Dr. Clinton Lee: Viticulture and Wine, an Art!
Viticulture represents the set of vine cultivation techniques and includes all of the time span between the implant (planting of grafted vines) until the time of the explant, a decidedly long period of time (a vineyard can live up to 20-30 years or more). In Western Canada the most important wine-growing area is Okanagan, where its lake is surrounded by immense vineyards, this area is known for its dry and sunny climate. But excellences, they are also distant from this area, for example, the Vinoscenti Winery which is located in Surrey near Vancouver, where its owner is Dr. Clinton Lee, a great expert not only of wine but also of Spirits.
Dr. Clinton Lee brings business prospects in the world of wine to BC Wine School. His areas of interest are investment in wine, exports and the creation of wine alliances with Asian countries such as China, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan. With the global expansion of wines and spirits in Asia, students, in addition to large tastings, will also learn what is happening in the market regarding trends across the ocean in Asia. He holds the prestigious WSET diploma and is a WSET certified educator. Other qualifications include French wine scholar, certified wine specialist v and certified alcohol specialist by the Society of Wine Educators in the United States. He is currently carrying out his Master of Wine studies. Clinton holds a bachelor’s degree in accounting, an MBA in finance, a doctorate in business administration and is a member of the Canadian Securities Institute. Speaks Cantonese and Mandarin.
Italiansnews – Dr. Lee, what prompted you, after graduating in economics to undertake this wonderful activity
Dr. Lee –***There were really 3 main reasons.
A ) Augusto, I was born in Southern Africa whose Mother was from Mozambique and my father from Southern China. My grandfather took the journey to Africa in 1986. I was born on the continent of Africa, had a Jesuit education with an enormous amount of Western and British influence in my life. Having travelled to over 90 countries my appreciation, openness and understanding of culture were broader than most people. This background captivated my keen interest and the urgent desire to learn more about the different cultures of the world.
B) Secondly, I realized people and grapes are very similar. Take the grape Cabernet Sauvignon, it reflects the terroir it was grown in, the winemaking of the wine-master. The same applies to people. For example, an Italian from Tuscany brought up and educated in Italy will have all the characteristics of Italy from style, food and customs. Take an Italian also from Tuscany but born in England, educated there and having never been to Italy. They would be more English than Italian. Their accent, mannerisms, food habits and likes and dislikes will be more English than Italian. In this case, I used Italian but it could be any country and people the results the same. Look at the second-generation Chinese, Indians and other immigrant countries. The stories are the same. When we learn about grapes from different countries we also learn about the peoples of those countries. C) Thirdly, the world of wine is fascinating. It not only encompasses history, geography, culture and customs of many different civilizations across the world over many different periods. It gives us the origins, the how, the why and the whereto of so many things we take for granted. How did Malbec arrive and be the number one grape in Argentina, we know why. How did Port develop and the reasons? Why do we have a black rooster with wines from Tuscany? All rich stories, we should not forget but keep precious for generations that come after us. In this changing world, we evolve that is certain, but there are certain aspects we must try to retain and also to create a common bond amongst people of the world. If we can do that through wine, whether we drink it or not but certainly through the culture of wine we can try. For those reasons, I decided to begin my journey and adventure into the world of wine.
Italiansnews- I have seen that you now have many collaborators who hold and one also speaks Italian
Dr. Lee- Italy is my favourite country both for the richness of its culture, art, food and people. They embody the ability to enjoy La Dolce Vida. It is true that over the course of my decade, in addition to teaching, I have many students from different parts of the world and having an Italian student is not a surprise. We collaborate on many levels, from individuals to companies and institutions. We are dealing with many different countries and peoples and many are honoured to call my students and friends.
Italiansnews – You don’t only deal with wine
Dr. Lee -Over the last number of years there has been steady progress towards the creation of the Asia Pacific Wine and Spirit Institute (APWASI). It is a Canadian non-profit organization and the purpose is to be a resource of education for the global hospitality, wine and spirit industries through our on-line certified courses. We co-operate at individual, institutional and governmental levels and have over 20 courses that cover both new world and old-world wine countries.
Our courses are not just facts and figures. They include the history, geography, culture, food and etiquette of the country and of course the wines and climate and grapes. We have added, whisky, cognac, brandies. Tequila, Fois Gras, caviar, cigars and truffles as fully certified courses. Many of our courses are the world’s first certified courses and we are extremely proud of this fact.
We believe every country no matter how small, their size, wine production ought to be given a chance to showcase their country and that is what APWASI does. We will be giving courses on wine countries that rarely have the chance to be studied by mainstream wine students. All our courses in order to be certified one must take the course pass the quizzes and the final examination. All our courses will be available by the end of February 2020 at www.apwasi.com The APWASI project was my brainchild and I am the Executive Director of this Institute.
Italiansnews- I have seen that you will also be taking courses for Sommelier soon
Dr. Lee- Augusto, today’s in the world we need more wine professionals. The demand in the hospitality sector is growing rapidly. The industry needs expert people who are able to start their work immediately with certification and practical skills to combine.
APWASI courses are designed for the new generation of hospitality professionals. Informative, pragmatic and can be adapted and used immediately with the skills acquired during the course. Speaking about a number of our courses, we firmly believe that the skills they possess will be of a high enough level to serve in high-end hotels and restaurants.
Italiansnews- I saw that you are present not only in Canada but also in China and Hong Kong
Dr. Lee – The world is now global and with the high level of technology we are able to reach, teach, co-operate with people all over the globe. I do live in Canada and with Asian roots through my parents I managed to retain my Chinese Mandarin and Cantonese skills. This has allowed me to create a bridge with the Far east countries and certainly China is the world’s largest wine market. The fact we see so many European wineries, North American wineries there is evidence to this fact. With the APWASI portal we will be present with anyone who has a wish to improve their wine, cultural and skills of being a global person through our courses.
Italiansnwes-Can you tell me about the wines you produce and the technologies you use to produce them
Dr. Lee- By the grace of the Wine Gods I have been able to own a winery where I look after the vines, prune them in the summer and water them when necessary and give them the love and caring of any vineyard manager does in the world. It is not an easy task but one of love and devotion. Working with an incredibly talented team of other vineyard professionals and winemakers we make wine using the ancient techniques that are used the world over. We have challenges, trails but in the end, we produce wine we are proud of. The wines produced are reflective of the weather and climate and the region so there is a variety of red and white.
Italiansnews-What do you think of Italian food and hospitality professionals qualified by the Italian school?
Dr Lee-According to my experience in Italy it is the best of the best. The kitchen reflects the people, the lifestyle. This can be said of many other countries, this is true, but in the recent history of the last 1000 years the Greco-Roman empire has left its mark on western civilization and we cannot ignore the enormous significance of this. In Italy the cooking style differs because the cuisine is regional. Italian food is one of my favorites and obviously with excellent wines to match. Referring to the question you asked me, I tell you that hospitality professionals are passionate about life and everything that is elegance, and that the smallest details are what makes the difference. The hospitality school has a great importance in life for those who want to become a professional. The best hospitality school is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, but this does not mean that Italian and French schools are not important, in fact I would say that for their culture they are the most important. The facts are clear, Italy is the most visited country. all over the world, his love story, art, people and wines has won the respect of many who have visited them. Tourism represents over 70% of the Italian economy directly or indirectly and if the service in the hospitality sector was not of a high enough level we would not see this aspect so high. My opinion is ” ,L’Italia è molto Bella” . Well done and continue my friend.
