WINE&DRINKS COLLEGE MANITOBA

WINE STUDY: Immersion and Continuing Education

In the wine industry, hands-on work and learning both deepen understanding and increase passion for the subject—if we are lucky enough to have that opportunity. For Jones & Company and WDCM, helping create such opportunities offers an enviable enrichment for our wine students and our customers, as well as for the people who take on these challenges.

When Anton Sikorsky began to work in wine and hospitality during his university studies, he did not think at first that this would lead to an entirely new career direction. Just a few years later, he has completed the WSET Level 3 Award in Wines and is part of the team at Jones & Company. In the fall of 2022, he took on the challenge to bring his education to a deeper level, working the vintage at Weingut Lingenfelder in Pfalz, Germany.

“I have always been attracted to flavours,” says Anton. “I come from a family of great cooks, and in fact, I wrote my own personal cookbook when I was five!” That passion stayed with him, leading him to play with mocktails and, later, cocktails and bartending. His part-time job in wine during university was a turning point. “I found myself reading and researching about wines, and just enjoyed it so much I wanted to take formal wine education.” He completed WSET Level 2 Award in Wines and began to work at Jones & Company in March 2020. Just over a year later, he completed Level 3 and has also finished his BSc in Computer Science. He applies his academic background to our IT needs, and he is using his wine training and education in his multi-faceted work at Jones & Company, especially on the retail team and in our wine courses.

To pursue his interest in learning, Anton sought out the opportunity to work a vintage in a wine region. When our Vice-President Mike Muirhead sent out a few queries to families of our wine partners, it was Rainer and Georg Lingenfelder who responded first. “This opportunity was amazing,” says Anton. “I have had a particular interest in German wines, so the ability to work with the Lingenfelders was fantastic.” For most of September 2022, he worked at the Lingenfelder estate in Grosskarlbach, Germany. As Anton explains, he worked with Georg on “everything from picking grapes to putting labels on bottles.”

Anton agrees that the enrichment of his wine education has been well worth the long hours and hard work at Lingenfelder. He is excited to link this practical knowledge with wine students in our courses and with our customers.

“The combination of good wine education and great wine experience provides benefits everywhere,” says Mike. “Our education staff have enriched their knowledge through their travels and work around the world as well as in their studies. Our customers and wine students tell us how much they appreciate the depth of knowledge and experience we offer. It is a distinction we are proud to continue.”

WEST Award in Wines Levels 1 and 2 Course for 2023

Level 1 (1-day course): Sunday, February 26

Level 2 (8-week course): Wednesdays starting March 1

For more information and to register, go to www.joneswines.com/education