I mean, if Gen Xers (that\u2019s me!) and Boomers had come of age during a global pandemic, when socializing and day-to-day life came to a screeching halt for a couple of years, I\u2019m sure we\u2019d have had different perspectives and life habits entering adulthood, too.<\/p>\n
Mass-market, industrialized, boardroom-facilitated wines and experiences are out the window in favour of authenticity, quality and sustainability, backed up with interesting histories and earnest profiles. If the juice is legit, little fuss is given to debates over Riedel versus Zalto glassware or specific cellar temperatures. A sunny day in the park, sipping cru Beaujolais out of Solo cups after the bottle\u2019s been on ice for 20 minutes? Oh, yeah. That\u2019s the stuff, right there. Oh, and that gatekeeping, elitist component of wine? Nope. That\u2019s done.<\/p>\n
While the wine world was apparently burning, three local Gen Z wine pros were advancing their careers, eventually creating a tasting group that\u2019s rattled the wine-industry narrative in this town.<\/p>\n
The Trio Behind Super Nouveau<\/p>\n
Jessica Ye<\/p>\n
Jessica Ye was born in China, raised in Calgary and moved to Vancouver to major in sustainable agriculture at UBC. A practicum dictated that she spend time working farm life, which brought her to Four Beat Farm<\/a> in Pemberton. We\u2019re talking organic farming, horse-plowed fields, the whole bit. For all intents and purposes, she became a farmer, while spending time on the hospitality side of things at Nita Lake Lodge<\/a> and Wild Blue<\/a>, Vanmag\u2019s current Best Restaurant in Whistler champ. That restaurant work offered her first solid splash into wine. She ended up moving back to Vancouver to further her wine education beyond the Wine & Spirit Education Trust (WSET) Levels 1 and 2 she achieved while living in the mountains. Landing gigs at The Acorn<\/a> and Bar Gobo<\/a> allowed her to deepen her wine experience while tackling WSET Level 3 at This Is Wine School<\/a>, the women-led wine hub for anyone looking to pursue wine education and easily the coolest academic spot in town. A splash of cava? Munching on popcorn? Disco ball a-twirlin\u2019 at the start and finish of class? Check, check and check!<\/p>\n Chloe Ferguson<\/p>\n In that same class was Chloe Ferguson, who grew up splitting time on the Island between Victoria, where her mom\u2019s work at Pizzeria Prima Strada<\/a> planted the hospitality seed, and Coombs, home to her grandparents\u2019 farm. She initially went to school for criminal psychology, but time spent working at Cuckoo\u2019s Trattoria & Pizzeria<\/a> in Coombs gave her a front-row seat to wine service and proximity to restaurant veterans willing to guide her vinous journey. Early in the pandemic, the big city called, as did WSET certification. She eventually landed a role at Nightingale<\/a> as a commis sommelier, followed by a long-tenured service spot at Kissa Tanto<\/a>, which dovetailed with her pulling up with tasting glasses to that same WSET Level 3 class as Ye.<\/p>\n Olivia Delisle<\/p>\n Rounding out what would eventually become a professional trio in that same class was Olivia Delisle, who grew up in Prince George and is a descendant of the East Coast\u2019s Oland brewing family, whose history is entwined with both Moosehead and the Oland brewery later sold to Labatt. Let\u2019s just say wine wasn\u2019t the first beverage to hit the family dinner table. While getting her BA in geography and global development from UVic after some Southeast Asian travel, a stint working at Victoria\u2019s The Courtney Room<\/a> alongside legendary sommelier Colin Davidson saw her enjoying the hospitality pursuit, but the wine bug was still elusive. A move to Vancouver found her working up the ranks at L\u2019Abattoir<\/a> in Gastown under wine director Andrew Forsyth, who would go on to be crowned 2025\u2019s Best Sommelier of BC. The bug bit. I mean, really. This is the place that offers Champagne at 50% off during the first hour of dinner service at the bar, Tuesday through Sunday; how could you not catch that bug? That steep learning curve eventually brought her to the same This Is Wine School classroom.<\/p>\n As Ye, Ferguson and Delisle developed an after-class friendship, colleagues recommended they start a tasting group, since their common desire was a high-gear expansion of knowledge. I\u2019ve written in Vanmag before<\/a> about local sommelier tasting groups, where a theme is usually chosen (Spanish reds! Orange wine and ros\u00e9s! Italy wildcard!) and the group tastes through the wines, sometimes blind, sometimes not, to home in on nuances and discussion. The camaraderie and community created by these groups is a bonus, and palates are further developed after every session.