News

Cuvee winners announced at gala event: Full list

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.