Dear CAPS Members and Fellow Wine Enthusiasts,
Happy New Year! As we raise our glasses to 2025, I'm excited about the year ahead for our wine community. January always brings fresh energy and anticipation, and this year is no exception. Mark your calendars for January 28th! The Best Ontario Sommelier Competition (BOSC) at Bovine Wine Club promises to be a thrilling showcase of some of Ontario's top wine talent. Watching these skilled professionals compete is not just entertaining – it's an incredible learning opportunity for anyone passionate about wine. 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.
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 our sommelier and hospitality community. Tickets are 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.
A very big thank you to all our sponsors: keynote sponsor, the Sake Institute of Ontario, and Liberty Entertainment Group, Beam Suntory, Nicholas Pearce Wines, and Kolonaki Fine Wines and Spirits, and our media partner, www.vineroutes.com. Also, shoutouts to silent auction sponsors, 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. Thanks to Zalto Glassware for competition stemware.
Don’t miss this event of the year! Tickets are going fast at https://on.sommelierscanada.ca/.
For those looking to advance their wine education, don't forget to explore the excellent CAPS course offerings. Whether you're interested in becoming a certified sommelier or simply want to enhance your wine knowledge, CAPS provides world-class education programs designed for every level of expertise. Check our website for details on upcoming courses and certification opportunities.
I want to remind you of the member benefits available on our website. From exclusive tastings to educational resources and special discounts, the benefits are simply too good to miss. If you haven't explored them recently, I encourage you to log in and discover what's available. We're constantly updating our offers to enhance your membership experience.
Lastly -- we're planning some exciting events for this spring that you won't want to miss. As always, members have priority access to these special occasions that we're crafting just for you.
Here's to a wonderful year ahead filled with exceptional wines and memorable experiences together.
Cheers,
Jennifer Wood, Interim president
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