TORONTO — The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) has announced the winners of its 2024 CAPS Cup tasting challenge, held recently at the Vintage Conservatory on King Street in Toronto.
A collection of the province’s best sommeliers and hospitality trade professionals competed against their peers in a blind tasting event of six wines and spirits to win a selection of prizes donated by sponsors, including Wines of New Zealand and California Wines.
The 2024 Caps Cup winners are Kyle Paton, sommelier and chef of Meanwhile Wine Inc., in first place, followed by a three-way tie for second place between Lori O’Sullivan, sommelier; Justin Madol, sommelier at Liberty Entertainment Group; and Matt Landry, sommelier at Pearl Morissette.
The lineup of wines and spirits included a 2022 Grüner Veltliner from Kurt Angerer, Niederösterreich, Austria; a 2019 Gewurztraminer, Grand Cru Mambourg Vineyard Pierre Sparr, Alsace France; a 2021 Pinot Noir from Holloran, Willamette Valley, Oregon; a 2020 Shiraz, Langmeil in Barossa Valley, Australia; a 2018 Nebbiolo, Castello di Perno, Piedmont, Italy, and a Buffalo Trace Kentucky Bourbon, U.S. Product was donated by Provenance Wine Bar, Profile Wine Group, Rogers and Co, Opimian Wine Club, and Dandurand Wines.
“We kicked off the competition season with our fun and friendly peer-to-peer challenge in our ongoing mission to offer continuing education to enable our sommelier and trade community to refine their skills,” says James Peden, president of CAPS Ontario and director of Operations at Liberty Entertainment Group. “Funds raised from this year’s CAPS Cup entry fees allow us to sponsor wine professionals through our educational partnership with Vinequity.”
