Véronique Rivest
Véronique Rivest is a seasoned wine specialist: she won Quebec΄s Best Sommelier Competition in May 2006 and Canada΄s Best Sommelier Competition in September that same year. She represented Canada at the World΄s Best Sommelier Competition in Greece in May 2007, and placed in the top ten. In June 2007, she won the prestigious Wine Woman Awards competition in Paris and was named Wine Woman 2007. In May 2009, she placed second at the Best Sommelier of the Americas competition. Véronique Rivest once again represented Canada at the World΄s Best΄s Sommelier Competition in Chile, in April 2010, and placed in the top twelve. During that same competition, she won the Peter Lehmann Shiraz World Sommelier Award. Beyond these recognitions, Véronique Rivest is also an outstanding communicator thanks to more than twenty years of experience in the hospitality and retail industries, in education, and in consulting, in Canada and abroad. She has worked as a product consultant for the LCBO, developed and taught many wine and sommelier courses, notably for Ottawa΄s Algonquin College Sommelier Certificate, has led educational programs and events for restaurant personnel, retail staff and media, and created award-winning wine programs for some of the National Capital Region΄s top restaurants. Véronique Rivest is the wine columnist for Radio-Canada and Journal Le Droit, both in Ottawa/Gatineau. She is a regular contributor to many magazines, including Cellier (SAQ publication) and Châtelaine, as well as numerous radio and television shows. Regardless of her accomplishments, Veronique remains genuine and approachable, with an infectious enthusiasm about sharing the great pleasures of wine.
