About

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I love wine and I hope you love wine too.  I love all the stories, the history, the generations of families that keep it all going...  There's really just so much to love about these little tiny time capsules that can take a meal and elevate it to something fantastic.  I also love sharing these little gems with people too as often times, the average wine lover didn't know about these little details which is what makes some wines so special.  

What I don't love is snobby, stuffy pretence and sadly, there is a fair bit in the world of wine.  My goal is to share my knowledge and experience to everyone regardless  of where you are in your journey.   You can count on me to be friendly and approachable with no question too silly or embarrassing.  I don't "know it all" and I sure hope I don't come off like that, so let's all learn together.  

A little about me:  I was born and raised in the Lower Mainland; a good East Van kid of the ‘80’s.  I’m off mixed Chinese and Caucasian descent and my name is pronounced “Simon” not “See Man” or “See”.  I’ve got 2 young kids who think all wine is stinky and a wife that’s just beginning her wine journey.  Academically, I’m trained as a journalist and lived for a brief time working for a music magazine in New Orleans, Louisisana. 

I got into wine when I was in my mid 20’s and had heaps of student loans and had found a job in a fine dining restaurant.  Seeing how much the waiters made (this was pre-recession 2008), I figured it looked like a pretty good way to earn a few schillings early on and ended up in the restaurant business for almost 20 years.  Wine knowledge seemed to be the ticket to getting better jobs in better restaurants and hotels (Sutton Place Hotel, Salt Tasting Room and Hart House to name few) and so I did several years of education with the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET) and the Court of Master Sommeliers and the rest as they say, is history. 

I’m a huge sucker for Spanish wines, particularly aged Riojas where they smell like you're eating a piece of cherry pie around a camp fire in October, although Pinot Noir is now my life's obsession.  I enjoy Burgundy but it's not part of my socio-econmic class.  I have heaps of Willamette in my collection and I've always thought that they make some damn fine juice down in New Zealand and the cooler parts of Australia too.

Feel free to reach out to me with any requests you might have-trying to source a bottle, arranging a private tasting or just any wine question you want answered. 

Cheers

Si Man Lee

siman@savvywineconsulting.ca