Top #BOSC22 regional sommeliers head to final provincials November 14th in Toronto
The Ontario chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) is pleased to unveil the five regional sommeliers who have been selected to compete in the finals of the province’s largest and most diverse wine and food event of its kind, the Best Ontario Sommelier Competition, now scheduled for November 14th at the Liberty Grand Entertainment Complex in Toronto. The #BOSC22 awards challenge 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.
Preliminary competitions were held on August 15th in Ottawa at Play Food and Wine, in Niagara at 124 on Queen St. Hotel and Spa at The Gatehouse Bistro, and in Toronto at SIPS, consisting of written exams and a blind tasting of a curated list of high profile wines and spirits. A call for donated wines to participate and be tested in the competition went out industry-wide and is ongoing; wines selected now would be tasted at the finals.
The top five scoring semi-finalists are:
Justin Madol, Sommelier, Don Alfonso 1890 Toronto
Connor Gallagher, Sommelier, Atelier, Ottawa
Nathan Hooper, Sommelier, Grand Cru Deli / Sommelier Factory, Toronto
Christian Perreault Hamel, General Manager / Sommelier, Pompette, Co-owner, Pelican Wines Toronto
Christophe Reitz, Sommelier, Quatrefoil Restaurant, Dundas
Christian Perreault Hamel
All competitors must be CAPS Ontario members in good standing and currently working in the industry; the five sommeliers compete next in Toronto in November, with the BOSC grand prize winner going on to represent at the Best Canadian Sommelier Competition (BCSC).
The celebrated judging panel at BOSC 2022 will include Jennifer Huether, MS, José Luis Fernández, winner of BOSC 2019, and Pier-Alexis Soulière, MS, and Best Sommelier Canada, 2021. Tickets and tables for the BOSC fundraiser event on November 14th will go on sale in September; more information is available at https://on.sommelierscanada.ca/.
“It is our goal at CAPS to provide a safe and nurturing environment for wine professionals to continue their education while refining their skills by offering the opportunity to taste great wines and showcase their knowledge,” explained James Peden, 2022-2023 CAPS Ontario president, and director of operations at Liberty Entertainment Group. “We’re proud of these finalists and look forward to an intense, high level competition for the finals. It will be an event not to be missed, for anyone who loves wine and the hospitality industry,” he added.
Justin Madol
A toast to the community
Competitors in BOSC 2022 reflect the diverse spectrum of wine community in the province and include students representing the wine education spectrum of Court of Master Sommeliers, CAPS and WSET certified professionals. Facilitated by dedicated CAPS Ontario Board volunteers and sponsors, the events enable CAPS Ontario to better connect with its members and advance the sense of industry community within the provincial wine trade and associations. CAPS is sponsoring six Vinequity members through its membership and fundraising; funds raised from entry donations sponsors wine professionals requiring financial assistance and scholarships to further their careers. BOSC 2022 sponsorship and prize donor opportunities are still open and under review.
The BOSC 2022 final fundraiser event on November 14th at Liberty Grand in Toronto is a licensed event; attendees and participants must be 19 years of age. For More information, visit https://on.sommelierscanada.ca/.
