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I’ve always believed that wine has this incredible way of bringing people together — that what’s in the glass is never just a drink, but a doorway to memory, connection, and story. That belief has guided most of what I do, from writing and TV to events and tastings. So when Airbnb approached me in June 2025 to design an Airbnb Original Experience in Toronto, it felt like a natural next step — a way to share that same connection with people face-to-face through a sensory wine experience rooted in Ontario wine culture.
I never really set out to create a Toronto wine class or lead an Ontario wine tasting. It wasn’t on some dream list or business plan. But when the opportunity came, I thought, why not build something that makes wine feel human again? Something that teaches without talking down, that celebrates curiosity, and that lets people leave not only knowing more about wine, but about themselves too.
My own path in wine has always been about breaking the rules of snobbery. When I started studying to become a sommelier in Toronto, I wasn’t a “super taster” or “super smeller.” In fact, I used to be a big smoker before I ever entered the world of wine — and back then, I didn’t give much thought to how things truly smelled or tasted. I’d heard about the idea of building “aroma memories” from my mentors in wine, but it wasn’t until I began seriously studying that I understood what that meant. I learned to slow down, to notice, to pay attention. I started smelling fruit skins in grocery stores, dirt and grass in parks, flowers, herbs, and spices — anything I could get my hands on. Over time, I bottled those scents into little jars, creating a sensory library that helped me connect taste to memory. That process changed how I experienced wine — and, honestly, how I experience the world.
