January 29, 2025
CAPS Ontario announces Christian Perreault Hamel named 2024 Best Ontario Sommelier
-- Gala event and live #BOSC sommelier competition held at Toronto’s Bovine Wine Club --
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 pleased to announce the results of its Best Ontario Sommelier Competition (#BOSC) held yesterday at the new Bovine Wine Club in Toronto.
We are the champions…
The winner, named Best Ontario Sommelier, is Christian Perreault Hamel, wine director, Harbour Sixty Toronto and co-founder, Pelican Wines Import. His prizing included a trip to Mendoza, Argentina, courtesy of Catena Zapata. Mr. Perreault Hamel now goes on to compete in the Best Sommelier of Canada competition, to be held in Winnipeg in 2026. From there, the national winner will compete in the world competition, ASI, in 2026.
“It’s slowly sinking in that I’ve won this prestigious title from CAPS,” said Mr. Perreault Hamel. “I’ve spent so much time looking up to past winners, seeing where they are now, and feeling inspired by their journeys. It reminds me of the importance of paying it forward -- supporting others, just as these seasoned professionals have supported me -- and I look forward to extending that same encouragement to our local sommelier community.”
Matthew Landry, Sommelier at Restaurant Pearl Morrisette in Niagara and founder, Tannin Management, placed second, while Junxing (James) Li, restaurant manager and lead Sommelier, Enigma Yorkville, Toronto, placed third, and Christophe Reitz, sommelier, placed fourth.
The expert judging panel included José Luis Fernández, winner of 2019 BOSC, Pier-Alexis Soulière, MS, and Best Sommelier Canada, 2021, and SOMM Factory wine educator, Nabilah Rawji. CAPS Ontario acting president, Jennifer Wood emceed the event.
Added Mr. Hamel, “For me, the competition is less about the title itself and more about showcasing the dedication, preparation, and passion we bring to our craft. It’s about performing in front of an audience, allowing them to see the precision behind table-side service, the challenges we navigate in real time, and the skill involved in blind tasting. My hope is that through this, more people will gain a deeper appreciation for what we do and feel inspired to engage with their sommelier the next time they dine out.”
A gala affair to remember
Hosted by the Board members of CAPS Ontario and sponsored by the Sake Institute of Ontario (#SIO), the four-hour competition challenged the sommeliers in a series of skill-testing, live audience scenarios including a blind tasting, wine knowledge and theory, and service components. The sold-out event included the sommelier, wine and hospitality industries as well as oenophiles and sake lovers, all who enjoyed the walk-around educational tastings and immersive offerings held throughout the day.
A sold-out Sake Masterclass and tutored tasting was sponsored by the SIO and led by renowned Sake Samurai and Sommelier, Michael Tremblay; the pouring stations hosted by Nicholas Pearce Wines, Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits and the SIO featured a premium selection of wines and sakes, accompanied by artful food offerings created by Liberty Entertainment Group’s Blue Bovine Steak and Sushi House executive chefs, Eugene Na and Sean Blomeley, with sponsorship from the SIO. A showstopping multi-course sushi and beef dinner wowed guests, perfectly paired with select Sakes, to close the gala evening.
Funds raised support CAPS and the sommunity
The fundraiser event also featured a silent auction, with items ranging from Zalto stemware to wine education books and courses, to premium and rare vintages of both local and international wines, all graciously donated by sponsors including Academie du Vin, The Durand, Code-38, Wine With Jimmy, Buyers + Cellars, Corkscrew Imports, Social Herbivore, Thomas Bachelder/Bachelder Wines, The Vine Agency, Black Bank Hill Winery, North 42 Degrees Winery and On Seven Winery. Competition stemware was provided by Zalto Glassware, the choice of sommeliers worldwide. Official media sponsor is VineRoutes. The next BOSC competition will be held in 2026, with more information to follow.
“We congratulate Christian on his win, and applaud the outstanding performance shown by all four competitors, which kept the sold-out crowd enthralled throughout the day,” said Ms. Wood. “The finalists represent the best in the province, and it was a close competition. CAPS is proud to support the industry, and gratefully thank our partners, the Sake Institute of Ontario, and Liberty Entertainment Group, and our other sponsors, donors, volunteers, friends and Board members, all without whom we could never raise the important funds needed to continue our programs. Cheers to everyone!”
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.
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MEDIA: For more information, visuals or to arrange an interview or broadcast segment with Best Ontario Sommelier, Mr. Perreault Hamel, CAPS Ontario president, Jennifer Wood, or the BOSC competitors, 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.