The VQA Promoters Awards are given annually at the Experts Tasting held at Brock University. The awards are designed to recognize individuals who have consistently promoted Ontario VQA*.
Take a moment and recognize the hard-working individuals who promote Ontario VQA* in an exemplary manner!
Mission Statement: To acknowledge those individuals that celebrate the Ontario VQA wine industry with unselfish enthusiasm, constructive input and unsolicited promotion.
Nomination Open: November 1, 2026
Nomination Deadline: Friday April 30, 2027
Recipients will receive their award at the Experts Tasting.
Date of the Experts Tasting: June 10, 2027
Additional information
AWARD CATEGORIES:
EDUCATION: Honours teachers, in formal or informal settings, who educate and inspire their learners about Ontario VQA*.
FRONT LINE RETAIL: Honours a frontline professional who goes above and beyond to champion the Ontario VQA* ‘neighborhood’. If the nominee works in a winery, the award celebrates an individual who promotes Ontario VQA for the benefit of the broader industry, not just their own brand. This could be accomplished through organizing events or creating campaigns for buying local. (Category includes winery, LCBO, bottle shop, grocery, and convenience store employees)
HOSPITALITY: Honours an individual who presents Ontario VQA* with knowledge and enthusiasm to the dining public. (Category includes sommeliers, restaurateurs, servers, and chefs.)
MEDIA: Honours a member of the media who goes above and beyond to understand and share their knowledge of Ontario VQA* with enthusiasm, authenticity and passion. (Category includes content creators, communicators, podcasters, bloggers, social media voices, as well as TV, radio, and print.)
PROMOTER-AT-LARGE: Honours an individual who finds innovative, unexpected or pioneering ways to promote Ontario VQA*, creating new opportunities for awareness and appreciation.
LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT: Honours someone whose long-standing contributions have significantly advanced the growth, awareness, and appreciation of Ontario VQA*.
Nominations are welcome, in all categories, for individuals within and outside Ontario who actively promote Ontario VQA* within and beyond the province. Note that awards may not be given in all categories every year.
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Ontario VQA* represents not just the wines produced but the province, the wineries, the personalities, and their stories.
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Brock University protects your privacy and your personal information. The personal information requested on this form is collected under the authority of The Brock University Act, 1964, and in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) for the administration of the University and its programs and services.
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Nominated in the past and wish to resubmit? Simply email [email protected] with your request along with any supplemental information (especially if there is anything new to further enhance your nomination).
Past recipients are eligible to win in a different category. For example, a past winner in the LCBO category may now be considered for Lifetime Achievement award. However, to be eligible, a minimum of three years must have passed between the Nominee’s first win and subsequent nomination in another category.
PREVIOUS RECIPIENTS
Read the full story here.
From left are Angie Jewell and MJ Macdonald, The Cellar Sisters and co-owners of Decanter (Hospitality category); Ed Haddon, Head Sommelier at Foreign Affair Winery (Retail category); and Allison Findlay, Head Winemaker at Niagara College’s Teaching Winery (Education category).
Read the full story here
- Hospitality: Laura Carr
- Media: Matthew Cruz
- Promoter-at-Large: Elena Galey-Pride
- Hospitality: Robbie Raskin
- Retail: Sumie Yamakawa
- Lifetime Achievement: Doug Beatty
Read the story about this year’s winners here
- Retail: Meg McGrath, Retail Manager, Hidden Bench Winery
- Hospitality: Maribeth Mckey, Food and Beverage Manager, Inn on the Twenty
- LCBO: Victor Borja-Sheen, Product Consultant, LCBO
- Education: Ron Giesbrecht, Professor, Niagara College
- Promoter-at-Large: Jeff Graham and Michal Matyjewicz, The Sparkling Winos
- Lifetime Achievement: Helen Fisher, retired researcher, University of Guelph
Read the story about this year’s winners here
- Education: James Willwerth, CCOVI Scientist, Brock University
- LCBO: Brittany Gregory, Product Consultant, LCBO Store #381, Kitchener
- Hospitality: Sarah Scott, Manager of Dining Operations, Benchmark Restaurant
- Retail: Tim Coons, Estate Manager, Trius Winery and Restaurant and Wayne Gretzky Estates
- Media: Andre Proulx, Radio Producer and Wine Writer, Two Guys Talking Wine
- Out-of-Ontario Promoter: Ian d’Agata, Wine Writer and Director of the International Wine Academy
- Promoter-at-Large: Magdalena Kaiser, Director of Public Relations – Tourism and Marketing, Wine Marketing Association of Ontario
- Lifetime Achievement: Awarded posthumously to Karl Kaiser, winemaker and wine industry pioneer
Read the story about this year’s winners here
- Education: Barb Tatarnic, manager of Continuing Education and Outreach at CCOVI, Brock University
- LCBO: Melissa McFadden, LCBO customer service representative, Owen Sound
- Hospitality: Mike Fish, owner of Glassroots Restaurant, London, Ont.
