Your Judges For 2026!
Showcasing, celebrating, and promoting cold climate wines
Marie-France Champagne
Head Judge
A long-time wine enthusiast, Marie-France is a graduate of the Sommelier program at Algonquin College. She pursued her studies with the WSET Advanced Certificate and holds the French Wine Scholar designation. Marie-France is the Coordinator of the Sommelier Program & Bartending Program at Algonquin College and the Vice-President of the National Capital Sommelier Guild. Through her business Champagne & Wines, Marie-France shares her knowledge and brings to her clients’ homes or businesses a fun, educational, and contemporary perspective on wine knowledge and tasting. Marie-France is also the Wine & Media Director for Thottungal’s Tales and curates the wine lists for both Coconut Lagoon & Thali.
David Caird
David started his venture in the world of wine by learning the art & science of cooperage. His is a certified Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommelier and has successfully completed the prestigious WSET Diploma Program in 2022. From 2017-2020, David worked as a winemaker and vineyard manager for Domaine Perrault. David regularly travels to wine regions world-wide, and he worked harvest 2022 at La Frenz winery (Canada’s #1 small winery) in Naramata Bench, Okanangan. David was recently appointed as a Director for the National Capital Sommelier Guild and is an educator at Algonquin College.
Tim Ouelette
Tim’s wine career had humble beginnings; at the age of 19 he began washing and filling bottles at a “make-your-own-wine” store. This led to a job at the Wine Rack, followed by Nester’s Liquor Store in Whistler, then onto the LCBO as a Product Consultant. Along the way he completed his WSET Diploma in Wines & Spirits, as well as the French Wine Scholar, Italian Wine Scholar and Spanish Wine Scholar programs. He is now an educator with both Fine Vintage Ltd. and the Vendange Institute, teaching WSET and Wine Scholar programming. Recently he has begun as a wine representative for Huff Estates and has also started his own wine consulting company called SommWise.