Christian Perreault Hamel – Winning Best Sommelier of Ontario and Building Harbour 60’s 3,600 SKU Wine List

In this episode, I sit down with Christian Perreault Hamel, Best Sommelier of Ontario, Wine Director at Harbour 60, and owner of Pelican Wine Imports. At Harbour 60, Christian oversees one of the largest restaurant wine programs in Canada, with roughly 3,600 SKUs and about 25,000 bottles. We talk about what it takes to manage a wine list of that size while still providing personalized service.Christian shares his path from the arts into hospitality, learning wine in Montreal, deepening his passion in France, and working in Massachusetts before returning to Canada. He reflects on his formative years at Au Pied de Cochon in Montreal and his move to Toronto during COVID, where he became GM of Pompette before stepping into the role of Wine Director at Harbour 60.We also discuss the challenges of balancing profitability with hospitality, his pursuit of the Master Sommelier diploma, building a wine agency with Pelican Wine Imports, and the lessons he has learned along the way.Finally, Christian offers candid advice for young professionals who want to build a career in wine and hospitality.If you want an inside look at what it takes to run one of Canada’s most ambitious wine programs and build a life in wine, this is an episode you won’t want to miss.Christian Perreault-Hamel – Winning Best Sommelier of Ontario, Harbour 60’s Award-Winning Wine List, and Keeping Hospitality Fun00:00 – Introduction01:48 – From Art to Wine Bars 04:30 – France & WSET Training 05:34 – US Wine Experience 07:08 – Montreal to Toronto Move 11:51 – Joining Pompette During COVID 16:10 – Pompette Growth & Awards 18:17 – Port Tongs & Service Theatrics 20:54 – Joining Harbour 60 24:13 – Building a Global Wine List 29:11 – Flood Reset & Buying Strategy 33:43 – Managing 25,000 Bottles 35:33 – What Guests Really Order 39:20 – Canadian Wine Trends 40:53 – Harbour 60 Beverage Mix 43:04 – Profitability vs Hospitality 48:12 – Smart Markups & Guest Value 51:05 – Sommelier Competitions 01:01:15 – Pursuing the MS Pin 01:05:25 – Launching Pelican Wine Imports 01:08:03 – Evolving Personal Taste 01:10:55 – Desert Island Wine Picks 01:12:19 – Keeping Wine Fun 01:15:15 – Advice & Wrap-Up🙌 Enjoyed the episode?Follow, rate, and review Tasting Notes Toronto on your favorite podcast platform — it really helps others discover the show. And don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss an episode.Champagne: Cork Pop and Pour by ultradust -- https://freesound.org/s/166923/ -- License: Attribution 4.0