Kempton Hyson

Kempton obtained his Sommelier certificate in 2001 from The International Sommelier Guild. He currently holds the position of Information Manager with AppellationAmerica.com as well being the Treasurer and a Director of C.A.P.S.A.C. (Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers Atlantic Chapter ).

Living in Nova Scotia, Kempton is a fan of cool climate, food-friendly wines, particularly Pinot Noir, Riesling and French-American hybrids. Kempton has over 22 years of Restaurant / Hotel Management experience and loves to teach wine education to all levels of expertise.

Barbara Trigg

After a long career in travel, Barbara relocated to Napa to pursue her interest in, and further her knowledge of, wine. She is a certified sommelier with the Court of Master Sommeliers. Also a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW), she is a "mere" blind-tasting away from achieving her goal of becoming a Certified Wine Educator (CWE) with the Society of Wine Educators. She considers her position as coordinator of the Best-of-Appellation Program to be the ultimate wine-geek job, allowing her the opportunity to sample wines from the diverse growing regions across North America.