Sarah Neish for The Drinks Business This feels like a particularly good example of what the School of Cool is meant to do – not simply deliver ideas, but provoke conversations that keep unfolding long after the session ends. Véronique Rivest’s keynote challenged the wine trade to reconsider the language it uses with consumers. Writing […]
By John McTavish for The Standard Chardonnay may be one of the world’s most familiar grapes, but in Canada, it has something distinctive to say. Writing in the St. Catharines Standard, John McTavish looks at what this year’s i4C revealed about Chardonnay’s ability to express place – and at the growing confidence behind Canadian examples from […]
by Carmelo Giardina for VineRoutes “I don’t think consumers are rejecting wine. I think they’re rejecting bullshit.” Véronique Rivest did not ease gently into the 2026 School of Cool. Her keynote confronted the pressures facing wine and hospitality, then turned the conversation toward a more promising future built on authenticity, better storytelling and genuine human […]
By John Szabo, MS for Wine Align Whether you joined us for the School of Cool or couldn’t be there in person, Master Sommelier John Szabo‘s reflections are well worth your time. Drawing on all three sessions, John goes beyond a recap to identify the bigger themes that emerged over the course of the day. […]