PROVINCE WELL REPRESENTED IN WINEALIGN AWARDS
The results are in from the 2017 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada.
With just over 1,700 wines entered, from 242 wineries across Canada, it was largest collection of Canadian wines ever in one room, and it was similarly the most diverse set of labels ever judged in Canada.
I have been involved with awards since the beginning in 2001 and currently act as the co-head judge with Torontobased David Lawrason, who has also been in attendance for all 17 competitions.
The wines were judged over five days in Wolfville, N.S., by 22 judges from seven provinces, and Britain. All wines are judged blind (producer, origin, and price are not revealed) but identified and organized into flights by grape variety, or style. The top medallists were tasted in multiple rounds by up to 14 judges, who taste a limited quantity of wines each day to keep their palates fresh.
The wines came from eight provinces. British Columbia had the highest representation with 132 wineries entered, Ontario was second with 77, followed by Nova Scotia, Quebec, New Brunswick, Saskatchewan, Alberta and Prince Edward Island.
Since the selling of Canadian wines across the country remains a mess, today we confine our remarks to the top B.C. entries, likely still available somewhere in the province.
Ontario dominated the Top 10 wineries in the country this year, taking the first three spots with Redstone Winery, Thirty Bench Wine Makers, and Tawse Winery, before Road 13 Vineyards, Mission Hill, Quails’ Gate, and Burrowing Owl Estate Winery took spots four through seven respectively for B.C.
Positions eight, nine, and 10 went to Benjamin Bridge (NS), Trius Winery (ON), and Naramata-based La Frenz respectively.
The best performing small wineries category was dominated by B.C., with La Frenz, Meyer Family Vineyards, and Lake Breeze finishing first, second and third, followed by Kacaba Vineyards (ON), Daydreamer Wines and Laughing Stock Vineyards (B.C.), Hidden Bench (ON), Moon Curser (B.C.), Leaning Post Wines and Kew Vineyards (ON).
The awards hand out platinum medals to the top scoring wines
that make up a mere one per cent of the total entries — there were 20 awarded out with 1700 wines competing in 2017.
The B.C. platinum stars included Tantalus 2014 Old Vines Riesling ($35), Bench 1775 2012 Blanc De Blanc ($28.90), La Frenz 2015 Ensemble Reserve ($25), Burrowing Owl 2015 Syrah ($43.95), Lake Breeze 2014 Syrah Torok Vineyard ($30), The Similkameen Collective 2014 GSM ($50) and Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series 2012 Tempranillo Icewine ($86.99).
The highest scoring B.C. gold medal winners, starting with the whites, were: Meyer 2015 Tribute Series Chardonnay Old Main Road Vineyard ($33), Thornhaven 2016 Gewürztraminer ($17.90), Arrowleaf 2016 Pinot Gris ($16.50), Kraze Legz 2016 Skaha Vineyard Pinot Blanc ($21.49), and the Culmina 2016 Unicus Grüner Veltliner (White Single Variety, $30).
Golden reds were Harper’s Trail 2015 Cabernet Franc Thadd Springs Vineyard ($29.90), Burrowing Owl 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon ($44.95), Painted Rock 2014 Malbec ($50), Blasted Church 2014 Merlot ($26.90), Privato 2014 Tesoro Pinot Noir Woodward Collection ($36.42), and Moon Curser 2013 Tannat (red single variety, $43).
The rest of the golds went to Enrico 2016 Fair Maiden Blanc De Noir (Rosé, $19.90), Orofino 2016 Gamay ($23), and Quails’ Gate 2016 Botrytis Affected Optima (late harvest, $31.15).
Congratulations to all who entered — it takes confidence and a great deal of intestinal fortitude to be judged against your peers. Our weekend picks feature some top scoring labels from the nationals, surprisingly sold in government stores.
Find the full results online at WineAlign.com.