Michael Botner is a sommelier, wine columnist and freelance writer for both national and Okanagan Valley publications. Formerly from Ottawa, Ontario, he now makes his home in West Kelowna, BC. Although Michael originally trained as a chartered accountant, his new passion is Accounting for Taste, a company dedicated to demystifying wine.
Michael developed the Sommelier Program at Algonquin College in Ontario and is a co-founder and Governor Emeritus of the National Capital Sommelier Guild. He was named Wine Person of the Year by the Guild in 1996. For over 25 years, Michael has organized and chaired Cellars of the World, the International Wine Competition for the International Wine Fair in Kelowna and the Ottawa Wine and Food Show.
His experience includes providing wine courses and seminars for foreign service recruits, providing advisory and training services for the hospitality industry, appearing as a radio and television guest expert, and a stint as food and travel writer, wine columnist and restaurant critic for the Ottawa Sun. Currently the wine columnist for Okanagan Life magazine, Michael also contributes to a number of other publications. Invitation to Wine Country, Michael’s personal guide to wine touring in the Okanagan, Shuswap and Similkameen regions of British Columbia, is slated for release in March 2013.
| Governor and Co‑founder | National Capital Sommelier Guild |
| Chair (1986-2006) | Cellars of the World – Ottawa’s International Wine Competition |
| Jury Member | Cellars of the World |
| Montreal’s Sélection Mondiales | |
| Banco d’Assagio dei Vini d’Italia | |
| Air Ontario Awards | |
| Member | Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada |
| Society of Wine Educators | |
| Opimian Society | |
| International Food, Wine & Travel Writers Association | |
| Award | 1996 Wine Person of the Year, National Capital Sommelier Guild |
| Writer | Kelowna City Living columnist (circ. 30,000) |
| Okanagan Life magazine columnist (circ. 25,000) | |
| Contributor | Vines magazine |
| Vendor magazine | |
| Edmonton Life magazine contributor | |
| Wines and Vines magazine | |
| The Kelowna Daily Courier | |
| Wine Columnist | Ottawa magazine |
| Food Writer, Wine Columnist, Restaurant Critic | The Ottawa Sun |
| Wine Educator | Developed the accredited Sommelier Program at Algonquin College in Ottawa |
| Instructor | Wine Courses for Foreign Service recruits, 2000 to 2003 |
| Distinctive Dinners with Wines of the World |
Bayne-Morrison House 1998 to 2003 |
| Seminars/Courses | Accounting for Taste 1996 to 2003 |
| Basic Wines and Spirits, Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School, Ottawa Branch, 1998 | |
| Sommelier Program 1991 to 1994 | |
| Niagara Wine Tours 1991 to 1993 | |
| Speaker | The Learning Connection 1989 to 1991 |
| Commentator | CKOV 630 Radio Ottawa |
| Moderator | Niagara Wine & Food Classic 2002 |
| Medtronics of Canada | |
| CFS Leitrim | |
| Dupont Pharma | |
| The New RO Noontime/Breakfast Programs | |
| The Willow Group | |
| Capital DMC | |
| Byk Canada | |
| Wine Consultant | Ottawa Wine and Food Show |
| Le Café/National Arts Centre(advisory/training services) | |
| Sheraton Ottawa Hotel & Towers | |
| Bravo Bravo | |
| Trattoria Zingaro | |
| Britannia Yacht Club | |
| Ottawa Bagel Shop & Deli | |
| Trattoria Italia |
