Faye MacLachlan - Inside Langdon Hall’s Award-Winning Wine Program and a Career in Wine

In this episode, I sit down with Faye MacLachlan, Wine Director and Restaurant General Manager at Langdon Hall and the 2025 Michelin Guide Toronto Sommelier of the Year.Faye shares lessons from nearly two decades in wine and hospitality: how she got her start, the role travel plays in building deeper knowledge and storytelling, and how guest preferences are evolving toward lighter styles and local wines. She also offers a candid look at what it takes to run a wine program of this scale—and practical advice for young sommeliers on building a successful career, from developing taste to mastering the business side of wine.If you’ve ever wondered what it really takes to run a list like this - this episode is for you.Faye MacLachlan - Inside Langdon Hall’s Award-Winning Wine Program and a Career in Wine00:00 Introduction00:44 Meet Faye MacLachlan01:38 Getting Started in Hospitality04:35 From Geology to Wine05:07 The Bottle That Changed Everything06:51 Studying Wine & Finding Mentors10:03 Inside Langdon Hall13:40 Building a World-Class Wine Program18:38 Hiring, Training & Team Culture21:01 Life Outside Toronto22:43 Winning Michelin Sommelier of the Year26:03 Pairings & Working with the Chef27:52 Favorite Pairings & Dessert Challenges29:08 Unexpected Dessert Pairings30:05 A Surprisingly Perfect Pairing31:27 Why Hospitality Never Gets Boring33:52 Why Travel Makes Better Sommeliers36:09 Etna Deep Dive41:36 Underrated Regions & “Suitcase Wines”44:46 Personal Taste & Wine Trends48:59 Is Ontario Wine at a Tipping Point?51:41 Keeping Wine Fun53:14 Advice for Aspiring Sommeliers56:34 Why Hospitality Is a Future-Proof Career🙌 Enjoyed the episode?Follow, rate, and review Tasting Notes Toronto on your favorite podcast platform — it really helps others discover the show. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.Champagne: Cork Pop and Pour by ultradust -- https://freesound.org/s/166923/ -- License: Attribution 4.0