Wine and Drinks College Manitoba

WESTERN CANADA’S PREMIER WINE AND DRINKS EDUCATION FACILITY OFFERS WINE, BEER, AND SPIRITS COURSES FOR EVERYONE FROM THE HOBBYIST TO THE PROFESSIONAL.

Student Profile: Josh Schettler

Josh Schettler has the service industry in his genes. From his humble beginnings in the dish pit of his uncles’ catering company at 12 years old, Josh has worked his way up through the ranks at some of the best restaurants and bars in Winnipeg, studying styles of service, different wine and beverage programs, and learning all he could about the industry. Josh is currently the General Manager of Merchant Kitchen and Beverage Director for Academy Hospitality (which includes Merchant Kitchen, Pizzeria Gusto, and True North Square). As Josh’s passion for food and wine evolved, he became serious about building his knowledge along with his experience. Josh has completed WSET levels 2 and 3, the Italian Wine Scholar courses, and is completing the last modules of the CAPS Professional Sommelier Program, all at WDCM.

Many wine lovers say they have a defining moment when they were caught by a great wine. What is yours?

When I was serving at 529 Wellington, I realized that the passion I had for cocktails could be transferred to wine. At first, it was like my co-workers were speaking a different language: they were talking about producers, regions, and vintages. I started doing my own research and developing my palate so I could keep up. And then my ah-ha wine moment: A guest at 529 was drinking a 1995 Penfolds Grange and a 1998 Mouton Rothschild. They poured a few ounces out of each bottle and left them for me to taste. After my shift, I sat for two hours, smelling them, not even drinking them because I didn’t want the moment to be gone. Tasting those wines was like tasting that year, that history in the bottle. It’s alive in the bottle, and that draws me to it. A glass of wine captures two moments: the moment it was made, its history, and the moment you are drinking it—who you are sharing it with, how you are sharing it, the atmosphere, and that experience.

I believe there is a wine for every experience—when I drink wine out of a coffee cup on the dock at my cabin, that will be an amazing memory for me, just in a different way that the Grange was. Give me any experience, and I’ll tell you a wine that will work.

What attracts you to formal wine study?

It is a step toward making hospitality a career rather than just a job. Being based out of Winnipeg, to be able to get a formal education that is internationally recognized through WDCM is amazing. And compared to big classes in other places I researched, like in Toronto, I know all of my instructors, they know me, we know one another’s drinking styles and palates. It also opens doors for me: I have just stepped into a position as Beverage Director for the Academy Hospitality—a position with much larger responsibility and scope—and I am there because of these programs.

The Wine Scholar Guild courses take wine education indepth into specific countries. What aspects of the Wine Scholar courses are most interesting for you?

One of my favourite courses in university was human geography, so when I get to look at everything from how wars affect grape migration and how wine is named, to physiological ripeness, to generational winemaking traditions, to soil, it’s right up my alley. I have taken the Italian courses and am looking forward to taking French and Spanish.

What have been your favourite experiences in the WDCM courses you have taken?

I love when I am surprised. I love taking my preconceived notions of regions and countries and having them thrown out the window. I have been completely amazed at the varied selection of wines we try, and the breadth of what we study is so multi-faceted. The deeper I get in, the more there is to know, the more people there are to meet, and the more excited I get about little details. I speak to people who aren’t involved in wine, and they say, “Oh you know so much,” but the more I learn, the more I realize I know nothing. And that’s not something I find frustrating—it makes me excited to keep learning.

What types of people have you met in the courses?

There is everybody from the 19-year old who just started serving to a 55-year old with a career at the LC. For some people, it’s a professional thing, and for others, it’s just a matter of passion and love. All ages, all genders, all cultures—it’s a great way to find your community. And no matter where you are going with your knowledge, for that class, all 14 of you have your nose in the same glass of wine. The fun is sharing that common experience, but also seeing one another’s different experiences of the wine.

What trends are you seeing in the Winnipeg and Canadian wine and hospitality scenes?

Wines by the glass are really opening up and expanding, which gives customers the opportunity to try different wines without investing in the whole bottle. Also, we are breaking out of dominant regions, offering a little bit more obscure grapes and areas, where you can sometimes get higher quality at a lower price. I love surprising people with a new wine style or region.

What advice would you have for someone considering a career in wine and hospitality?

One, always keep track of what you are tasting. Even a small note helps—sometimes I text myself to help remember what I am tasting. It helps me understand how my palate is changing. Two, even though hospitality is serious, there is a level of frivolity in the industry that I think is lovely. It is about enjoying yourself while you do this. If you can’t have fun, how are your customers going to?

Course Spotlight: Spanish Wine Scholar

The Spanish Wine Scholar™ education program is a Spanish wine course designed to provide committed students of wine with the most advanced and comprehensive specialization study program on Spanish wine—bar none!

The Spanish Wine Scholar™ study program mirrors the unparalleled level of depth, accuracy, detail, and academic rigour offered by the acclaimed French Wine Scholar™ and Italian Wine Scholar™ programs. Recognizing the exceptional depth and accuracy of the program, Wines from Spain (ICEX, Spain’s Trade & Investment Government Agency) has endorsed the program.

Individuals who follow this in-depth curriculum and pass the exam earn the Spanish Wine Scholar title and the SWS post-nominal which may be incorporated into a professional signature (e.g. Jane Smith, SWS). Classes are three hours per week for six weeks with a multiple choice exam on the seventh week.

Next courses start: February 19, 2020

Cost: $950.00 (plus GST)

For a full listing of WDCM courses and to register, visit: www.banvilleandjones.com/ events-education