The Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) – Canada’s only national sommelier association — is delighted to announce that from October 17th – 20th, the top sommeliers from across Canada will compete in the Best Sommelier of Canada Competition.
VQA Wines of Ontario has partnered with the CAPS Ontario chapter to present the competition’s live stream, which will showcase the top three performers in a 3-hour, multi-camera broadcast live from Penticton, BC in the Okanagan Valley on October 19th at 3:00 PM ET.
In anticipation of the event, VQA Wines of Ontario and CAPS Ontario are proud to present Bring It Home Week running October 12th – 16th designed to rally support for the competitors and to raise awareness about Ontario’s acclaimed hospitality industry. Ontarians are encouraged to enjoy responsibly and show support for the province’s farmers, winemakers, sommeliers, and chefs by bringing home seasonal, locally sourced ingredients and toasting the harvest season with a perfectly paired Ontario VQA wine.
“Canada’s sommelier community is vitally important for the entire local Ontario wine industry as they are our storytellers,” said Magdalena Kaiser, director of public relations, Wine Marketing Association of Ontario. “VQA Wines of Ontario is proud to be supporting their profession through this national competition.”
Each day of Bring it Home Week highlights a new video featuring CAPS sommeliers and wine professionals enjoying the bounty of Ontario’s seasonal harvest and celebrating the taste of home with a world class, Ontario VQA wine. Bring It Home Week runs with new content daily on the @CAPSOntario and @winecountryontario social media channels.
The schedule of celebration
Oct. 12 Bring it Home launch with Magdalena Kaiser featuring Manuel Gonzalez of Treadwell Cuisine
Oct. 13 Team Ontario with Best of Canada competitors, sommeliers Emily Pearce and José Luis Fernández
Oct. 14 Ontario Sommelier Selections featuring favourite VQA varieties with sommeliers, Beverly Crandon, José Luis Fernández, Manuel Gonzalez, Nick Oliveiro, Emily Pearce, and Michelle Smith
Oct. 15 Toronto’s Chez Nous – 100% VQA Wine Bar with Laura Carr
Oct. 19 3:00 – 6:00 PM ET VQA Wines of Ontario presents Best Sommelier of Canada Live Stream on CAPS Canada YouTube, Facebook, and the Event Live platform here
For more information about the Best Sommelier of Canada Competition click here.
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. Visit www.sommelierscanada.com, follow @caps_bc, @ACSP-Quebec @caps_ac and @caps.ontario, and tag #CAPS #sommunity #bringithome #supportlocal #BSOC #capsontario #vqawines.
