CAPS Ontario announces Best Ontario Sommelier Competition (BOSC) January 28 at exclusive new Bovine Wine Club Toronto

Posted by Heather McDougall on

For Immediate Release

January 15, 2025

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CAPS Ontario announces Best Ontario Sommelier Competition (BOSC) January 28 

at exclusive new Bovine Wine Club Toronto

 -- Gala includes Sake Masterclass, walk-around tasting, live sommelier competition 

and curated sushi and Sake pairing dinner –


Toronto, ON. The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) -- Canada’s only national, non-profit association that funds educational programs and competitions for the country’s sommelier community -- is excited to announce the Best Ontario Sommelier Competition (#BOSC) is now scheduled for Tuesday, January 28th at the new Bovine Wine Club, adjacent to the Bovine Steak and Sushi House at Union Station in Toronto. Sponsored by the Sake Institute of Ontario (#SIO), the #BOSC competition challenges sommeliers in a series of skill-testing scenarios, including blind tasting and service components, and is a must-attend event for oenophiles, the sommelier community, and the food, wine and hospitality industries. Competing will be finalists Christian Perreault Hamel, wine director, Harbour Sixty Toronto and co-founder, Pelican Wines Import, Christophe Reitz, Sommelier at Quatrefoil Restaurant in Dundas On., Matthew Landry, Sommelier, Restaurant Pearl Morrisette in Niagara and founder, Tannin Management, and Junxing (James) Li, restaurant manager and lead Sommelier, Enigma Yorkville, Toronto.


#BOSC offers an extraordinary lineup of intimate events and promises an immersive experience in both wine and Sake. The day begins at 12:00 PM and features three distinct ticketed experiences:


  • An exclusive Sake Masterclass  (12 – 1 PM) led by renowned Sake Master and Sommelier, Michael Tremblay

  • A walk-around wine tasting featuring pouring stations with premium selections from Toronto's top wine and Sake agencies (1 – 5 PM) and the #BOSC live competition between the four regional finalists (2:15 – 6 PM)

  • A curated, multi-course sushi dinner by Blue Bovine chefs, with select Sake pairings to round out the evening (6:30 PM)


The event also features a silent auction, a 50/50 raffle for exciting prizes, and promises an opportunity to network with the sommelier and hospitality community. Tickets are now available online at https://on.sommelierscanada.ca/ priced as follows:  Sake Masterclass $30, Masterclass, walk-around tasting & competition $75; and Sake pairing dinner & walk-around tasting $150.




In the company of champions…

The celebrated judging panel at #BOSC 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. CAPS Ontario acting president, Jennifer Wood will emcee the event.


“We are excited and looking forward to our retooled #BOSC gala this month and hosting the sommelier community and hospitality industry for what will be an exciting day’s celebration,” said Ms. Wood, sommelier, Corkscrew Imports, and 2024-2025 acting president, CAPS Ontario. She added, “Our four finalists are ready to compete to represent the best in the province, and we’re thrilled to be in the sexy new Bovine Wine Club with our partners, the Sake Institute of Ontario, and Liberty Entertainment Group, and other sponsors. We anticipate a sell-out, so get your tickets asap!”


Confirmed sponsors of the event include Sake Institute of Ontario, Liberty Entertainment Group, Beam Suntory, Nicholas Pearce Wines, and Kolonaki Fine Wines and Spirits. Official media partner is hospitality, food and wine magazine, www.vineroutes.com. Silent auction sponsors include Academie du Vin, The Durand, Code-38, Wine With Jimmy, Buyers + Cellars, Corkscrew Imports, Social Herbivore, Thomas Bachelder/Bachelder Wines, Black Bank Hill Winery, North 42 Degrees Winery and On Seven Winery. Competition stemware is being provided by Zalto Glassware. Prizing includes a trip to Kentucky for an exclusive whiskey tasting, and others. Winner of #BOSC will go on to compete in the national competition, the Best Sommelier of Canada, to be held in Winnipeg in 2026; the Canadian winner then goes on to compete in the world competition, ASI, in 2026.


Tickets are for #BOSC are now available at https://on.sommelierscanada.ca/.


About Sake Institute of Ontario

Established in 2012, the Sake Institute of Ontario (SIO) is a not-for-profit trade organization of Ontario-based sake distributors and manufacturers with the principal objective of educating and promoting the responsible consumption and enjoyment of sake.

The SIO is the organizer of Kampai Toronto, the largest sake festival in Canada, and continues to focus on educating & increasing awareness of Sake through events, seminars & content sharing both online & via social media.














About CAPS

CAPS is a pan-Canadian association that brings together the sommelier profession, restaurant services and key stakeholders of the hospitality industry. CAPS is comprised of provincial chapters based in Halifax (CAPS Atlantic), Montreal (ACSP Quebec), Toronto (CAPS Ontario), Winnipeg (CAPS Manitoba) and Vancouver (CAPS BC). Passionately dedicated to service, CAPS is committed to building a strong community of sommeliers and fostering the growth of the culture of hospitality in Canada. For more information visit www.sommelierscanada.com and https://on.sommelierscanada.ca/; follow @caps.ontario @caps_bc, @ACSP-Quebec @caps_ac and tag #CAPS #capsontario #BOSC2025.



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MEDIA:  For more information, visuals or to arrange an interview or broadcast segment with CAPS Ontario Board acting president, Jennifer Wood, or a BOSC 2025 competitor, contact Susan Willemsen, Communications Chair, CAPS Ontario and president, The Siren Group Inc. Tel: 416-461-1567 or M: 416-402-4880. Email: susan@thesirengroup.com, www.thesirengroup.com or @thesirengroup. 

 

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