The Chefs' House is delighted to welcome our OWA Rising Stars, Brooke Husband, Alex Baines and Matt Smith.
Brooke Husband is the Assistant Winemaker at Domaine Queylus, a position she has held since 2019. A graduate of the Niagara College Winery and Viticulture program in 2018, Brooke began her winemaking journey with an initial harvest at Domaine Queylus during her studies. She then expanded her experience by working at Black Hills Estate Winery in the Okanagan Valley. Upon returning to Niagara, Brooke's passion for wild-fermented Pinot Noir and Chardonnay led her back to Domaine Queylus, where she has completed five harvests to date. In 2022, she was honored with the KML Top-30-Under-30 award for Hospitality in Canada, and in 2023, she received The Paul Pender Rising Star Award from the Ontario Wine Awards. Beyond her role at Domaine Queylus, Brooke collaborates with winemaker Kelly Mason on the Mason Vineyard Collab Series, contributing to innovative projects such as wild-fermented rosé and Viognier. Her dedication to the craft and commitment to producing exceptional wines have established her as a rising talent in the Canadian wine industry.
Alex Baines is the winemaker at Hidden Bench Estate Winery, having been promoted to this role in March 2022 after joining the team in January 2017. Originally from Finchingfield in Essex County, England, Alex has accumulated over 15 vintages of experience at premium producers across California, New Zealand, Australia, and Canada. He graduated from the Niagara College Viticulture and Winemaking program in 2015 and was the inaugural recipient of the Ontario Wine Awards' Paul Pender Memorial 'Rising Star' Award in 2022. Alex is particularly interested in organic and biodynamic viniculture and is dedicated to the meticulous attention to detail required to craft exceptional terroir-driven, low-intervention wines. When not in the cellar, he enjoys riding his motorcycle and playing soccer a couple of times a week.
Matt Smith is the winemaker at Cloudsley Cellars in Ontario's Twenty Mile Bench subregion. His passion for winemaking ignited at age 13 during a visit to Thirty Bench Winery. He honed his skills with production roles at Trius, Southbrook, Bachelder, and Domaine Queylus, collaborating with esteemed winemakers Thomas Bachelder and Kelly Mason. After graduating from Niagara College's Winery and Viticulture Technician program, Matt joined Cloudsley Cellars as winemaker. In 2024, he was honored with the Paul Pender Memorial 'Rising Star' Award from the Ontario Wine Awards. Matt also contributes to Honsberger Estate Winery, reflecting his commitment to crafting exceptional wines in the Niagara region.
All three winemakers have been recognized and OWA Rising Stars at the Ontario Wine Awards.
The evening will begin with a selection of canapés, followed by a four-course meal paired with wines.
Tickets are limited and priced at $125 + HST and Eventbrite processing fees.