By Mike Lowe
Where there’s fine wine, there’s usually great food and Friday night’s 19th Annual Ontario Wine Awards Gala, held at Queen’s Landing in Niagara-on-the-Lake, showcased both in grand style.
The gala is not only a celebration of Ontario wine, it is also one of those rare opportunities for winery owners and winemakers to kick back, relax and enjoy the fruits of their labour.
Award winning wines are paired blind with the dishes served during dinner and it is only when the winners of the various categories are revealed that those in attendance know which wines they have tasted. It adds a bit of mystery and good-natured guesswork to the evening. Chef Marc Lyons and his staff did an outstanding job creating four courses, which played to the flavours in the wines.
Torchon of Quebec foie gras
The first plating featured foie gras accompanied with cracked pepper brioche, vanilla gastrique, and rhubarb. Precise acidity, focused citrus notes and cleansing minerality of the dry riesling that was matched with the dish slashed through the richness and mirrored the sweet/tart character of the rhubarb accent. The wine – Flat Rock Cellars Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling 2010.
Arctic Char
Arctic char is a delicate fish and the second dish’s components provided both contrasting and complementary elements. Smoky, sweet chili provided a punch of flavour and heat while the velvety fennel puree served as a faint anise background for the fish. The two components matched beautifully with what was later revealed to be Angels Gate 2010 Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon.
Duck breast with heirloom carrots
Before the third course arrives I can’t help nosing and tasting the wine for this one. The aromas, amped-up fruit profile, and juicy acidity of the 2012 Gamay was simply glorious. No surprise, then, that we find out the wine comes from Malivoire, multiple award winners again this year. This broad-shouldered Gamay easily stood up to the “soya stained” duck breast and earthy marinated heirloom carrots.
Szechuan-crusted beef tenderloin
With each course, flavours and textures ramp up culminating in a pairing that ends the dinner on a hight note. Szechuan-crusted beef tenderloin, buna-shimeji mushrooms, and a dumpling filled with pulled beef short rib is paired with a voluptuous red wine that seems very familiar. It turns out to be Pillitteri Estates 2010 Exclamation Cabernet Franc Reserve, a wine I recently discovered when visiting the winery. The wine also claimed the award for Red Wine of the Year.
Throughout the dinner award winners were announced and winemakers and winery staff congratulated each other with pats on the back and warm handshakes. In all, it was a grand night of celebration.
Sue-Ann Staff (left-wearing the “Rosé” tie), TV Celebrity Chef Christine Cushing, Tony Aspler (right)
Herbert Konzellman (right) and Fabian Reis (centre) accepting the award for their 2011 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal
Charlie Pillitteri (L) and Aleksandar Kolundzic with award for Red Wine of the Year
2013 Ontario Wine Awards — Wines by Flight
Flight 1 – Sparkling Wine (26)
Gold: The Thirteenth Street Wine Company 2008 Premier Cuvee 2008
Huff Estates 2007 Cuvee Peter F Huff
Silver: Angels Gate Winery 2010 Archangel Chardonnay
Bronze: Hernder Estates Winery 2007 Sparkling Riesling
Flight 2 – Riesling Dry (17)
Gold: Flatrock Cellars 2010 Nadja’s Vineyard
Daniel Lenko Estate Winery 2009 Reserve Riesling
Silver: John Howard Cellars of Distinction 2011 Traveller’s Series Riesling
Bronze: Hinterbrook Estate Winery 2011 Riesling
Flight 3 – Riesling Semi-Dry (25)
Gold: Tawse Winery 2010 Carly’s Block Riesling
Silver: Burning Kiln Winery 2011 Riesling
Bronze: Tawse Winery 2010 Sketches Riesling
Flight 4 – Dry White Varietals (less than 7g/l residual sugar) (9)
Gold: Inniskillin Wines Inc 2012 Reserve Viognier
Silver: Chateau des Charmes 2011 Aligote, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
Bronze: Nyarai Cellars 2012 Viognier
Flight 5 – Pinot Blanc (18)
Gold: Stoney Ridge Cellars 2011 Pinot Gris Excellence
Silver: Angels Gate Winery 2011 Pinot Gris
Bronze: Harwood Estate Vineyards 2011 Pinot Gris
Flight 6 – Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon (26)
Gold: Angels Gate Winery 2010 Sauvignon Blanc Semillon
Silver: Sandbanks Estate Winery 2011 Sauvignon Blanc
Bronze: Hillebrand Estates Winery 2012 Trius Sauvignon Blanc
Jackson Triggs 2011 Grand Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
Flight 7 – Cabernet Franc (27)
Gold: Pillitteri Estates Winery 2010 Exclamation Cabernet Franc
Hillebrand Estates Winery 2010 Showcase Red Shale Cabernet Franc ‘Clark Vineyard’
Silver: Lailey Vineyards 2010 Cabernet Franc
Bronze: Magnotta Winery 2011 Magnotta Cabernet Franc Special Reserve VQA
Inniskillin Wines Inc 2010 Winemaker’s Series Three Vineyards Cabernet Franc
Flight 8 – Merlot (29)
Gold: Malivoire Wine Company 2010 Stouck Merlot
Peller Estates Winery 2010 Signature Series Merlot
Silver: Rosewood Estates Winery 2010 Merlot Reserve/Wild Ferment
