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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 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.” 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 how I experience the world.
Now, at Blue Door Wine Shop in Toronto’s Dovercourt Village, I get to share that same discovery with others. My Airbnb class, Sip Wine with a Sommelier at Blue Door Wine Shop, is a hands-on, sensory exploration of four Ontario wines, each paired with aroma jars that mirror the scents in the glass — like cherry, chocolate, oak or vanilla. It’s interactive, creative and surprisingly emotional at times. You can see people light up when a familiar scent connects to a wine. One guest told me, “I’ll never forget that moment I finally picked out vanilla — it felt like I unlocked something.”
When Airbnb launched its new Experiences in Canada this year, the focus was on authenticity — on discovering a city through the people who know it best. That’s what made this collaboration feel right. I wanted guests to taste Ontario, not just through its wines, but through its sense of place and personality — through the stories that shape every sip.
foodism editor Katie Brides summed it up perfectly when she reflected on joining my class: “You’ve probably heard of Airbnb Experiences — cooking pasta with a nonna in Italy or taking a food tour with a local. Toronto now has its own version, and I was invited to try an Airbnb Original Wine Experience with sommelier Renée Sferrazza. It was unlike any tasting I’ve done before: four Ontario wines explored through real-world aromatics, building ‘aroma memories’ that made the experience playful, approachable and genuinely memorable.” Reading her words meant so much, because that’s exactly what I hoped people would feel.
The guest feedback has been just as touching. Some have said it’s the first time they’ve felt completely comfortable in a wine class. One person told me, “Unlike some pretentious tastings I’ve been to, this one was just fun. I learned so much without feeling stupid.” Another said, “Renee brings so much energy—you just feel at ease.” Hearing that has been both humbling and inspiring. It reminds me that wine education in Toronto doesn’t have to be intimidating; it can be joyful, curious and deeply human.
Every Saturday — and sometimes a Thursday evening — I set the glasses, arrange the bottles and set out the aroma jars, waiting for whoever’s booked that day. It might be friends celebrating something special, couples on a date night, families exploring together, or even teams looking for a unique Toronto group experience. Guests have come from all over the world — and from just down the street in Toronto — to share a table and discover what their senses can do. Each group brings its own energy, its own curiosity.
The moment I love most is when people realize they can do this — they can smell, taste, describe — and suddenly, they belong in the world of wine too. If that sounds like something you’ve always wanted to try, come join me for Sip Wine with a Sommelier at Blue Door Wine Shop. Bring a friend, bring an open mind, and I’ll show you just how much your senses already know.
This experience has turned into something that continues to surprise me. What started as a simple idea to make wine more approachable has grown into a space for people to explore, learn and have fun with it. Guests come curious, leave confident and often return with new faces in tow — and that, to me, says everything about what Sip Wine with a Sommelier at Blue Door Wine Shop is meant to be.
