Foods and Wines from Spain @ Somm U – Master Classes November 2023

On behalf of Foods and Wines from Spain, Andros partnered with CAPS (the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers) at Somm U – the educational “boot camp” held in Halifax, Nova Scotia, as part of the Best Sommelier of Canada Competition.

Two Master Classes on Spanish wines were organised for top trade attending Somm U in Halifax, one on Rueda wines, and the second on Ribera del Duero wines.  As an exclusive for this client, the Halifax Master Classes were broadcast live to sommeliers in five other Canadian cities – Quebec city, Toronto, Winnipeg, Calgary, and Vancouver – offering sommeliers across the country the opportunity to taste and learn about these wines and appellations.   The Classes were led by Canada’s first Certified Spanish Wine Specialist, Adrian Caravello.

Wines of Chile – Grand Tasting Toronto November 2023

The historic Windsor Arms Hotel in the upscale Yorkville neighbourhood of Toronto was the location of the 2023 Wines of Chile Trade and Consumer Grand Tasting and Master Class. 

Trade and consumers enjoyed the discovering the wines from a wide selection of wineries from all over Chile.  The fully attended Master Class entitled “Carmenere Karma” was led by the recognized educator John Szabo, Master Sommelier.

Close collaboration with the LCBO included attendance by the relevant buyers, a LCBO-VINTAGES table presentation of Chilean wines, and audio tours on Chilean wine for both trade and consumer led by LCBO Product Consultants.

Sopexa – Pays d’Oc Wines from the South of France August and September 2023

Andros organised on behalf Sopexa, a partnership for Pays d’Oc wines from the South of France with Toronto’s hip Ossington Street restaurant Paris Paris.  The collaboration included many elements, such as a 2-month long Pop-Up featuring a rotating Pays d’Oc wine list, staff training, a branded bar and branded umbrellas, the commissioning of exclusive South of France wine art for exhibition, and retail displays and tastings in the adjacent bottle shop “Club Paris.”

Wines of Greece Master Classes in Montreal and Toronto – August 2023

Andros organised and implemented 2 Master Classes on Greek wines for Wines of Greece in Montréal and Toronto in August 2023.  The Classes were led by renowned author, journalist, and speaker Michelle Bouffard DipWSET. Attendees included buyers from the SAQ, LCBO, agents, licensees, and sommeliers.

Winefest Toronto July 2023

Wine Fest Toronto 2023 is a 3-day long weekend tasting event celebrating the city’s buzzing wine culture with a chance for attendees to try wines from all around the world.  Andros organized a large pavilion for Wines of Chile in a prominent location within the festival.  Over 5,000 millennial and Gen Z wine consumers had a chance to discover the wines from Chile, while the media campaign achieved over 12.5 million impressions!

Andros supports Drinkclusion Scholarship Program 2023

Andros Communications is proud to support the Drinkclusion Scholarship Program 2023, which provides scholarships ranging from $250-$5000 to a range of top tier wine education programs such as the Court of Master Sommeliers, and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust. In particular the program provides BIPOC wine professionals access to high quality wine education and the support to excel in such programs that are vitally important to diversifying the ranks of the wine industry, especially in leadership roles.

About Drinkclusion
Drinks Ontario recognizes that a diversity of voices brings strength to the beverage alcohol industry through new and different perspectives, experiences, and knowledge. Drinkclusion was formed by Drinks Ontario in 2020, with support from Vinequity and LCBO, in order to focus on increasing diversity, equality and inclusion in our industry through 3 core initiatives: Scholarship Fund, Career Builder Program, and Drinks Ontario Membership Resources.

Supporter of Pathways to Education to Help #Closethegap

Andros Communications believes in equal opportunity and education for all youth and is a supporter of Pathways to Education.  

Pathways to Education is a non-profit organization with the sole purpose of ‘breaking the cycle of poverty through education’. Students in low-income communities and newcomers trying to assimilate in Canada are facing a growing gap between them and their education resulting in a high number of high school drop outs. These barriers have become more amplified since the onset of the pandemic. To close this gap Pathways to Education offers tailored one-on-one academic, financial, and social assistance to youths to help them overcome difficulties so all students can feel supported, graduate high school and look forward to a brighter future. 

Click Pathways to Education to learn more.

Andros produces ‘Drink Chile’, Canada’s First Hybrid Wine Tasting Event for the Trade

Andros Communications successfully produced ‘Drink Chile 2021’ for its client Wines of Chile, setting the stage and raising the standard for future trade wine tasting events in Canada.

The Drink Chile 2021 live event took place on November 3rd, 2021 at Arcadian Court in downtown Toronto and was streamed to trade audiences across Canada. 

The vision was to create an immersive experience in both live and virtual formats targeted to Canadian trade. Andros was able to achieve this by creating a custom virtual platform where attendee avatars enter a live venue. Online participants entered a virtual reality world as if they were attending the trade day in person, visiting producers 'tables’ at their choosing and learning about their wines. Meanwhile the live tasting environment was designed to make guests feel comfortable and safe by complying with all social distancing measures. The main tasting hall at Arcadian Court featured individual tasting tables per guest with masked wait staff and agents on hand to bring wine samples and food pairings to guests.

The highlight of this year’s event was the live streamed masterclass and wine tasting hosted by Master Sommelier, John Szabo and Amanda Barnes, author of South America Wine Guide. Together, John and Amanda presented and discussed five wines in depth as they interviewed Chilean producers live on-air from their wineries. In addition to the live audience, hundreds of viewers tuned in to watch virtually across Canada.

“Drink Chile has set the bar for the future of trade tasting events in Canada”, says Andros Director Ted Kalaboukis, “Andros is ever evolving, striving to be inclusive and innovative in its approach to creating customized experiences for attendees and clients.”