Groovy Grapes has teamed up with Szabo & Szabo Drinks Trade Consultants to offer restaurants specialized drinks consulting and education. Learn from Canada's first Master Sommelier, John Szabo & award-winning Sommelier, Zoltan Szabo about how to increase profits and service levels.

Have a look at drinks trade education classes, organize your own private seminar or ask us to create a custom seminar just for your organization.

John Szabo, Canada's First Master Sommelier: John is Canada's first Master Sommelier, earning the title from the internationally recognized Court of Master Sommeliers in 2004. Based in Toronto, he is committed to sharing his knowledge through teaching, partnering with organizations such as the Wine Council of Ontario, the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers, George Brown and Niagara College and the Ontario Restaurant, Hotel and Motel Association. He also offers courses, consultations, and tastings for professionals as well as wine enthusiasts through his own companies, Szabo & Szabo Drinks Trade Consultants and the Centre for Vine Affairs. John writes a monthly wine column along with partner Zoltan Szabo in Ontario’s CityBites Magazine and The Restaurant News.

Zoltan Szabo, Award-Winning Sommelier: Upon his arrival to Canada Zoltan Szabo has quickly made a name for himself within the restaurant scene of Toronto. His vast knowledge of wine and international cuisines made him a great asset to some of the city’s finest establishments. He continued his studies in wine and became certified through the International Sommelier Guild. He is also a member of CAPS, the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.

Voted “Sommelier of the Year” in 2003 by the Toronto Sun’s Sara Waxman, Zoltan was one of the four finalists in the Best in Ontario Sommelier Championship of 2004 (organized by CAPS, the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers).

He finished fifth in Wine International Magazine’s global “Sommelier Challenge” and has recently won Tony Aspler’s Ontario Wine Awards – Riedel Crystal Sommelier Blind Tasting competition.

To further deepen his wine knowledge Zoltan will soon begin the Diploma Program of the WSET, the Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s highest level program and has recently passed the Court of Master Sommeliers Introductory Course examination.

He has created and oversees many award winning wine programs for some of the finest restaurants in Toronto garnering him accolades from the local media and the Wine Spectator.

Along with his partner, Chef/Sommelier Tonia Wilson (former Indigo, Pepper’s and Cafe degli Amici owned by the Nasrella’s, for years at Bravo Bravo in Ottawa, the Canadian Embassy in Rome, Italy and The Mission of Canada to the European Union in Brussels, Belgium etc.) Zoltan started Savour, a company that believes life's most memorable moments are created by great gastronomic experiences.