A Toronto sommelier adds Master of Wine to his credentials

Jake Skakun at Bar Vendetta.Jenna Marie Wakani/Bar Vendetta/Supplied

Toronto sommelier and restaurateur Jake Skakun is one of the seven new Masters of Wine after successfully completing all three stages of the rigorous exam. A native of British Columbia, Skakun got his start in wine 20 years ago while working in Vancouver as a sommelier and writer. Shortly after moving to Toronto in 2012, he was recruited by trailblazing Black Hoof owner Jen Agg to work at her seafood restaurant, Hoof Raw Bar.

‘I never thought I would ever go the distance to the MW until during the early stage of the pandemic, when I realized I had the time and thought to see how far I could go,’ Skakun says.Lee Evans/Supplied

Today, he’s sommelier, general manager and partner in Agg’s network of local restaurants, Le Swan, Grey Gardens, Bar Vendetta and General Public. That schedule and a young family at home wouldn’t allow for much time for studying, Skakun says, but the pandemic provided a window in September 2020 to apply to the Master of Wine program while restaurants were closed. “I’m not someone who does too well with a lot of free time,” Skakun explains.

Skakun, who was introduced Aug. 20 as one of 427 active MWs across 31 countries, including nine based in Canada, told The Globe how fortuitous timing and his experience working as a sommelier in Toronto helped him master the necessary academic theory and practical knowledge of wine to pass the extensive examination process.

What inspired you to pursue the Master of Wine qualification?

The first or second wine class I took was with Barb Phillips in Vancouver, who received her Master of Wine in 2007. Since then, I have had a lot of admiration and respect for her and the Institute of Masters of Wine. While I always enjoyed taking wine education classes, I never thought I would ever go the distance to the MW until during the early stage of the pandemic, when I realized I had the time and thought to see how far I could go.

The Master of Wine exam is notoriously difficult. Passing the various stages requires a significant investment of time and resources. What made you think you would succeed?

Early on, I felt confident that it was something I could do, especially the tasting aspect. I taste a lot of wines working in the restaurants, I’m often meeting with wine representatives. Something about the timing worked out perfectly. I passed theory on my first attempt and shortly after, my daughter was born. The following year, I passed the practical tasting exam. Had the sequence been reversed, I would not have had enough time each day to thoroughly study the theory with a little one in at home. Everything just fell into place.

Your research paper was a case study of Ontario wine served on tap in Toronto restaurants, which is a format that you’ve been using at Grey Gardens and elsewhere for the past seven years.

I joked with my wife that I am the world’s foremost expert on the topic of wine in kegs. My interest in wine on tap came from a restaurant perspective, especially one in a big city that’s an hour away from a wine-producing region. There’s a wasteful element using bottled wine for wines served by the glass. There are cost reductions and service efficiencies that appealed to me. I was curious why more restaurants weren’t embracing the format.