Sommelier of the Year

Shane Taylor, wine director, CinCin Ristorante + Bar

The Sommelier of the Year Award recognizes working sommeliers who consistently demonstrate an outstanding passion for marrying wine with food and a dedication to exceptional service. Shane Taylor was selected through a hands-on competition organized by the BC Chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers.

A native of Prince Edward Island, Shane is a graduate of the Atlantic Tourism and Hospitality Institute and holds the WSET Diploma in Wine and Spirits. He recently qualified as Advanced Sommelier from the London-based Court of Master Sommeliers, one of the wine world’s most senior and prestigious accreditations. Shane’s early days were spent at the Relais Gourmand White Barn Inn in Kennebunkport, Maine. In the U.K., he served at Glenapp Castle and Chapter One, both Michelin-starred, before moving to Canada in 2005 to join Araxi. In 2008, he became Assistant Wine Director of another sister restaurant, Blue Water Cafe.