Wine Expert: John Gerum

The Story of West Coast Wine Education

West Coast Wine Education was created from a desire to help the general public become more educated consumers in the world of wine. After years of being approached by individuals expressing a desire to expand their knowledge, experiment with new wines, increase their confidence and feel relaxed ordering wines in restaurants, West Coast Wine Education was launched in 2004.

Over the past few years, our company has grown from offering an occasional Wine Appreciation 101 course a few times per year, to running 101, 201 and 301 level courses continuously throughout the year. We now also offer a number of unique and exciting workshops that have proven to be popular and relevant to emerging wine trends as well as our local BC market.

We have had hundreds of satisfied students during our last 3 years of operation and would like to thank each and every student for their continued support of West Coast Wine Education.

Our commitment is to continue to offer new and interesting programs as a result of the increasing need for consumers to expand their knowledge in the ever changing world of wine.

Click here for our student testimonials!




About John Gerum

Tired of standing in the aisles, struggling to choose between Australian and Okanagan reds? Frustrated by a wine list at your favourite restaurant because you're not sure which white will go with your entrée of choice?

Wine expert John Gerum is here to help. Friendly, experienced and organized, John has been creating custom wine classes for over eight years. He has developed and taught hour-long introductory wine classes and advanced wine seminars several months in duration to groups ranging from three to three hundred. He has a keen interest in wine education and enjoys helping consumers make more informed choices.

For twenty years John has worked in fine dining and luxury hotel management. His focus on wine education led him to obtain an Advanced Wine Certificate from the European based Luxury Forte Hotels in Toronto more than a decade ago. He was instructed by renowned Master Sommelier Andrew Laliberté, and has since been granted membership and certification from the International Sommelier Guild.

Son of a chef, grandson of a Maitre 'D, John grew up with an insider's appreciation of fine foods and wine. His natural curiosity led him to discover the pleasures and principles of pairing food and beverages for the most satisfying results. John has created wine lists for restaurants, hotels and trade centres across Canada. As Catering Director, Banquet Manager and Trainer at the International Centre, National Trade Centre and Hotel Vancouver, he has traveled and tasted extensively through the wine regions of Ontario, British Columbia and California.

Approachable and professional, John has been called on to personally serve Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, Prime Ministers, Heads of State, Provincial Premiers, entertainers and major sports celebrities. He would be delighted to have the opportunity to develop a course or event that’s just the right fit for you!