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Is Vancouver Experiencing a Wine Bar Boom?<\/a><\/p>\n The trio decided on a name for their tasting group: Super Nouveau, a music-and-wine-themed, portmanteau-esque combination of Oasis\u2019s \u201cChampagne Supernova\u201d and\/or Chappell Roan\u2019s \u201cRed Wine Supernova,\u201d plus Beaujolais Nouveau. An Instagram account was created to spread the word to interested industry colleagues, and tasting sessions occurred every few weeks at Ye\u2019s Bar Gobo digs during off-hours. Participants sent a small fee by Interac e-Transfer in advance to cover the cost of the wines. When that admin started to become more taxing than initially desired, the trio swapped to Eventbrite and a set ticket price to streamline the process.<\/p>\n And then a funny thing happened.<\/p>\n Non-industry people, regular folks who just love wine, started nabbing tickets. Sure, a bunch of sommeliers came, too. But after generations of wine-industry gatekeeping and an often-exclusive vibe, Super Nouveau collectively decided all should be welcome, industry or not.<\/p>\n And it\u2019s been a success; mostly.<\/p>\n In the initial session or two, \u201cthe boys kinda dominated the conversation,\u201d as, unfortunately, dudes are wont to do. It made others less comfortable speaking up, even though the group is for everyone who wants to learn, no matter where they\u2019re at.<\/p>\n A mild adjustment followed. The trio, who all identify as queer, decided attendees who identify as femme or LGBTQIA2S+ could opt for pay-what-you-can tickets. The scales were balanced, the sessions are now ultra-inclusive and the wine is flowing.<\/p>\n Over the past year, Delisle has moved from L\u2019Abattoir to AnnaLena and, most recently, June on Cambie<\/a>, while landing gigs like speaking at a Lambrusco-sponsored media lunch. Ferguson has shifted from Kissa Tanto to Bao Bei<\/a>, and you can still find Ye popping corks at Bar Gobo and pouring the good stuff at Les Faux Bourgeois. Super Nouveau tastings have also popped up at venues including Les Faux Bourgeois and Dachi on East Hastings.<\/p>\n \u201cPeople like Kelcie Jones, 2023 Best Sommelier of BC and current co-owner of This Is Wine School<\/a>, have been so welcoming, influential and encouraging of our journey with this,\u201d Ferguson shared with me on a recent group stroll through Chinatown. \u201cWe just want to offer that same level of accessibility to anyone who\u2019s curious about this space.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWine\u2019s relationship to hierarchy is a massive element of how it gets communicated,\u201d Jones shared with me via text in response to learning of that sentiment. \u201cIt\u2019s so refreshing to know we have young, queer women who are interested in dismantling that power structure. I\u2019m so proud of Jess, Olivia and Chloe for challenging themselves and for bringing wine to the communal space in which it belongs.\u201d<\/p>\n Follow @Super Nouveau<\/a> on instagram for info on their wine journey and future tasting sessions. They\u2019d certainly love to have you.<\/p>\n READ MORE: Top Drop Is a Wine Nerd\u2019s Dream Come True<\/a><\/p>\n Bonus: Super Nouveau\u2019s Summer Wine Picks<\/p>\n Looking for an awesome bottle to be your wine of the summer? All three have a reco to suit your season.<\/p>\n Jessica Ye<\/p>\n \u201cMy year-round go-to is Little Farm \u2018Pied de Cuve\u2019 Chardonnay<\/a> ($32) from the Similkameen Valley, which is our own local, low-intervention alternative for enjoyers of rich and savoury Jura Chardonnays from France.\u201d<\/p>\n Olivia Delisle<\/p>\n \u201cAs a person who loves to drink and dine, Lambrusco is my new favourite pairing. Casali Pra di Bosso Amabile Semi-Sweet Lambrusco<\/a> ($32), is on the sweeter side but packed with body, discreet tannins and crispy red and blue fruit, so she holds her own against spicy dishes, savoury desserts and your favourite burger.\u201d<\/p>\n Chloe Ferguson<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/chardonnay.webp\")
Courtesy of Little Farm Winery<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/casali-lambrusco-amabile-rouge-e1785535900664.png\")
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