
About The Canadian Association of
Professional Sommeliers
The Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, CAPS, is a pan-Canadian association which brings together individuals within the sommelier profession from across the restaurant, hospitality, and other sectors of the wine industry.
Our mandate is to promote Canadian sommeliers as experts in their field and valued resources, to promote theCanadian wine industry and to support our members through professional development and educational opportunities, events and other means of interest.
The following attributes differentiate CAPS from other wine related associations and wine education providers in Canada:
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Canada’s only national sommelier association with members from coast to coast
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An organization that reflects the cultural diversity of Canada
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International scope through its unique partnership with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) and the Alliance Pan Américaine de Sommellerie (APAS)
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Our singular Canadian identity which clearly distinguishes us from the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) and the Wine and Spirit Education Trust (WSET
Our Goals
To ensure international standards of performance through education and accreditation
To promote and support links within and across CAPS provincial chapters and the other ASI Chapters around the world
To support members’ continuing education and development through ongoing professional opportunities
Meet the Board
Our board is made up of industry professionals working across Alberta in all facets of the wine business.
Interested in becoming a board member? Reach Out

Co-President
Margaux Burgess
Based in Edmonton, Margaux Burgess is a Certified Sommelier and WSET Diploma holder whose work bridges wine education, importing, and advocacy across Western Canada.
She is the founder of Swirl Wine Imports., an Alberta-based agency representing artisanal European producers with a focus on sustainability, regional identity, and thoughtful market development.
Margaux is also the founder of Flaurell Wines, an independent label built to bring authentic and approachable quality wine produced in quality regions to the Canadian market.
An accredited Barossa Wine Educator, Sherry Educator and Cava Educator, Margaux blends deep technical knowledge with storytelling and mentorship. In addition to her role as Co-President, she serves on the IVSA (Import Vintners & Spirits Association) board, where she advocates for collaboration, transparency, and the continued growth of Alberta’s wine and spirits community.

Co-President
Devin Rigaux
Devin has been working in hospitality for over a decade, and started taking wine seriously in 2014, when she started her wine journey with the WSET courses. Since then, she has continued to pursue her wine education and completed the WSET Diploma in 2020, as well as the French Wine Scholar. She was accepted to the Master of Wine program shortly after, and is currently a stage two student. Her educational aspirations are her driving force, and sharing this knowledge with others is one of her top priorities.
Devin’s career has developed her expertise in many aspects of the wine world, from on premise, to retail, sales, and education. She has lived in Australia, the U.S., and Canada, where she was able to visit many wine regions, including lesser known gems. Her most current project is to revitalize a small vineyard planted to hybrid varieties in New Brunswick, where she is originally from.
She is passionate about sustainability in the wine world, the details of the winemaking process, and overlooked grape varieties and regions. She is also well versed in spirits and beer, and finds the overlap between these categories fascinating.

Vice-President & Treasurer
Kerri Chambers
Kerri has been immersed in the wine industry for over 20 years. Her career began in the corporate world, but everything changed when a part-time role at a wine shop sparked an undeniable passion. Driven and determined, she completed WSET 1, 2, and 3 within a single year, setting the tone for a career defined by ambition and curiosity.
Kerri has managed high volume and high revenue wine stores, before taking on the role of Head Buyer for WineCollective and Canada Craft Club. Most notably, she spearheaded the launch and operations of Vivino’s marketplace in Canada. Her experience also extends to the agency side of the business, giving her a uniquely well-rounded perspective across the entire industry.
A lifelong learner with a relentless thirst for knowledge, Kerri is constantly looking for ways to elevate the wine community and contribute to a stronger, more dynamic industry for everyone.

Secretary
Camilo Torres
Originally from Calgary and now calling Edmonton home, Camilo has almost a decade of experience in the restaurant industry and is the wine director for Bar Henry, Bar Bricco, and Mimi in downtown Edmonton. Camilo's background is mainly in cocktails and Spanish & Italian wines, having spent time at Vine Arts, Color de Vino, Woodwork, and Ox & Angela, and been fortunate to study and travel fairly extensively in Italy.
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Director
Jenny Book
A Calgary based wine educator and competition judge, Jenny is a certified sommelier through the ISG and WSET Diploma grad having achieved the Top Canadian Graduate Award and scholarship in 2012. Currently her main gig is in wine and spirit education, sharing her passion and knowledge with many local and international students. Jenny has taught a full array of WSET courses across Canada and the USA and currently instructs a diverse cohort of local and international students in a variety of in-person and online courses.

Director and Past President
Tom Firth
Tom Firth is a Calgary, Alberta-based drinks writer, consultant, and beverage judge who has been travelling the world and pulling corks for nearly 30 years. Tom has judged wine at domestic and international wine competitions around the world including the National Wine Awards of Canada, The All-Canadian Wine Championships, International Value Wine Awards and has judged at Concours Mondial de Brussels, the Argentina Wine Awards, the Canadian Artisan Spirits Competition, and been a grand jurist at the Portuguese Wine Challenge. He is the Managing Editor for Culinaire Magazine, and is the Competition Director for the Alberta Beverage Awards (since 2013) and firmly believes that great riesling is proof the universe is unfolding as it should.

Director
Erin Loader
With more than a decade of leadership in Calgary’s wine industry, Erin’s experience spans hospitality, repping, retail operations & procurement, events, online engagement & digital strategy, and the secondary market.
Her path includes leading roles with Top Drop Canada and Bricks Wine Company, wine competition judging, and formative experiences with Iron Gate Auctions, Vine Styles, The Wine Syndicate, and Vintage Group. Known for uniting thoughtful operational leadership with a deep understanding of market dynamics, Erin continues to champion initiatives that enrich Calgary’s wine community.
