TORONTO — The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) has announced the four regional sommeliers who have been selected to compete in the finals of the Best Ontario Sommelier Competition (BOSC), scheduled for November 12 at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto. The competition challenges sommeliers in a series of skill-testing scenarios, including blind tasting and service components.
The four finalists are:
- Christian Perreault Hamel, wine director, Harbour Sixty Toronto and co-founder of Pelican Wines Import
- Christophe Reitz, sommelier, Quatrefoil Restaurant, Dundas, Ont.
- Matthew Landry, sommelier, Restaurant Pearl Morrisette, Niagara, Ont. and founder of Tannin Management
- Junxing (James) Li, restaurant manager and lead sommelier, Enigma Yorkville, Toronto
The BOSC 2024 grand prize winner will go on to represent the province at the Best Canadian Sommelier Competition (BCSC).
The judging panel at BOSC 2024 will include José Luis Fernández, former winner of BOSC 2019, Pier-Alexis Soulière, MS, Best Sommelier Canada 2021, and SOMM Factory wine educator, Nabilah Rawji. Beverly Crandon, sommelier, founder of Spring into Spice event and board member at Vinequity, will MC the event.
“We’re immensely proud of the four finalists, who will go on to compete to represent the best in the province,” says Jennifer Wood, sommelier, Corkscrew Imports and 2024-2025 acting president, CAPS Ontario. “It’s our ongoing goal to provide a safe and nurturing environment for wine professionals to continue their education while refining their skills, by offering the opportunity to taste great wines and showcase their knowledge. We’re excited about the gala in November and anticipate an intense, high level competition for the finals. It’s sure to be a must-attend for anyone who knows or loves, wine and the hospitality industry.”
