The 24 Annual Ontario Wine Awards Competition proved just how vital and confident the province’s wine industry is in a mouth-watering display of products entered in all categories — from sparklers, rosés, dry, off-dry, aromatic and sweet whites to light to full-bodied reds and appassimento-style red wines.
Note: This is from a news release from the Ontario Wine Awards
“Ontario’s newest small wineries showed very well, competing against the established producers,” said OWA’s founder, Tony Aspler. “The arrival of new, young, highly-trained winemakers augurs well for the future of the industry on local and international levels.”
This year, there were 468 wine submissions from 72 wineries. The Ontario Wine Awards recognize VQA varietal quality in 25 different categories and acknowledge winners at Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal levels. There are also awards of distinction honouring the Winemaker of the Year, White Wine of the Year, Red Wine of the Year, Wine Journalism Award, and Best Label Design. In order to acknowledge both red and white varietals, there are two “Wine of the Year” awards, sponsored by Allen’s. The “Red Wine of the Year” was awarded to The Farm 2015 Pinot Noir Mason Vineyard, and the “White Wine of the Year” was awarded to 13th Street 2012 Premier Cuvée. The Quench Magazine “Winemaker of the Year” award went to Norman Hardie, Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard. This award recognizes the winemaker’s consistent quality production across his portfolio, successes as demonstrated by additional wine awards, and his overall contribution to the wine industry. Sarah Parniak received this year’s VQA Wines of Ontario “Wine Journalism Award,” which recognized her article in Toronto Life – “There’s never been a better time (seriously) to drink wine in Ontario. Here’s why.”
Tony Aspler and the iYellow Wine Club would like to announce a third year partnership that brings to life the Ontario Wine Awards, the best of VQA wines and Ontario Wine Week. Join us in celebrating WINETARIO on June 21 at Arta Gallery in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District. More information can be found at www.iyellowwineclub.com.
2018 Ontario Wine Awards
Quench Magazine Winemaker of the Year Award
Norman Hardie, Norman Hardie Winery and Vineyard
Allen’s Red Wine of the Year Award
The Farm 2015 Pinot Noir, Mason Vineyard
Allen’s White Wine of the Year Award
13th Street 2012 Premier Cuvée
VQA Wines of Ontario Wine Journalism Award
Sarah Parniak
ASL Print FX Best Label Design Award
Gold: Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards 2016 Unoaked Chardonnay
Silver: The Hare Wine Co. 2015 Frontier Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: Trius 2017 Rosé
Cogeco Sparkling Wine Award ~ Traditional Method
Gold: 13th Street 2012 Premier Cuvée
Gold: Megalomaniac NV Bubblehead
Silver: Angels Gate 2012 Archangel Chardonnay Sparkling
Silver: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2014 Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Brut
Bronze: Redstone 2015 Sparkling Rosé
Bronze: Kew Vineyards Estate 2013 Blanc de Noirs
Niagara Airbus Sparkling Wine Award ~ Cuve Close
Gold: Casa-Dea Estates 2016 Dea’s Rosé
Silver: Pelee Island 2014 Secco
Bronze: Colio Estate Wines NV Lily Sparkling
Fine Wine Reserve Dry Riesling Award
Gold: Between The Lines 2016 Riesling
Silver: PondView Estate 2016 Riesling
Bronze: Ravine Vineyard 2017 Small Batch Riesling
Benchmark Restaurant Semi-Dry Riesling Award
Gold: Rockway Vineyards 2015 Small Lot Riesling
Gold: Trius 2016 Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek Vineyard
Silver: Niagara College Teaching Winery 2016 Balance Semi-Dry Riesling
Bronze: Two Sisters Vineyards 2016 Riesling
Dry White Varietal Award
Gold: No Gold Awarded
Silver: Redstone 2016 Redfoot Vineyard Viognier
Silver: Kew Vineyards Estate 2016 Marsanne
Bronze: Wayne Gretzky Estates 2016 Estate Series White
George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts Gewurztraminer Award
Gold: Konzelmann Estate 2016 Gewürztraminer Late Harvest
Silver: Niagara College Teaching Winery 2016 Gewurztraminer
Bronze: Vieni Estates 2016 Gewurztraminer
VIA Rail Canada Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris Award
Gold: London Born 2016 South Kensington Pinot Blanc
Silver: Konzelmann Estate 2016 Pinot Grigio
Bronze: Legends Estates 2016 Barrel Fermented Pinot Gris
680 NEWS Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Award
