an Italian Wine Ambassador as granted by the Vinitaly International Academy, a VDP Wine Ambassador from Germany and a Cavaleiro in the Port Wine Brotherhood. He is a sought-after educator and presenter representing wine regions from all over the world.

 

 

Sharon McLean - Instructor - Vancouver Island

 

Sharon is a certified sommelier through the International Sommelier Guild, a leading instructor of Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and French Wine Scholar courses on Vancouver Island, 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, a Certified Sherry Educator and completed certification through the Center for Wine Origins (Wine Location Specialist in Port & Champagne).

Sharon is pursuing the Masters of Wine certification and has passed the first year assessments. When not engaged in a wine glass, she is a highly sought after management consultant with more than 20 years of international experience.