Meet the Taste Bud: Lindsay Groves, Sommelier
Lindsay Groves is passionate about wine education – both as a student and teacher – and is studying for the Master of Wine while leading classes at Humber College as part of the Hospitality and Tourism program.
She has been voted Sommelier of the Year (2007) as well as a Top 30 Under 30 (2008) by the Ontario Hostelry Institute.
Lindsay’s love of wine and research has taken her all over the globe (most recently Chile). But she calls Toronto home, where we’re able to pin her down just long enough to get her seal of approval on your Wine Club and Exclusive Offer wines, and to talk her current wine and food obsessions...
Lindsay in the vineyards of Chile, October 2016
1. Describe your perfect wine moment
Last summer at our wedding. Sitting at a restaurant in Santorini with our closest friends and family, drinking Assyrtiko and eating fresh seafood, watching the sunset. Don't think it gets much better than that.
2. What’s your absolute favourite wine and food match?
Champagne and anything. One of the best experiences I had was actually drinking a bottle of Dom with fish and chips in the UK. In a pinch, I guess oysters will do.
3. Finish this sentence: “More people need to taste…”
Where do I begin?
• More Ontario! We are so lucky to have such awesome stuff in our own backyard! My absolute favourites are Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Gamay. And don't forget our kick-ass traditional method sparkling.
• Indigenous varieties. There are so many cool, lesser-known varieties on the market now, especially when looking at Italy, Portugal, Spain, Eastern Europe, etc. Get out there and try something new; often the more off-the-beaten-path grapes and wines provide killer value and have a great story behind them. Live a little!
• Sherry. (See answer #5 below).
4. When you're not drinking or tasting wine, what do you do?
If I'm not tasting wine, I must be sleeping. Why else would I not have wine? Just kidding. Aside from wine, my passion is travelling. I also adore teaching, and feel so lucky to have the opportunity to introduce students to the world of wine. When I am not doing these things, I am probably at home, cuddling with my puppy Daisy.
5. What are you drinking right now?
Right now, I am drinking a Manzanilla on a patio in Jerez, nibbling on olives and calamari. Sherries are amazing, and some of the most versatile food wines in the world. I don't know why more people aren't drinking them, although I am secretly and selfishly happy that there are more for me (insert grinning devil emoji here).
This is the second in our series introducing you to the team who help us make sure you get only the best wines in every ClubK shipment and kwäf Exclusive Offer:
Meet Dick Snyder