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Antonio Mauriello,
Owner, Sommelier AIS
Eric Diotte
Wine Director, Sommelier
Cristian Lepore
Chef
Benoit Tremblay
Private Import Specialist, Sommelier
Heather Lockwood
Corporate Sales Manager, Sommelier
...and our guest speakers...
Antonio Mauriello developed a strong passion for Italian cuisine and for its inseparable companion, wine, while in his native Rome, Italy. He is a graduate of the Associazione Italiana Sommelier in Rome. Residing in Canada’s National Capital since 1997, Antonio is the founder and owner of DiVino Wine Studio, and a gregarious and enthusiastic wine and food authority.
He is a past director of the National Capital Sommelier Guild, and is currently a sommelier consultant to the Italian Trade Commission and the Italian Embassy. He is an instructor with several wine and culinary associations and schools in Canada and Italy, such as the Algonquin College Sommelier program in Ottawa and La Mia Pasta in Tuscany, Italy. Antonio also serves as a restaurant consultant, a wine columnist and a broadcaster, while traveling extensively researching grape varietals, wine producers and regional cuisine.
On December 6, 2009, Antonio received the prestigious Wine Person of the Year award honoured by the National Capital Sommelier Guild at the annual Gala.
Every year, since 1996, the Guild has recognized individuals who have made a significant contribution to the wine community of the Ottawa-Gatineau region.
----- ERIC DIOTTE -----
Wine Director, Sommelier
Eric Diotte is a graduate of the Sommelier program at Algonquin College. After graduation he spent over one year in Niagara at an award winning restaurant and winery to apply his passions to the local industry.
He returned to join Antonio at DiVinoWine Studio in September 2009 and in May 2010 he took the role of front of the house manager and Wine Director.
His energy and passion inspires the rest of the staff on a daily basis. His superior service skills are a great asset in addition to his ever growing Italian wine knowledge that he shares with his customers.
"He is a great addition to DiVino's management team" says Antonio. "Many return customers want to make sure they are served by Eric when they book an event or a wine tasting."
You can reach Eric at
eric@divinowinestudio.com
or 613-221-9760 ext 24
----- CRISTIAN LEPORE -----
Chef
Antonio met Cristian many years ago, when still living in Italy. “His uncle
Giorgio and aunt Cinzia were our best man and maid of honour at my
wedding”, says Antonio. “I met Cristian the first time when he was 2
years old, holding 5kg of fresh fettuccine, made by his mum Assunta and
aunt Cinzia.”
Cristian Lepore moved to Canada in July 2010 from Rome, his home town to join DiVino Wine Studio as Sous-Chef and Pasta Chef. He fit right away with the team and rapidly escalated to fill the Chef position in June 2011.
Cristian followed his early dreams to become a Chef and took many years
of formal training in Italy. He graduated with honors from the “Istituto
Professionale per i Servizi Alberghieri e della Ristorazione” of Anzio
(Rome, Italy) and from the world renown Pastry School in Albano (Rome,
Italy) as “Primo Pasticcere” (Pastry Chef).
Chef Lepore brings to DiVino the fantastic authentic Italian culinary art, flavours (and language - with a bit of Roman dialect!). The team takes great pride in learning from him as well as teaching him a bit of English language and Canadian customs.
----- BENOIT TREMBLAY -----
Private Import Specialist, Sommelier
Trained as a Journalist (ATM, Jonquière), Political Scientist (Laval University, Québec), MBA (HEC, Montréal), Sommelier (La Cité collégiale, Ottawa), Spanish Wine Educator (The Wine Academy of Spain, Madrid) and Wine Marketer (University of California, Davis), Benoit is now concentrating all the different sides of his brain on the world of wine, from wine education to wine marketing and communication at DiVino Wine Studio.
Besides working with us, Benoit is teaching Advertising at La Cité collégiale and he is representing prestigious wineries in the Eastern Ontario market for Vinexx Global Wine Consultants Inc., such as Bodegas Muga (Spain), Casa de la Ermita (Spain ), Andrea Oberto and Casa Emma, Italy, Château Palmer (France), Cline Cellars (USA), Guigal (France), La Chablisienne (France), Graham Beck Wines (South Africa), Hugh Hamilton (Australia), Mudd House Wine Company (New Zealand), Weingut Dr. Fischer (Germany) and Weingut Egon Müller (Germany).
Fluent in French, English and Spanish, Benoit is working on his Italian in preparation for one of his many trips and to better understand Antonio and the Italian contingent at DiVino...!
benoit@divinowinestudio.com
or 613-221-9760 ext 25
----- HEATHER LOCKWOOD -----
Corporate Sales Manager, Sommelier
Heather developed her interest in wine when she worked for the LCBO during her studies at Carleton University. She completed the Sommelier Certificate Program at Algonquin College in 1998 and for the past 10 years she has worked at various wine shows in Ottawa, Toronto and Vancouver. She is also a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP) and during the past 15 years she has organized many meetings, conferences and special events for both the federal government and for various charities. Heather loves to photograph vineyards and flowers and she travels extensively to various wine regions to expand her knowledge of food and wine.
Contact Heather at heather@divinowinestudio.com to include wine education and catering at your next private or corporate event or dinner party at your office or at a location of your choice.
