Staff Picks

Jason MacPhee

Wine Category Manager

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Believe it or not, there was a time—long ago—when Lambrusco was not every second word from my mouth. My fondness for wine began in a far-off land called Bedford, with a humble bottle of Mondavi Turning Leaf Sauvignon Blanc. From Chile to the Rhône I wandered, until fate led me to Emilia-Romagna—where Lambrusco and I became fast and faithful friends. ​Tomato Wheels is a Canadian brand founded by Indigenous entrepreneur Moirae Choquette, specializing in Lambrusco, crafted from 85% Salamino and 15% Malbo Gentile. Delightful aromatics of blueberries and blackberries on the nose. The fruit is tart on the palate accompanied by a note of chocolate. The bubbles are soft and creamy. There is just a hint of tannin to give the wine structure.

Lucas Mader

Category Manager for Beer and Spirits, Cicerone

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Under the watchful eye of my older friends, at the age of 14 I started my journey into beverage alcohol with none other than a refreshing bottle (or several) of Mike’s Hard Lemonade. Later that night I also sampled Canada Cooler, Raspberry Smirnoff, Fireball, and Olands, amongst others. 

Fast forward to now, after 12 years in the industry and sampling some of the finest wines and beers in the world, I often find myself cracking a nice cold and refreshing can of Howdy from our friends at 2 Crows Brewing Co. This mixed 6pk of hard teas is sweetened with local honey, and comes with 3 flavours; Southern Sweet Tea, Green Tea & Honey, and a Half Iced Tea half Lemonade. A significant jump in quality from Mike’s Hard.

Kathryn Harding

Director of Customer Experience, Sommelier

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Like many elder millennials, I spent my early twenties working in restaurants and drinking the Australian wines we served—everything from Yellow Tail and Rosemount Shiraz to boxed Little Penguin Chardonnay.

Over the years, through sommelier training, travelling and my time at Bishop’s Cellar, my palate has evolved. I’ve come to appreciate more restrained, nuanced wines over the bold, fruit-forward bottles I started with. These days, I find myself reaching for Tuscan Sangiovese, Burgundian Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and of course, Beaujolais.

The Poggerino Chianti Classico strikes the perfect balance between the rich, juicy fruit that first drew me to wine and the complexity and structure I seek now. It satisfies both the wine newbie I once was and the sommelier I’ve grown into. I recommend giving it a try.

Alanna McIntyre

Product Specialist, Sommelier

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Gaby McCotter

Retail Manager

🏺 Our Wine Journey

My wine journey began humbly, with secret sips of Black Tower Riesling “liberated” from my parents’ liquor cabinet.  Ah, those were the days of “sophisticated” sweetness! Little did my teenage palate know the wine-related adventures that lay ahead. Fast forward a few years (and a few more questionable bottles), and my taste buds started craving something…more.  Enter the world of real wine, a revelation that concluded in the sublime experience of André Clouet Grand Reserve Champagne. From sweetish simplicity to the elegant complexity of Grand Cru Champagne, it’s been a delicious, occasionally bewildering, but always rewarding evolution.  Who knew my parents’ “stash” would lead me to such bubbly heights?

Ryan Almeida

eCommerce Manager

🏺 Our Wine Journey

I explored the wide world of wine in a stubby, short glass (think about what you’d sip out of at the cottage) and from a bottle that was in a stack right beside the cash at our old store. I’ve had wine here and there before but Il Padrino Pinot Grigio is something my partner and I would buy when we’d have dinner together, before I was hired at the store. Fast forward some nine years later I still love white wine from Italy; Tornatore’s Pietrarizzo Etna Bianco is a special bottle and with its zesty acidity and focused minerality, pairs perfectly with all things Spring.

Kate Fraser

Retail Supervisor, Spirits Specialist

🏺 Our Wine Journey

When I was 19 I thought a $13 bottle of Yellow Tail Chardonnay was the best deal around! One bottle of warm chardonnay and I was ready to launch myself at The Dome for an evening of dancing. Now, I am not above an evening like that…but at the ripe ol age of 35 both those things would probably take me out for a week. These days I much prefer sitting at home on my couch, with a few savoury snacks and a bottle of fino sherry to pair along perfectly. I’ve said it once, I’ll say it again (and again) people don’t drink enough sherry! 

Stefan Nielsen

Retail Supervisor, Sommelier

🏺 Our Wine Journey

I can very clearly recall my first time tasting Luckett Ortega (2012 vintage!) and falling in love immediately. It was likely one of the first wines that I’d tried that wasn’t bottle-shelf plonk and I fell in love immediately. From there it reshaped the course of my life: from various places of employment (including working under the winemaker of the Ortega), to cities lived in and countries visited, wine has become a huge part of my everyday. These days, I’m more likely to reach for a light and juicy red, like my old favourite Frappato – it’s the perfect balance of freshness and flavour, it goes down easy and pairs with just about everything.

Matt Hodgson

Retail Supervisor

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Growing up in PEI, there weren’t many options for beer. Keith’s, Budweiser, Alpine—sure. But when it came to something local, there was really only Gahan. Their Honey Wheat was the first beer that truly caught my eye.

