Margaret Swaine

Wine Food and Travel columnist

Contact me at: m.swaine@rogers.com

Margaret is a nationally published wine, spirits, food and travel writer, who has authored well over 2,000 articles on these subjects for magazines and newspapers. She wrote the monthly wine column for over 25 years in both Chatelaine and Toronto Life and has written regularly in other wine publications including Winetidings and Wine Access since 1979. She has authored hundreds of restaurant reviews for various magazines and guides including Gualt Millau (US division), Toronto Life Magazine, The $25 Gourmet Guide, and Visa Reviews. Her travel articles have appeared in The Globe and Mail, The National Post, Ottawa Citizen, Vancouver Sun, Calgary Herald, Edmonton Journal, Canadian Inflight Magazine, Financial Post, Europe Magazine, Chatelaine Travels, Physician's Guide to Travel, Travelweek Bulletin, Luxe, Melange, and many others. She’s written on food for Gusto, Foodservice Hospitality, The Globe, Canadian House and Home, Influence and Menz among others. Articles by her on golf, skiing and other sports have appeared in ScoreGolf, Ski Press, World of Women’s Golf, the Globe and Mail, Travelweek Bulletin and more. She’s written on laser eye surgery for Toronto Fashion Magazine, on Kosher products for Food and Drink, on beer for Menz and on balsamic vinegar for the Weekend Post. She also makes regular contributions to internet sites such as GoMediaCanada, Gayot.com and Chatelaine.com.

Margaret has co-authored/edited two books, "The Romance of Wine and Food" and "101 Big Ideas for Promoting a Business on a Small Budget". She is also author of the first three annual “Toronto Life Wine, Beer and Spirits Guides” which review all wines, beers and spirits on general list in Ontario.

Margaret is a founder, director and first treasurer of The Travel Media Association of Canada and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers. As a member of the Society of Wine Educators, Margaret has taught wine courses at the YMCA, The Skills Exchange, The Learning Annex, Creative Entertaining, The Creative Touch Cooking School, Harvest Kitchen and Georgian College as well as for private corporate groups. She was founder and host for many years of The Toronto Life Wine & Dine Experiences that were held monthly at top restaurants in Toronto.

Margaret has participated as a wine judge at many competitions. She has appeared on numerous radio and TV Shows as a wine expert, including Live It Up (CTV), Midday (CBC-TV), Morningside (CBC Radio), CFRB Talk Radio, Canadian Living TV (CTV) and Report on Business TV. In winter 1995 she acted as host for a video production by the LCBO "Shop the World - Spirits Promotion". In January 1996, she was a speaker at the Symposium on Alcohol Privatization and has been a guest on Metro Morning and CBC Radio Noon, to present her views on deregulation.

Margaret founded and was first president of the Wine Writers Circle of Canada and is a member of the Wine Writers Circle in England. She has acted as an expert witness in wine disputes involving Champagne, Entre-Deux-Mers and other trade mark usages. Margaret is also a regular consultant to the hospitality industry and assisted with the creation of The Sommelier Guild of Canada. Margaret also has organized and run a number of wine fairs including the visit of Vignobles & Signatures, The Pacific Northwest Wine Fairs, and The Premiere Bordeaux Barrel Tasting. Margaret got her debut in the wine field, as a winner of blind tasting competitions. Back in 1978, when Margaret entered her first Toronto competition, she captured both the first prize and the "women's prize".

A graduate of Carleton University with an Honours Journalism degree, she speaks conversational French, German and Demotic Greek