I’m an Okanagan girl who, after many years spent working in architecture and travelling abroad, decided to come back to the Valley and try to get a foothold in the wine industry. In the past few years I have managed to work in the cellar as an assistant winemaker, in tasting rooms, and I have worked two crush seasons. This, however, was enough for me to realise that I’m not cut out for cellar work. I branched out into the Sales and Marketing side of the industry which, as a ‘people person’, has much better suited me. I now work part time in wine sales and part time in architecture, balancing two of my passions.

2012 was my big year of wine touring in central BC. I visited a total of 138 wineries, meaderies, cideries, and one distillery, blogging about my experiences and tasting notes. During that time I also completed my WSET Level 2 and Level 3 (Pass with Distinction). In 2013 I began teaching the Wine Sales Certificate Program and ‘Introduction to BC Wine’ at Okanagan College in Penticton.

I attended the North America Wine Blogger’s Conference, held June 2013 in Penticton, and look forward to continuing my journey of wine education and blogging this fall as I tour the South of France for ten days.

Erin together with Allison Markin delivered a talk titled:

Wine Tourism in British Columbia: Small Wine Region, Big Visitor Impact

An introduction to the wines and regions of British Columbia, Canada, with a focus on Penticton & Wine Country Tourism in the Okanagan Valley. Learn about the history, varietals grown and the challenges faced by a small young wine region. We look at the ways that the town always known for “Beaches & Peaches” attracts international visitors to Wine Country.

Get the speaker notes here>>