Congratulations to Aron Veen, IWS, for passing the Italian Wine Scholar exam with highest honors!
About Aron:
My first jobs were in restaurants and I completed the Hospitality Management Diploma at VCC in 2003. For the past ten years, my husband and I have owned Tap Restaurant in South Surrey, a vibrant suburb of Vancouver. To facilitate me being able to be home with our young children (a son age 4.5 and daughter 2.5), I am currently in the role of Tap Events + Catering Coordinator. I assist our guests to navigate our award winning wine list to choose bottles for their large parties. I also work with reps and winemakers to plan our monthly wine paired dinners. I love to travel and have been fortunate to explore some epic regions like Champagne, Alsace, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Piemonte and Tuscany. This spring I was honoured with a Sommelier Scholarship from the BC Hospitality Foundation to further my wine studies.
My passion for wine started 14 years ago on my first date with my now-husband. The sommelier was so passionate and his recommendation paired so magically with our dinner, I was hooked on the power of well-made wine. Five years ago I completed my WSET Level Three and then spent the last few years at home as we started a family. When I was ready to jump back into my studies, I was drawn to the flexibility the Wine Scholar Guild offers and I loved the idea to be able to study on my own time. The Italian Wine Scholar was such an in-depth look into the wines and regions of Italy; I found it beneficial to focus on one country and really delve into the details. My instructor Mark Shipway was a wealth of knowledge and a great resource.
In the fall, my husband and I are hosting twenty four guests on a wine cruise down the Rhône River. I have just enrolled in the French Wine Scholar with a goal to write my exam in September in the hopes that I will be a French wine expert by the time we leave. The maps, study modules, textbook, evaluation quizzes and flashcards ensure you have a thorough understanding of the region. I would highly recommend the Wine Scholar Guild courses to anyone who works in the wine industry, travels to wine regions or enjoys imbibing!
