The Wine Access National Tasting Panel includes some of the best wine writers and palates from across Canada.

Anthony Gismondi

Anthony Gismondi is Canada's most influential wine critic. He is currently in his tenth year at Wine Access, his third as the editor-in-chief, and he is completing 18 years as the weekly wine columnist at the Vancouver Sun. A writer, broadcaster and speaker, his expertise is widely acknowledged throughout the international wine community. His comprehensive wine website, www.gismondionwine.com, attracts more than 750,000 hits a month from 70 countries. An avid proponent of appellations and site-specific wines, Anthony spends at least three months of the year travelling the world's vineyards to experience the wine notion of “terroir” in person.

David Lawrason

As the founding editor of Wine Access, David Lawrason still contributes wine reviews to the magazine and the Canadian Wine Annual. He is the wine columnist for Toronto Life and has a blog at www.torontolife.com. He is also an instructor for the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers and he conducts consumer and trade courses in Toronto, Ottawa, Kingston, Montreal and points in between.

Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson

Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson spent ten years in the trenches of Winnipeg's wine stores, hucking cases around and building his wine knowledge while completing his BA and MA in English (writing stream) and playing drums in local bands. He has been the weekly wine columnist ("Uncorked") for the Winnipeg Free Press since November 2005, and is a regular blogger ("The Grape Nut") on the paper's website. Ben works as a freelance wine writer, consultant and educator in Winnipeg via The Grape Nut.

Craig Pinhey

Craig Pinhey graduated as a Certified Sommelier in 2000 and is a board member of the Atlantic Chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, for which he also teaches. He makes his living writing, teaching, designing wine lists, doing restaurant service training and conducting educational tastings in the region's restaurants. Pinhey is wine writer for the New Brunswick Telegraph Journal, CBC Radio's Friday Wine Guy, and also writes regular beverage columns for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal, Halifax's The Coast, East Coast Living and Progress magazine.

John Szabo

John Szabo is Canada's first Master Sommelier and a contributor to Wine Access. He has been working in the hospitality business for more than 15 years. John lives and breathes wine while travelling the wine regions of the world. He tastes wines and writing about them, teaching and consulting about wines as he manages an education and consulting firm, specializing in restaurant wine program design. He is the editor for the wine editor and columnist for Toronto's City Bites magazine.

Steve Thurlow

Steve Thurlow co-founded the Wine Access International Value Wine Awards with Anthony Gismondi and was IVWA Competition Director for its first two years. Steve is a judge at many international wine competitions such as Decanter World Wine Awards, Vinitaly and Veritas in South Africa. In 2001, Steve established his wine education business, Wine for Life, which teaches consumer, restaurant and corporate groups about wine and he is education director for Independent Wine Education Guild.

Stuart Tobe

Stuart Tobe is a regular Wine Access contributor and tasting panel member, and is the Director of Tastings for Gismondionwine.com (www.gismondionwine.com). He has a BSc in Biochemistry/Microbiology, a MSc. degree in Enology from the University of California Davis. Stuart has been active in the wine industry for more than 25 years. Stuart is also a Past President of the Vancouver Australian Wine Appreciation Society and is a council member of the Commanderie de Bordeaux chapter in Vancouver.

William Zacharkiw

While he has never taken a formal course on wine, Bill refined his knowledge in the kitchens and tasting rooms of the Montreal restaurant scene. Twenty years later, he is the weekly wine writer for the Montreal Gazette, as well as the wine buyer and head sommelier at one of Quebec's most prestigious restaurants, L'Eau a la Bouche, in the Laurentians north of Montreal. His writing career began with his blog, The Caveman's Wineblog, which was declared by the Wall Street Journal to be one of the five most interesting wine blogs on the web.

Jeff Davis

As the former archivist at the Hockey Hall of Fame, he has authored and co-authored several sports books. Jeff graduated with a diploma from the Wine and Spirit Education Trust in 2000, and has several years of experience writing and editing.

Tom Firth

Tom Firth first started in the wine business in 1996 when he worked for one of the largest private wine retailers in Canada in their fine wine department, and later with the Kensington Wine Market as one of their on-staff experts and buyers. He is a frequent contributor to Calgary’s City Palate and Wine Access.

DJ Kearney

DJ Kearney accumulates many frequent flyer miles toiling for the International Sommelier Guild throughout North America. She brings a professional culinary background and judging experience to the many students that she has instructed through the Wine & Spirit Education Trust and the International Sommelier Guild. DJ's credentials include a Professional Sommelier Diploma, the WSET Diploma, a black belt and a marathon or three.

Rhys Pender, MW

Rhys is a wine educator, consultant, judge and freelance writer through his company Wine Plus+ and his website rhyspender.com. In 2010, Rhys became Canada’s youngest Master of Wine (MW). In 2008, Rhys was named as one of the “Top 40 Foodies Under 40” in Western Canada by Western Living magazine. His career plan is to wait for Robert Parker to retire so he can finally claim back his initials for wine reviews.