Note: Cuvee 2011 unveiled the winners of the wine awards at a gala celebration in Niagara Falls Friday night. Here is the news release along with a list of all the winners:
Niagara Falls, ON, March 4, 2011 — The highly anticipated results of the prestigious Cuvée Wine Awards were announced in Niagara Falls this evening during the Cuvée Gala, known as the “Oscars” of the Ontario wine industry.
The Cuvée Wine Awards are the only awards in Canada where the winning wines are chosen by the winemakers. The judging process upholds strict criteria for the award winners and the wines selected for pouring at the Gala. This year, 50 winemakers tasted over 270 wines from 62 wineries to determine the winners.
Each participating winery enters its four best wines into the competition and can also present two wines distributed through the LCBO to compete in the Best LCBO Red Wine and Best LCBO White Wine categories.
Wineries sell the coveted award winning wines at their winery boutiques over the Cuvée weekend, where they traditionally sell out within a matter of days. Consumers can shop for these wines and experience special tastings during Cuvée En Route, the weekend passport program that takes place at participating wineries Friday March 4 through Sunday, March 6.
Proceeds from Cuvée Weekend go to the Niagara Community Foundation and are used in its work with community groups across the region.
Cuvée Awards 2011
Red Wine / WINNER
sponsored by Scott Laboratories
Thirty Bench Wine Makers
Small Lot Cabernet Franc 2007
Limited Edition Red Wine / WINNER
sponsored by Sun Media Niagara Publishing Group
Megalomaniac — John Howard Cellars of Distinction
Sous Terre Cabernet Merlot Reserve 2007
White Wine / WINNER
sponsored by Scott Laboratories
Riverview Cellars Winery
Gewürztraminer 2009
Limited Edition White Wine / WINNER
sponsored by Vines – Sun Media Niagara Publishing Group
Creekside Estate Winery
Queenston Road Vineyard Reserve Viognier 2009
LCBO Red Wine / WINNER
EastDell Estates Winery
Black Cab 2009
LCBO White Wine / WINNER
Jackson Triggs Niagara Estate
Black Series Sauvignon Blanc 2009
Sweet Wine / WINNER
sponsored by Bruni Glass Packaging Canada
Inniskillin Wines
Riesling Icewine 2008
Limited Edition Sweet Wine / WINNERS
Strewn
Riesling Icewine 2008 1ST PLACE
Stoney Ridge Cellars
Gewürztraminer Icewine Barrel Fermented Barrel Aged 2009 2ND PLACE
Sparkling Wine / WINNERS
13th Street Winery
Premier Cuvée NV 1ST PLACE
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
Cuvee Catherine Rosé Brut NV 2ND PLACE
Hillebrand Winery
Trius Brut NV 3RD PLACE
Chardonnay / WINNERS
Niagara College Teaching Winery
Dean’s List Chardonnay 2009 1ST PLACE
Pondview Estate Winery
Barrel Fermented / Aged Chardonnay 2009 2ND PLACE
Riesling / WINNERS
Twenty Twenty-Seven Cellars
Fox Croft Vineyard Riesling 2009 1ST PLACE
Cave Spring Cellars
Riesling CSV 2008 2ND PLACE
Gewürztraminer / WINNER
Riverview Cellars Winery
Gewürztraminer 2009
Sauvignon Blanc / WINNERS
Creekside Estate Winery
Creekside Estate Vineyard, Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2009 1ST PLACE
Five Rows Craft Wine of Lowrey Vineyards
Sauvignon Blanc 2009 2ND PLACE
White Assemblage / WINNER
Stonechurch Vineyards
Quintet White 2009
Pinot Grigio / Pinot Gris / WINNER
Five Rows Craft Wine of Lowrey Vineyards
Pinot Gris 2009
Viognier / WINNER
Creekside Estate Winery
Queenston Road Vineyard Reserve Viognier 2009
Cabernet Sauvignon / WINNER
Strewn
Cabernet Sauvignon Terroir 2007
Cabernet Franc / WINNERS
Thirty Bench Wine Makers
Small Lot Cabernet Franc 2007 1ST PLACE
Kacaba Vineyards
Reserve Cabernet Franc 2007 2ND PLACE
Meritage / WINNER
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
Reserve Cabernet Merlot 2007
Merlot / WINNER
Hillebrand Winery
Showcase Merlot ‘Carlton Vineyard’ 2007
Red Assemblage / WINNER
Nyarai Cellars
Veritas 2007
Syrah/Shiraz / WINNERS
Jackson Triggs Niagara Estate
Delaine Vineyard Syrah 2007 1ST PLACE
Stonechurch Vineyards
Syrah Reserve 2007 2ND PLACE
Tony Aspler Cuvée Award of Excellence / WINNER
sponsored by Tony Aspler
Bill Redelmeier of Southbrook Vineyards:
For selflessly promoting the Ontario wine industry in London and New York. (Bill organized and arranged for Ontario Chardonnays to be blind-tasted by leading wine writers in Toronto to select the best to be shown to the trade and wine press in London and New York).
Cuvée Award of Excellence in Viticulture / WINNER
sponsored by BASF Canada Inc.
Kevin Donohue, Colio Estate Wines Inc.
What happened to the Pinot Noir this year?
Just wasn’t one that scored high enough. Very strange, but true.