A brief conversation with Nicole Lougheed

​Meet Nicole Lougheed.
Nicole lives and breathes a fast paced marketing career here in Vancouver. As a result of Covid 19, she spends her time at her home office coping stealthily with wine and friends. Truth be told, this is a seasoned wine gal who shops with a fist and a list. You can count on Nicole to bring a classic bottle of wine to our Thursday evening Zoom sessions with Mark Shipway. When it’s her turn to share, she’ll slip in a comment that maybe she should have cellared this one longer, maybe she should not have opened this one (it needs  another 5 years) or she really shouldn’t have touched this bottle from her collection because, well, it was from her collection. In the end, she admits that she deserves it and we all nod in agreement. She really does. It’s rumored that she put the last of her wine collection under lock and thrown away the key so as to prevent any further wine anarchy and to give these remaining bottles a chance to age gracefully. It’s also rumored that she leads the East Van Wine Appreciation Society. Thank you for bringing your positive energy, beautiful bottles and new faces to Good Wine Gal! Don’t change.

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So Nicole, what do you do?
In short, I'm a marketer by day, wino by night. (haha).  I've been in marketing for many years, having worked in various industries including telecom, online automotive advertising, and business coaching.  In my current role, I work for a law firm where I lead their marketing and business development initiatives.

How did you fall in love with wine?
I inherited an appreciation for wine from my parents who always enjoyed a glass with dinner when I was growing up. I knew if I played my cards right I might get a sip or two! A trip to Epernay, France (Champagne region) and lunch at Moet & Chandon was a pivotal moment in my wine education. It gave me an appreciation for terroir, the history of winemaking and the delights of wine and food pairing. Following this, I'd say my flirtation with wine really deepened into true love when I had the opportunity to work in a wine store. Talking wine with the people I worked with, who really know their stuff, helping customers explore new regions and varietals, and getting to taste a lot of wine, was a dream come true! 

Why do you make time for Good Wine Gal?
Before COVID hit, I had been involved in blind tasting groups and had hosted a few casual tastings for friends. In the first few months of the pandemic, I cut quite a swath through my cellar. And while I was enjoying some good bottles, I discovered it's just not the same when you are not able to share wine with friends. I had been following Barb on her Good Wine Gal Instagram account for a while. When I saw she was hosting online wine tastings I jumped at the opportunity. It was great to get to know Barb and meet some fellow wine lovers on a regular basis. It really gave me something to look forward to during those very stressful weeks. I enjoy learning and always come away with great information from Mark's presentations. To be clear, I also love an excuse to open a nice bottle of wine - usually something that should probably be cellared for another 10 years (haha). I also love to share my tasting notes with the group. It's been nice to see familiar faces get to know these wine lovers during the past several months. It’s a very warm and welcoming environment for those that might be joining for the first time. I recommend Good Wine Gal - good people, good wine and good times! ​