Gold: Creekside Estate 2016 Iconoclast Semillon Sauvignon Blanc
Silver: Ravine Vineyard 2016 Sand & Gravel Sauvignon Blanc
Bronze: Peller Estates 2016 AP Signature Series Sauvignon
Cheese Boutique Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Under $20
Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2016 Winemaker’s Blend Chardonnay
Silver: Flat Rock Cellars 2016 Chardonnay
Bronze: Flat Rock Cellars 2016 Good Kharma Chardonnay
IWEG Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Over $20
Gold: Leaning Post Wines 2016 Chardonnay Clone 96
Gold: Tawse 2013 Quarry Road Chardonnay
Silver: Exultet Estates 2016 Chardonnay
Bronze: Château des Charmes 2015 Chardonnay, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College Unoaked Chardonnay Award
Gold: Two Sisters Vineyards 2016 Unoaked Chardonnay
Silver: Leaning Post Wines 2016 Chardonnay – The Fifty
Bronze: 13th Street 2016 June’s Vineyard Chardonnay
Niagara Airbus Rosé/Blanc de Noir Award
Gold: The Foreign Affair 2017 Amarosé
Silver: Creekside Estate 2017 Rosé
Bronze: Malivoire 2017 Ladybug
680 NEWS Gamay Award
Gold: Malivoire 2016 Courtney Gamay
Silver: Malivoire 2017 Small Lot Gamay
Bronze: Malivoire 2017 Gamay
Vin First Inc. Pinot Noir Award
Gold: The Farm 2015 Pinot Noir, Mason Vineyard
Gold: Kew Vineyards Estate 2014 Pinot Noir
Silver: Niagara College Teaching Winery 2015 Balance Pinot Noir
Silver: Domain Queylus 2013 Pinot Noir La Grande Réserve
Bronze: No Bronze Awarded
Grapes for Humanity Red Hybrid Award
Gold: Sandbanks 2017 Sleeping Giant
Silver: Vieni Estates 2014 Briganti Reserve
Bronze: Sandbanks 2016 Baco Noir Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon Award
Gold: No Gold Awarded
Silver: Creekside Estate 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver: The Lakeview Wine Co. 2015 Lakeview Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estates 2015 Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2015 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon
iYellow Wine Club Cabernet Franc Award
Gold: Tawse 2015 David’s Block Cabernet Franc
Silver: Megalomaniac 2015 Bespoke Cabernet Franc
Bronze: Peller Estates 2015 Private Reserve Cabernet Franc
The Printing House (TPH) Merlot Award
Gold: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2016 Montague Vineyard Merlot
Silver: The Lakeview Wine Co. 2015 Lakeview Cellars Merlot
Bronze: Peller Estates 2014 AP Signature Series Merlot
Quench Magazine Syrah/Shiraz Award
Gold: Creekside Estate 2015 Broken Press Syrah Reserve
Silver: Creekside Estate 2015 Iconoclast Syrah Bronze:
Creekside Estate 2016 Syrah
Fine Wine Reserve Meritage and Cabernet/Merlot Blends Award
Gold: The Foreign Affair 2015 Dream
Gold: The Foreign Affair 2015 Temptress
Silver: Reif Estate 2015 Meritage
Bronze: PondView Estate 2013 Bella Terra Meritage
Vintage Assessments Late Harvest Award
Gold: Hernder Estate Wines 2012 Late Harvest Riesling
Silver: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2016 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal
Bronze: Lundy Manor Wine Cellars 2016 Vidal Select
Wine Writers’ Circle of Canada Vidal Icewine Award
(in memory of Karl Kaiser)
Gold: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2015 Vidal Icewine Reserve
Silver: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2015 Grand Reserve Vidal Icewine
Silver: Nomad at Hinterbrook 2014 Oak-Aged Vidal Icewine
Bronze: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2016 Sparkling Vidal Icewine
LCBO Vinifera White Icewine Award
Gold: Magnotta 2016 Riesling Icewine
Gold: Nomad at Hinterbrook 2015 Riesling Icewine
Silver: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2017 Riesling Icewine
Bronze: Tawse 2013 Chardonnay Icewine
LCBO Vinifera Red Icewine Award
Gold: Château des Charmes 2016 Cabernet Icewine
Gold: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2016 Cabernet Franc Icewine
Silver: Riverview Cellars Estate 2017 Cabernet Franc Icewine
Bronze: Ferox by Fabian Reis 2016 Dornfelder Icewine – Single Barrel
George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts Appassimento Red Award
Gold: Magnotta 2013 G. Marquis Epic – The Silver Line
Silver: Reif Estate 2015 The Magician Shiraz Pinot
Bronze: The Foreign Affair 2015 Cabernet Franc
Quench Magazine Blended Red Award
Gold: Two Sisters Vineyards 2013 Stone Eagle Special Selection
Silver: Two Sisters Vineyards 2013 Eleventh Post
Bronze: Adamo Estate 2015 Petit Verdot
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