Tony Aspler, a member of the Order of Canada, has been writing about wine since 1975. He was the wine columnist for The Toronto Star for 21 years and has authored 15 books on wine and food, including The Wine Lover's Companion, The Wine Lover Cooks, Travels With My Corkscrew, Vintage Canada, and The Wine Atlas of Canada. His latest book is Tony Aspler’s Cellar Book. He has also co-authored a book with Dan Berger entitled North American Wine Routes.

Tony is an accomplished wine educator and lecturer. He averages 40 - 50 personal appearances a year at seminars and lectures.

Tony is the founder of the annual Ontario Wine Awards competition, an honorary governor of Cuvée and a director of the Independent Wine & Spirit Trust. He is also a director of The Canadian Wine Library.

Current wine related activities

Tony writes for a number of international wine magazines as well as Tidings, Lexpert/ and Post City Magazines in Canada. He is the Regional Chair (Canada) for the Decanter international Wine Awards. He broadcasts on wine Friday, Saturday and Sunday on 680 News.

Tony also writes fiction. He is the author of nine novels. His latest series is a collection of wine murder mysteries featuring the itinerant wine writer/detective Ezra Brant: Blood Is Thicker Than Beaujolais, The Beast of Barbaresco, and Death On The Douro (published by Warwick Publishing). He is currently working on Nightmare In Napa Valley.

In February 2001, Tony co-founded a charitable foundation with Arlene Willis. Grapes for Humanity raises money through the wine community for the victims of landmines and children with disabilities (www.grapesforhumanity.com).

Tony can provide the following wine services for you:

• Corporate and private wine tastings Client appreciation wine tastings
• Food and wine dinners
• Wine evaluations for estate or insurance purposes
• Wine auctioneering
• Staff training in wine service
• Consulting on wine lists and menus