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Taste and Explore with John Szabo

Man in blue suit and blue dress shirt sitting at a table with his arms crosses gently. A bottle of wine and two glasses are beside him.

Master Sommelier John Szabo was the first Canadian to add the “MS” after his name in 2004. He holds the international Wine & Spirits Education Trust Diploma with honours, as well as the Canadian Sommelier Guild diploma. He’s principal critic for WineAlign.com, Canada’s premiere wine resource, and co-host and producer of the podcast Wine Thieves with a global following in the trade. He writes a monthly wine advisory for Canaccord Genuity, a global financial services management company headquartered in Canada, as well as a column for Grapevine Magazine, and contributes to many international trade and consumer publications. He’s currently co-writing on a book on wine chemistry.

On the consulting side, John builds wine programs across Canada, and is currently sourcing wines for Accor/Fairmont/Sofitel Hotels in Québec. He is a regular guest speaker at events worldwide and has delivered masterclasses for virtually every major wine trade associations and has taught countless wine courses over the years, among others, for the CMS and IWEG. He has travelled to virtually every wine producing country on earth in pursuit of fine wine and to keep on top of this fascinating industry, including two visits to New Zealand. In his spare time, he tends to his new vineyard in Prince Edward County.

Join John for tasting and exploring in 2023 at the following masterclasses:

Explore New Zealand Pinot Noir with John Szabo

With the support of New Zealand Wine Growers, join Master Sommelier and IWEG visiting instructor John Szabo for an evening of tasting and exploration of New Zealand Pinot Noir. The masterclass will take place on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Sign up now!

Taste the Austrian Grand Crus of the Danube Valley with John Szabo

With the support of Austrian Wine, join Master Sommelier and IWEG visiting instructor John Szabo for an evening of tasting and exploration of the Austrian Grand Crus of the Danube Valley. The masterclass will take place on Thursday, March 30th, 2023 at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Sign up now!

Focus on the Grand Crus of the Napa Valley with John Szabo

With the support of Napa Valley Vintners, join Master Sommelier and IWEG visiting instructor John Szabo for an afternoon of tasting and exploration focusing on the Grand Crus of the Napa Valley. The masterclass will take place on Monday, May 1st, 2023 at 2pm – 4pm. Sign up now!

Holiday Gift Ideas

Man with short dark hair smiling into the camera while wearing a suit with a blue tie.
WSET Level 1 Award in Wines
Build your confidence when tasting wine, reading a wine list, buying a bottle or pairing wine with food. Sign up now!
A bottle of wine, a glass of red wine and the Italian Wine Scholar study manuals for unit 1 on the wines of Northern Italy and unit 2 on the wines of Central and Southern Italy.
Italian Wine Scholar
Develop specialist knowledge of DOC and DOCG wines and appreciate the cultural context of Italian wine. Sign up now!

Two glasses of Irish whiskey

Edinburgh Whisky Academy Online Courses
Explore the rich history of Scotch whisky, Irish whiskey or gin. Sign up now!



WSET Level 2 Award in Wines
Gain knowledge of the principal and regionally important grape varieties of the world, the regions in which they are grown and the styles of wine they produce. Sign up now!



WSET Level 3 Award in Wines
Taste and describe with confidence the characteristics of the principal wines of the world and give information on the key factors influencing style, quality and price. Sign up now!

Bottle of red wine being poured into a wine glass on a wooden tablw

Explore New Zealand Pinot Noir with John Szabo
Join Master Sommelier and IWEG visiting instructor John Szabo for an evening of tasting and exploration of New Zealand Pinot Noir. The masterclass will take place on Thursday, February 2nd, 2023 at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Sign up now!

Arial view of vineyard landscape with rolling hills and river with fog.

Taste the Austrian Grand Crus of the Danube Valley with John Szabo
With the support of Austrian Wine, join Master Sommelier and IWEG visiting instructor John Szabo for an evening of tasting and exploration of the Austrian Grand Crus of the Danube Valley. The masterclass will take place on Thursday, March 30th, 2023 at 6:30pm – 8:30pm. Sign up now!



WSET Level 2 Award in Spirits
Become a more confident spirits taster and learn how to use a globally-recognized approach to tasting to analyze the appearance, nose, palate and quality level of a range of styles. Sign up now!

Personalized Gift Certificates
Whether you are an early holiday shopper or need the perfect gift year round, we offer personalized gift certificates that can be redeemed towards any course or event offered at IWEG. Gift certificates are valid for both in-class and online courses.

Please contact Anne Theunissen by email at atheunissen@iweg.org to purchase a gift certificate.

Don’t Ignore Port

Bottle of port wine on a white tray with four glasses and keys.

Alas, poor port. Despite being one of the world’s first celebrated styles of wine, few people seem to want to drink it. Whether it’s made to be a complex and refined tawny style or a deep and flavourful ruby expression, these venerable wines are overlooked and underrated. IWEG’s Education Director Christopher Waters DipWSET shares why this wine is waiting to be discovered. Learn more.

International Wine and Spirit Competition: Emerging Talent Awards

Photo of a woman with long curly hair smiling and holding up a glass trophy.
The International Wine and Spirit Competition’s (IWSC) Emerging Talent awards are an unparalleled opportunity for new and exciting voices within the industry to make their name and to build exposure and recognition for their work.

The winner of each of the six Emerging Talent awards will be granted a £2,500 travel bursary, courtesy of the IWSC Foundation, to enable them to further their education and development within their chosen field. These awards are open to everyone of all ages and all professions of the drinks trade.

Entry to the 2023 Emerging Talent Awards is now open. Download the entry forms and return them before Friday, January 27, 2023 to marketing@iwsc.net

Learn more.