Marinos Skolarikos editor, 1 March 2025.
It is an honor to present in Allwinestories, Susana Ochoa Vega, the esteemed Founder & President of the Canadian Women's Wine Association, a distinguished sommelier, journalist, TV producer and judge in global wine competitions.
You’ve mentioned in an interview that wine is not part of Mexican culture, yet you’ve built an incredible career in the wine industry. What initially drew you to wine, and how did you transition from teaching to becoming a sommelier and wine entrepreneur?
My husband is Canadian. When I arrived in Quebec, the house was full of books: philosophy, psychology, astronomy, novels and wines. Constantly, I saw my husband consult his books to discover a wine or a grape. At home, dinners are always accompanied by a glass of wine, I thought it was just my husband's pleasure. There was no job in my profession, I looked for a job in the restaurant industry and I discovered that Quebecers like to accompany dinner with a glass of wine. When clients asked me, I didn't know what to answer, so I started studying wines to be sommelier. Seeing how fascinating it is and all the history that is in each bottle, I became more and more involved. Thus, the interest in creating something more in the world of wines was born in me.
You’ve achieved so much in your career, from being a finalist in prestigious competitions to being recognized by the House of Commons. What accomplishment are you most proud of, and why?
Every invitation, every interview, every recognition, every person I meet is a source of pride for me. There are many things to be proud of, but one of many that has marked me is my participation as a jury in the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles 2024 since it was in my country: Mexico and in my own state: Guanajuato. Representing Mexico in my own country and receiving CMB in my city was beautiful, I felt extremely proud of my roots and my career.
As the first sommelier to present wine on Tout Le Monde En Parle, what was that experience like, and how did it impact your career and the visibility of La Beauté du Vin?
I was starting my career and I have always been a fan of that program. When I was on set, they called my name and the cameras pointed at me, it was something magical because I didn't expect this. The messages to contact me did not stop. The wine presented was a success. This experience gave me a lot of visibility, credibility and opportunities in the industry. So I spent 5 years opening this program every January.
What inspired you to create La Beauté du Vin, and how has it evolved since its inception in 2016?
When I started my career, I constantly saw professionals giving themselves a nickname related to wine. I was looking for one for my website. I tried some but I couldn't identify myself, I couldn't see myself, I couldn't find anything. In French and in Quebec a very common expression is: “the beauty of” (the beauty of winter is..., the beauty of old age is..., for example) One day, at the end of a masterclass, I was talking to my colleagues and at the end I said, that's "La Beauté du Vin", and click, my eyes lit up, this name was for me, I adopted it immediately! Since then La Beauté du Vin has been evolving, now La Beauté du Vin is a trademark.
Your show reaches over 600,000 viewers weekly, and your editorial work has a significant readership. How do you balance the educational and entertainment aspects of your content to appeal to such a broad audience?
I have 30 years of experience as a teacher so it is easy to balance. I am a mother and we the women have organization in our blood!
What role do you see La Beauté du Vinplaying in promoting Quebec’s wine and gastronomy culture, both locally and internationally?
The communication. In the world of wine, not all people have access to events. The mission of La Beauté du Vin is to promote and bring new information to the public. Raise awareness that this alcohol industry is culture and most importantly: Communication, communicate that the alcohol and gastronomy industries sell cultural experiences, friendship, encounters, stories, flavors, aromas and pleasant moments, that is La Beauté du Vin!
You’ve received recognition for your community involvement. How do you use your platform to give back or support others, especially immigrants and women in the wine industry?
In my career I have discovered that this beautiful industry has many hidden talents. La Beauté du Vin is always looking for talent. The digital and paper magazine “The Beauty of Wine Magazine” (a division of La Beauté du Vin) offers the opportunity to be collaborators, to publish their articles in order to give them visibility and let the world know these talents who must shine!
Photo Credit: Susana Ochoa Vega, Allwinestories
