Barbara Philip is Canada's First Female Master of Wine

Barb Philip pouring out of a wine decanter from a detail of a 2002 CityFood cover photo by Hamid Attie.



VANCOUVER'S BARBARA PHILIP NAMED AS
CANADA'S FIRST FEMALE MASTER OF WINE
(Directly from the press release - November 6, 2007)


(London, England) The Institute of Masters of Wine announced recently that Barbara Philip is Canada’s first female Master of Wine (MW). Philip is the second Master of Wine in Canada and the sole MW in Western Canada, and one of four women who hold the designation in North America. Philip is a senior instructor and department head for the International Sommelier Guild.

The Master of Wine is the world’s most respected designation in wine appreciation and the most difficult to attain. It is administered through the Institute of Masters of Wine in London, England and began as a qualification for the British wine trade in 1953. The MW is considered the most demanding of any of the professional wine qualifications and there are only 265 Masters of Wine in the world. In order to become a MW, candidates must pass intensive written and practical examinations and write a dissertation on a subject of their expertise. Philip’s thesis was to examine Pinot Blanc as a potential signature wine in the Okanagan Valley, Canada.

All new Masters of Wine, seven in total, were granted their certificates by the Master of the Vintners' Company at the Institute's Annual Reception and Awards Ceremony on Thursday 1st November 2007 in Vintners' Hall, London. More than 200 invite-only guests, mainly MWs, enjoyed flowing Bollinger Champagne and canapés after the awards were presented.

Joanna Locke MW, Chairman of the Institute of Masters of Wine, said, “I’m delighted to welcome seven such talented and diverse individuals to membership of the Institute.�

Regarding her recent MW designation, Philip says, “I must say I enjoyed every step of the process and I look forward to helping others who want to embark on the same journey. It is exciting to be the first woman MW in Canada, but it will be even more satisfying to be the first of many.�

Barbara came to Vancouver in 1986 to complete a degree in Theatre Arts at the University of British Columbia, but for the last 12 years made her career in wine, notably as one of Vancouver’s top sommeliers, at The Fish House in Stanley Park, before moving, and she presently works as an educator and wine consultant, partnering with husband Iain Philip in their company Barbariain Wine Consulting. She is also a senior instructor and department head for the International Sommelier Guild. During the past six years she has trained sommeliers in Seattle, Los Angeles, Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver and Austin. She also is a wine judge in many major competitions.

With her husband, Philip conducts numerous wine seminars and tastings. They train hospitality staff, assist in developing wine lists, and do presentations for corporate events. For more information visit www.barbariainwine.com.