John Challender has had a passion for wine for many years and has been a member of the Opimian Society, Canada's Wine Society since 1975. He has served in many positions with the society, including its president when membership was 13,000 with wine purchases in excess of $13 million per year. Opimian membership now stands at 15,000 from coast to coast.

John is a wine educator and consultant to the hospitality industry and speaks at many events. He has recently been engaged to write a column for Homes and Living Comox Valley, a new magazine on Vancouver Island where his focus will be the wines of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands.