Sommelier Kathryn Woods.

Wine, at its heart, is about stories. Vines twisted through generations. Bottles shared across tables. And people—passionate, curious, sometimes covered in lees—who shape it. Few embody this spirit more vibrantly than Kathryn Woods, Wine Director at Whistler’s Wild Blue Restaurant + Bar.

But if you’re picturing a sommelier as a stiff, suit-clad guardian of dusty Burgundy, Woods is here to refresh your mental palate. “I wear my heart on my sleeve,” she says with a laugh. “Gone are the days of the stuffy, scary old Maitre’D. Personality is what separates a great sommelier from a good one.” It’s this candid, joyful energy that defines Woods’ approach—not just to wine, but to the evolving role of the sommelier itself.

From Server to Cellar Rat to Director

Woods’ wine journey started not with grand tastings in Bordeaux, but in the trenches of fine dining at age 19.

The role of the sommelier continues to evolve.

A few patient mentors—and one unforgettable female sommelier—sparked what she calls a rabbit hole she never stopped running down. There were hotel jobs, curated hospitality experiences, and eventually, formal studies through WSET.

Then came a detour that reads more like a novel: after finishing WSET Level 3, Woods backpacked across South America. One sip of barrel-aged Sauvignon Gris at Casa Marin in Chile hooked her. She returned not just for the wine, but to work. She ended up in Valparaíso, making “garage wine” with a rogue Kiwi winemaker in the parking lot of a hotel made from shipping containers. “It was wild and totally formative,” she says.

Whistler’s Wild Blue is one of BC’s top restaurants.

Later, at Calgary’s Willow Park Wines & Spirits, Woods soaked up the business side of wine—inventory, travel, education, retail—while starting her WSET Diploma. But service called her back. And when Wild Blue’s executive chef Derek Bendig reached out about building a wine program from the ground up, she returned to Whistler.

It was the perfect fit. “Wild Blue has been such a gift to my learning,” she says. “We’ve got a team here that’s so thirsty for knowledge. It’s a dream.”

Rethinking the Role of a Sommelier

Ask Woods about how the sommelier role has changed, and you’ll get a refreshingly honest answer: “The name is outdated, for sure. It all needs a bit of a refresh.”

The sommelier role may evolve, but tradition still has its place.

She’s not wrong. In an age of algorithm-driven wine recommendations and Instagram somm-fluencers, the traditional sommelier—a role once revered and rarely questioned—is up for reinterpretation. Many newer dining concepts don’t even have a sommelier. Specialty shops and influencers often wear the title without ever setting foot on a restaurant floor.

“But wine is about experience,” Woods insists. “Anyone who truly falls in love with wine knows that there’s character, emotion, and humanity behind every bottle. That’s what a real sommelier brings to the table.”

And while technology can’t replace that, it can certainly help. From training manuals to deep-dives on obscure varietals, Woods is bullish on using tools like AI to elevate—not replace—the human side of hospitality. “We should learn to embrace it and harness it in a way that works for our community,” she says.

What Makes a Wine List Work?

Building a great wine list, Woods says, is equal parts art, math, and psychology. “You need something for everyone,” she explains. “In every price bracket. For every kind of guest.”

A glimpse at the Wild Blue wine list (1 of 32 pages!)

That means a by-the-glass program robust enough to intrigue wine geeks but grounded enough for the curious newbie. And yes, even if she’s not personally excited by Pinot Grigio, she’ll always have a few options available. “Because part of building a great list is realizing it’s not about you—it’s about the guest.”

The Wild Blue list balances heavy hitters (Burgundy, Barolo, Napa) with value-driven wines, unique varietals, and a smart Coravin program that lets diners experience higher-end pours without committing to a bottle. It’s a carefully crafted ecosystem—not a showcase for obscure producers to impress other sommeliers.

Inventory management is another huge part of her job. “I feel like I’ve earned a finance degree doing this,” she jokes. Wines that sit too long are rotated out. Glass pours that don’t move are replaced. “Restaurants are a tricky game of ‘don’t spend too much money.’ I think about it all the time.”

Trends, Myths, and the Power of Trust

Kathryn introduced us to this terrific Australian Assyrtiko on a visit to the restaurant last year.

When it comes to current wine trends, Woods is especially excited by the growing presence of Greek wines—particularly Assyrtiko—and the salinity-driven whites and reds coming out of Sicily. “They’re fresh, they’re exciting, and they offer a lot of value.”

As for the natural wine movement? Her response is pointed but fair. “I wish it would define itself further. What do you think the monks in Burgundy were doing—making unnatural wine?” The lack of clarity around what qualifies as “natural” makes it difficult to assess, she says, particularly for those who’ve studied wine law and production deeply. Still, she supports innovation—just not at the expense of transparency.

One of Woods’ greatest joys is converting cautious guests into adventurous drinkers. It’s all about trust, she says. “People want to be heard. If I can figure out what they normally drink, I can guide them somewhere new without them feeling like they’re taking a risk.”

Education, for her, is rooted in empathy. “If someone’s intimidated by a wine list, chances are they’re intimidated by a sommelier. So you show them kindness. You connect. You don’t talk down to anyone.”

She laughs when asked about common misconceptions. “That wine is sweet. That wine is boring. Or that wine people are stuffy. Honestly, some of the coolest people I’ve ever met have come from having wine in common.”

Choosing wine off a list doesn’t have to be intimidating…

At the end of the day, Woods isn’t selling wine—she’s selling connection. Through conversation. Through careful curation. Through empathy, hustle, and passion. “I never aim to sell something,” she says. “Because then it becomes disingenuous. I want to help someone discover something they didn’t know they’d love.”

And that, perhaps, is what the modern sommelier is really about—not memorizing vintages or flexing knowledge but making wine feel like it belongs to everyone.

So, the next time you sit down at a restaurant and hesitate over the wine list, take a deep breath and wave over the sommelier. If you’re lucky, it might just be Kathryn Woods—ready to help, heart on sleeve, glass in hand.