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I was invited to attend the CAPS-BC launch earlier this week at Hawksworth’s well-appointed York Room. The Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers in British Columbia is officially underway, part of a Canada-wide association that aims to raise awareness of the Sommelier profession and its value to both the hospitality industry and to the general public.

[Michelle Bouffard, Lesley Brown, Roger Maniwa, Sebastien Le Goff, Barbara Philip, Mark Taylor]

CAPS-BC provides a professional forum to promote wine through accreditation, events, instruction, and competition, offering a way to network amongst its members. CAPS has chapters in Quebec, Ontario, and Atlantic Canada, and with our ever-expanding Okanagan wine growing region, it was time for BC to represent.

Additionally, CAPS is affiliated with the Association de la Sommellerie Internationale (ASI) headquartered in Paris, a notable non-profit organization founded in 1969 to bring together the national sommellerie associations, participating in wine, spirits, and other drink events.

[Canapés by David Hawksworth]

Members of the newly-founded CAPS-BC board clinked glasses with the crowd, excited to launch a new chapter in our region’s wine community. Hawksworth Executive Chef David Hawksworth prepared canapés to enjoy with a selection of bubbly wines to help celebrate the big moment.

[Vice-President DJ Kearney with Chef David Hawksworth and Wine Educator/Writer Sid Cross]

The CAPS-BC board:
Michelle Bouffard, President
Barb Philip MW, Vice-President
DJ Kearney, Vice-President
Roger Maniwa, Secretary
Johnathan Lai, Treasurer
Mark Davidson, Education
Sebastien Le Goff, International Relations
Keith Nicholson, Communications and PR 
Mark Taylor, Events
Terry Threlfall, Competitions and Language Specialist
Lesley Brown, Membership

To learn more, visit the CAPS-BC website.