National Jeunes Sommelier Competition 2026
Junxing (James) Li to Represent Canada in Sweden!
The Chaine des Rôtisseurs Alberta Young Sommelier Competition started in 2018 with six competitors. In 2024, Alberta’s regional competition morphed into a national competition with the winner going on to represent Canada internationally in Lisbon, Portugal. Today, the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs Young Sommelier Competition is the only competition in Canada designed specifically to test and develop young Sommeliers and wine professionals. The goal of the competition is to encourage and promote the development of young wine professionals.
Candidates for this year’s competition had to be over 21 years old and born after September 10, 1998. The 2026 competition had two stages.
The first stage of the Canadian National Young Sommeliers Competition was held on February 21, 2026. We thank our volunteer Proctors for their assistance: in Toronto, Francesca Tan (Executive Chef, Ontario Raquet Club), in Montreal, Michel Busch, (Bailli Honoraire de Montréal), in Winnipeg: Tony Catanese, (Bailli Délégué of Canada) and in Calgary: Linda Robinson (Échanson du Canada) and Llyn Strelau (Vice Échanson).
Six candidates for the National Crown emerged:
Gabriella Desbiens-Richard (Montreal)
Benjamin Lemire (Montreal)
Junxing (James) Li (Toronto)
Paige Jasper (Winnipeg)
Kiara Flotten (Calgary)
Isaiah Santos (Calgary)
The candidates convened in Calgary on March 28, 2026 for the National Finals. This segment let the candidates show their skills at tableside wine service: Formal Champagne service, decanting of a mature red wine, an exercise in menu pairing, in addition to blind wine tasting to test their palates. The young Somms competed for:
1st Place
1st place medal
$1000.00 Cash Prize
2nd Place
2nd place medal
$500.00 Cash Prize
3rd Place
3rd place medal
$250.00 Cash Prize
And the winner was Toronto’s Junxing (James) Li who will represent Canada at the International Competition in Båstad, Sweden October 14 -18, 2026.
A special thank you to Linda Robinson, our National Echanson and Llyn Strelau, Vice-Echanson for Calgary, for coordinating this important competition.
Thank you to our sponsors Pacific Wine & Spirits; The Ranchman’s Club Calgary; Champagne Taittinger; Maison Joseph Drouhin; Willow Park Wines and Spirits; Worldwide Specialty Foods Ltd; William Bincoletto (Edmonton); Robert Kulhawy; Llyn Strelau. Our hotel sponsor for the competition is the Carriage House Inn of Calgary, thanks to Cam Pinkney, Calgary Bailliage member.
And thank you to our Judges, without whose time and assistance this completion would not be possible:
Stas Anikin, Vice Conseiller Gastronomique
Susan Bauerfind, Argentier for the Chaîne Foundation
William Bincoletto, Maître Sommelier (Edmonton)
Toni-Marie Ion-Brown, Chancelière du Canada
Ashley, Vice Chargée de Presse
Corinne Fiesel, Vice Chargée de Missions
Robert Kulhawy, Chevalier
Mel Miners, Vice Argentier
Luis Obregon, Maître Sommelier
Cam Pinkney, Maître Sommelier
Liana Robberecht, Maître Rotisseur
Linda Robinson, Échanson du Canada
Peter Smolarz, Sommelier
Llyn Strelau, Vice Échanson
Click here for more information on the completion background, rules and application procedures.