Bronze: Kacaba Vineyards 2010 Reserve Merlot
Flight 9 – Pinot Noir (33)
Gold: Willow Springs Winery 2010 Pinot Noir
Silver: Angels Gate Winery 2010 Mountainview Pinot Noir
Bronze: Flatrock Cellars 2010 Pinot Noir
(Flight 10 folded into Flight 21)
Flight 11 – Oaked Chardonnay, Over $20 (31)
Gold: Exultet Estates 2011 Chardonnay “the Blessed”
Stoney Ridge Cellars 2010 Chardonnay Excellence
Silver: Tawse Winery 2010 Quarry Road Chardonnay
Bronze: Huff Estates 2010 South Bay Chardonnay
Tawse Winery 2010 Estate Chardonnay
Flight 12 – Gewurztraminer (16)
No Gold Medals
Silver: Tawse Winery 2012 Quarry Road Gewurztraminer
Konzelmann Estate Winery 2011 Gewurztraminer Late Harvest
Bronze: Riverview Cellars Winery 2011 Riverview Cellars Gewurztraminer
Flight 13 – Oaked Chardonnay, Under $20 (18)
Gold: Rockway Glen Estate Winery 2011 Small Lot Reserve Chardonnay
Silver: Malivoire Wine Company 2011 Malivoire Chardonnay
Bronze: Burning Kiln Winery 2011 Cureman’s Chard
Flight 14 – Rose/Blanc de Noir (17)
Gold: Southbrook Farm & Winery 2011 Triomphe Cabernet Franc Rose
Silver: Coopers Hawk Vineyards 2011 Rose
Bronze: Chateau des Charmes 2012 Rose, Cuvee d’Andree, Estate Bottled
Tawse Winery 2012 Tawse Rose
Flight 15 – Unoaked Chardonnay (19)
Gold: Malivoire Wine Company 2012 Musque Spritz
Silver: Vineland Estates Winery 2010 Chardonnay Musque
Bronze: Vineland Estates Winery 2011 O’Leary Chardonnay
Flight 16 – Cabernet Sauvignon (20)
Gold: Tawse Winery 2010 Redstone Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver: Pondview Estate Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: Calamus Estate Winery 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon
Flight 17 – Syrah/Shiraz (14)
No Gold Medals
Silver: Rockway Glen Estate Winery 2010 Small Lot Reserve Syrah
Tawse Winery 2010 Syrah
Bronze: Lailey Vineyards 2011 Syrah
Flight 18 – Hybrid Reds (Marechal Foch, Baco Noir, …) (7)
No gold medals
Silver: Malivoire Wine Company 2011 Old Vines Foch
Sandbanks Estate Winery 2011 Baco Noir
Bronze: Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery 2011 Back From The Dead Red
Flight 19 – Meritage and Cabernet/Merlot blends (47)
Gold: Jackson Triggs 2010 Delaine Cabernet Merlot
Silver: The Foreign Affair Winery 2011 Dream
Vineland Estates Winery 2007 Cabernet Merlot Reserve
Bronze: Pondview Estate Winery 2010 Meritage
Flight 20 – Gamay (7)
Gold: Malivoire Wine Company 2012 Malivoire Gamay
Silver: Chateau des Charmes 2010 Gamay Noir ‘Droit’, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
Bronze: Malivoire Wine Company 2012 Small Lot Gamay
Flight 21 – Late Harvest Whites (7)
Gold: Konzelmann Estate Winery 2011 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal
Silver: Crooked Pine Vineyards Diamond Estates Winery 2012 Cabernet Franc Late Harvest
Bronze: Sandbanks Estate Winery 2011 Winter Harvest
Flight 22 – Icewine – Vidal (20)
Gold: Jackson Triggs 2008 Proprietors’ Reserve Vidal Icewine
Silver: Inniskillin Wines 2011 Gold Oak-Aged Vidal Icewine
Bronze: Inniskillin Wines 2008 Gold Oak-Aged Vidal Icewine
Flight 23 – Icewine – Vinifera (14)
Gold: Chateau des Charmes 2009 Riesling Icewine, Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard
Silver: Reif Estate Winery 2011 Riesling Icewine
Bronze: Jackson Triggs 2008 Grand Reserve Riesling Icewine
Flight 24 – Other Whites (24)
No gold medals
Silver: Small Talk Vineyards 2011 Faux Pas
Bronze: FRESH Wines Diamond Estates 2012 Moscato
Flight 25 – Other Reds (25)
Gold: Creekside Estate Winery 2007 Lost Barrel Red
Silver: Inniskillin Wines 2010 Legacy Shiraz Merlot
Bronze: Creekside Estate Winery 2010 Undercurrent Merazier
Top Scoring White wine: Exultet Estates 2011 Chardonnay ‘The Blessed’ (Average of 91.25 points)
Top Scoring Red wine: Pillitteri Estates Winery 2010 Exclamation Cabernet Franc (Average of 90.75 points)
Wine of the Year: Exultet Estates 2011 Chardonnay ‘The Blessed’
Winemaker of the Year: Marlize Beyers – Winemaker, Hidden Bench
Marlize (in the very top photo of this post) joined the Hidden Bench team in the spring of 2010 bringing with her a wealth of knowledge and experience making premium wine in Niagara and internationally.
In addition, Marlize has an intimate knowledge of working with estate grown, Bench fruit acquired over the last five vintages working in Niagara.
A graduate of the renowned University of Stellenbosch, Viticulture and Oenology program, Marlize is extremely well qualified and passionate to carry on and enhance Hidden Bench’s reputation for making benchmark, terroir driven wines from its three estate vineyards. Marlize’s belief that winemaking is a craft, supported by a healthy dose of science meshes very well with Hidden Bench’s quality-focused attention to detail from vineyard to bottle and natural winemaking style.
When Marlize is not busy in the vineyard or the cellar, she can be found travelling or working in her garden with her husband Meiring and their young son David or on a running or mountainbike trail staying fit.
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