- Retail: Brian Hanna, sommelier at Huff Estates Winery, Prince Edward County
- Media: Angela Aiello, founder and editor of Toronto’s iYellowWineclub.com as well as Wine, Drinks and Cuisine Editor of Chloe magazine
- Lifetime Achievement: Roberto Martella, owner of Grano Italian Restaurant, Toronto
Read the story about this year’s winners here
- Education: Peter Blakeman, program co-ordinator for culinary programs, Niagara College
- LCBO: Nina Hofer, Product Consultant, LCBO
- Hospitality: Greg Elmhirst, general manager, Elmhirst Resort
- Promoter-at-Large: Norman Hardie, owner and winemaker, Norman Hardie Wines
- Lifetime Achievement: Peter Gamble, winemaker and consultant
Read the story about this year’s winners here.
- Education: Evan Saviolidis, sommelier and wine educator
- LCBO: Ed Smith, Ottawa-Orleans, LCBO
- Hospitality: Darcy MacDonell, owner/operator of Farmhouse Tavern
- Media: John Szabo, partner and principle critic at Wine Align
- Promoter-at-Large: Kimberly Hundertmark, executive director, Niagara Grape and Wine Festival
- Lifetime Achievement: Len Pennachetti, president and co-founder, Cave Spring Cellars
- LCBO: William Mancini, LCBO product consultant, Toronto
- LCBO: David Churchill
- Hospitality: Erik Peacock, Wellington Court Restaurant
- Media: David Lawrason, Toronto Life
- Promoter-at-Large: Shawn McCormick, uncorkOntario.com
- Lifetime Achievement: Lloyd Schmidt, Viticulturist
- LCBO: Charles Ronzio, LCBO product consultant, Waterloo
- Hospitality: James Muir, beverage manager and sommelier at the CN Tower’s 360 the Restaurant
- Promoter-at-Large: Harald Thiel, vigneron and proprietor of Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery and chair of the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration
- Media: Rick VanSickle, wine writer
View a gallery of the award winners here.
- LCBO: Astrid Brummer, LCBO Ontairo Wines Product Manager
- Hospitality: John Maxwell, Allen’s on the Danforth
- Promoter-at-Large: Angelo Pavan, Vice-President and Winemaker, Cave Spring Cellars
- Lifetime Achievement: Ken Douglas
View a photo gallery of award winners here.
- Media: Suresh Doss, food writer and publisher of the website Spotlight Toronto
- LCBO: Orest Poluch, LCBO product consultant in Guelph, ON
- Hospitality: Jeremy Day, owner of Toronto’s Café Taste
- Education: Christopher Waters, editor of Vines Magazine and continuing education educator at Brock University
- Promoter at Large: Bill Redelmeier, owner of Niagara-based Southbrook Vineyards
- Lifetime Achievement: Billy Munnelly, wine writer
View a gallery of the award winners here .
- Education: Jennifer Wilhelm
- Media: Michael Pinkus, Wine Writer
- Promoter at Large: Ken Burford, President of the Ontario Wine Society
View a photo gallery of award winners here.
- Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Allan Jackson, Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery
- Education: Peter Bodnar Rod, WSET Instructor
- Hospitality: James Treadwell, Head Sommelier, Treadwell Farm to Table Cuisine
- Hospitality: Stone Road Grille (from left to right in picture): Joe Rutherford, Certified Sommelier; Brett Healey, Certified Sommelier; Ryan Crawford, Chef; Charles Baker, Promoters Award presenter; Heidi Johnson, Owner and Perry Johnson, Owner
- Media: Lynn Ogryzlo, Writer
View a photo gallery of award winners here.
- Lifetime Achievement: Dr. Linda Bramble, Writer and Educator
- Education: Dr. Janet Dorozynski, Wine Co-ordinator, Trade Commissioner, Canadian Wine, Spirits and Beer, Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
- Hospitality: Sylvia and John Taylor, Owners of Domus Cafe, Ottawa
- LCBO: Michael Fagan, Product knowledge group
- Media: Tony Aspler, Wine Writer
View a photo gallery of award winners here
- Hospitality: Zoltan Szabo
- Media: Konrad Ejbich
- Retail: Carol Davies, LCBO, Fairview Mall
- VIP: Dr. Donald Ziraldo
- Education: Debi Pratt, Public Relations Manager, Inniskillin Winery
- Hospitality: April Kilpatrick, Sommelier, Ruth’s Chris Steak House, Toronto
- LCBO: Stephen Blender, LCBO, Owen Sound
- Media: Walter Sendzik, Executive Vice President and General Manager, St. Catharines Chamber of Commerce
- VIP: Steven Page, Writer and Musician for the Barenaked Ladies