Years later, Gahan popped up again in my journey when I had the chance to help make my own beer—Huggy Bear (iykyk).

Since then, craft beer has exploded, and my tastes have grown with it. These days, my favourite is Saison Dupont. It’s a Belgian farmhouse ale—dry, crisp, and complex, with a touch of spice. A long way from the Honey Wheat, but it’s been a fun journey from Charlottetown to Belgium, and one that keeps evolving with every new sip.

Fernando

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

I started drinking wine in my first year of university. At the time I wasn’t focused on soil, region, or even grape variety, I just wanted something affordable and easy drinking for the party that night. I didn’t look in a red wine’s direction for years. Now, here I am with a Beaujolais from Morgon: dark red fruit, bouquet of flowers, lively tannins, and wonderfully complex. I’ve come a long way since the start of my wine journey, and I’ll definitely be around this one for the years ahead.

Daniela

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Back in the day, family celebrations meant sharing a bottle of sweet, cheap apple wine—crisp, sugary, and nostalgic. It was our go-to for birthdays, toasts, and good times on a budget. These days I still celebrate just as joyfully, but with a touch more elegance; if you do the same, reach for a bottle of Taittinger Champagne—refined, effervescent, and layered with notes of fresh citrus, ripe orchard fruit, and warm brioche. This champagne will level-up those special moments with every sip.

Allie Barter

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

My wine journey started like many uni adventures do—with a bottle of Jacob’s Creek Moscato and zero shame. Sweet, bubbly, and basically adult juice? Say less. It was my go-to for every girls’ night, dinner party, or “just because” Tuesday. But somewhere between late-night tastings and way too many cheese boards, I started exploring. That’s when I met Livon Braide Alte—a white wine with actual depth, floral notes, and a vibe that says “I kind of know what I’m doing now.” It’s still fun, just a little more grown-up. I haven’t left my Moscato days behind (nostalgia is strong), but now I’m indulging in both the sweet and the sophisticated. Let’s call it evolution—with a splash of wine.

David

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Lindeman’s was the fancy stuff my parents drank, me and my friends stuck to more affordable varietals from Jackson Trigg’s and Peller Estates. Oh how things change! While I initially preferred big bold reds, through Bishop’s Cellar my eyes and palate were opened. Nowadays I reach for a chardonnay more often than not. Deux Roches Mâcon Villages Tradition is a delicious and affordable introduction to white Burgundy, and gives bit of everything: creamy, mineral, peachy, oaky – this is round and fresh and my favourite wine at the moment.

Erica Priolo

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

What can I say, back in University I grabbed myself a trio of friends and we would “make our own wine” with the Noble Grapes shop. It was cheap and fun, and we each came out with 10 bottles of wine to take home, what a time! These days, I find myself gravitating to any form of wine with bubbles. While I long to drink champagne on the regular, I just cannot help myself from bringing the Chiarli Vecchia Lambrusco to most group dinners and social gatherings. It’s good value, it tastes like a juicy tart fruit punch, and the colour is a beautiful deep fuchsia. My favourite setting to drink this is with a burger and friends, but overall it’s great for any occasion. This wine is fun and easy drinking, while carrying a little elegance worthy of sharing with others.

Michael Kamras

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

Alright, full disclosure: I wasn’t much of a wine person before I started working here… I didn’t have much preference because most of my experiences were based off of bulk purchases for entertaining at dinner. You know: boxed wine. Otherwise, I would just have a beer. If I had to choose, it would be something big and dry and red. It wasn’t until I did some wine tasting in the Annapolis Valley and learned about the products here that I was really able to put more specific words to my preferences. Right now, I am absolutely OBSESSED with Big Flowers’ Cabernet Franc. It’s helped subvert my opinions on bigger reds but introducing me to such incredibly well integrated intricacies. The big fruit on this wine is balanced out by wonderful earthy tones, light cedar, and smooth vanilla.

Maida

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

As you can tell from my previous wine of choice, I wasn’t a big wine drinker. Sweet, simple and affordable were the preferred characteristics of my beverage of choice; however working here has expanded both my palate and knowledge. Pask Chardonnay is an excellent wine from New Zealand boasting bright acidity, juicy citrus, and a creamy yet dry finish. With that being said, my palate may have come a long way but my wallet hasn’t and at $25 a bottle, I couldn’t recommend a better chard.

Damir Sancevic

Customer Service Sales Associate

🏺 Our Wine Journey

I’m not here to talk about a journey from bad wine to great wine, to each their own. I’m here to talk about choice. Because I went from not really choosing what I wanted to drink, price might have been the determining factor. Now, I choose the wine I want not only thinking about the occasion, but also about what is my palate yearning, what’s new to try, or return to rediscover something from the past. The Masolino Langhe Chardonnay DOC is a wine I tasted over the holidays and have been itching to have again since. It’s melted butter in a glass, while still retaining some ripe stone fruit and bright, fresh minerality. A great choice every time!