The BOSC 2024 winner, named Best Ontario Sommelier, was Christian Perreault-Hamel, Wine Director at Harbour Sixty Toronto and co-founder of Pelican Wines Import. His prizing included a trip to Mendoza, Argentina, courtesy of Catena Zapata and Noble Estates.
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2nd Place: Matthew Landry, Sommelier at Restaurant Pearl Morrisette in Niagara and founder of Tannin Management.
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3rd Place: Junxing (James) Li, Restaurant Manager and Lead Sommelier at Enigma Yorkville, Toronto.
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4th Place: Christophe Reitz, Sommelier.
Judges & Event Highlights
The expert judging panel included:
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José Luis Fernández – Winner of 2019 BOSC.
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Pier-Alexis Soulière, MS – Best Sommelier Canada 2021 and SOMM Factory Wine Educator.
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Nabilah Rawji – SOMM Factory Wine Educator.
The event was emceed by CAPS Ontario Acting President, Jennifer Wood and hosted by CAPS Ontario Board Members. It was proudly sponsored by the Sake Institute of Ontario (#SIO).
This four-hour competition challenged sommeliers with skill-testing, live audience scenarios, including:
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Blind tasting
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Wine knowledge and theory
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Service components
The sold-out event welcomed professionals from the sommelier, wine, and hospitality industries, along with oenophiles and sake lovers, who enjoyed walk-around educational tastings and immersive experiences throughout the day.
Sake Masterclass & Exclusive Tastings
A sold-out Sake Masterclass and tutored tasting, sponsored by the https://www.sakeinstituteofontario.com/ Sake Institute of Ontario (SIO), was led by renowned Sake Samurai and Sommelier, Michael Tremblay. The event featured pouring stations hosted by Nicholas Pearce Wines, Kolonaki Fine Wines & Spirits, and the SIO, offering a premium selection of wines and sakes. These exceptional beverages were paired with 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. The evening concluded with a showstopping multi-course sushi and beef dinner, perfectly paired with select sakes, leaving guests with a truly unforgettable experience.
A heartfelt thank you to Medovino Wines, Sommelier Factory, Metropolitan Wines and Sake, Flat Rock Cellars, Nippon Sake & Ozawa Canada Inc, and Jon Williams from Park Hyatt-Toronto for their generous support.
The fundraiser event also featured a silent auction, offering an array of sought-after items, including Zalto stemware, wine education books and courses, and premium and rare vintages of both local and international wines. These exceptional items were graciously donated by 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. The competition stemware was provided by Zalto Glassware, the choice of sommeliers worldwide.
Offical Media Sponsor is https://vineroutes.com/
See our story via partner Vineroutes here: https://vineroutes.com/christian-perreault-hamel-wins-best-ontario-sommelier/
The next BOSC competition will be held in 2026, with more information to follow. Stay tuned!
