NOTE: This the press release issued by the Ontario Wine Awards along with a list of the winners.
Friday, June 10, 2011 – Niagara-on-the-Lake – Since 1995, the Ontario Wine Awards (OWA) have been celebrating the Ontario VQA Wine industry, and accrediting some of the finest and most respected wines Ontario has to offer.
As the Ontario Wine Industry has grown, so has this event. Joined by guest celebrity Laura Calder, host of Food Network’s French Food at Home and a judge on the upcoming series Recipe to Riches, the 2011 Ontario Wine Awards Gala didn’t hesitate to roll out the red carpet.
The evening began with a sparkling wine reception allowing the who’s who of the wine world to mix and mingle with each other and gala VIP’s. The perfect way to kick-off Ontario Wine Week!
As the guests settled into their seats, Laura Calder took to the mic as the gala MC, and welcomed vintners, winery principals, sponsors and industry professionals alike.
During the awards ceremony, a delicious five-course meal was served by Queen’s Landing’s Executive Chef Mark Lyons, inspired by and created with locally produced, grown and raised Ontario foods. Each course was paired with an Ontario Wine Awards Gold Medal Winning Wine, highlighting and celebrating the abundance of quality flavour available from Ontario.
This year, with an outstanding 452 wine submissions from 63 wineries, Tony Aspler, Founder of the Ontario Wine Awards and Order of Canada Recipient, readily announced, “This year’s competition showed that Ontario Winemakers don’t have to rely on a stellar year like 2007 to make great wines. Undoubtedly, we are entering the Golden Age of Ontario wines.”
The Ontario Wine Awards recognize VQA varietal quality in 26 different categories such as Dry Riesling and Cabernet Franc, and acknowledge winners in Bronze, Silver and Gold Medal levels. There are also distinctive awards given out 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 Vintage Hotels. The ‘Red Wine of the Year’ was awarded to Flat Rock Cellars 2007 The Rogue Syrah, and the ‘White Wine of the Year’ was awarded to Château des Charmes 2008 ‘Old Vines’ Riesling Estate Bottled.
The Vintage Hotels ‘Winemaker of the Year’ award, went to the deserving Paul Pender from Tawse Winery. 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.
Beppi Crosariol, of The Globe and Mail, received this year’s VINES Magazine ‘Wine Journalism Award’, which recognizes the best article published in 2010 on the Ontario wine industry. His article ‘Hot growing season spells a great year for Niagara vintages’, ran in The Globe and Mail, September 8, 2010.
New to the award line-up this year to honour the memory of Larry Paterson, was the Larry Paterson Innovation in the Vineyard Award. Larry, who called himself the Little Fat Wino, was a tireless proponent of winegrowing in Ontario and an inspiration to those who wanted to plant vineyards in areas outside VQA’s designated boundaries. The executive committee of the Grape Growers of Ontario chose Deborah Paskus of Closson Chase Vineyards as the recipient of this inaugural award.
The Ontario Wine Awards expresses a sincere ‘thank you’ to everyone’s contribution and support for making the evening a huge success.
2011 Ontario Wine Awards – Final Results
Vintage Hotels Winemaker of the Year Award
Paul Pender, Tawse Winery
Larry Paterson Innovation in the Vineyard Award
Deborah Paskus, Closson Chase Vineyards
Vintage Hotels Red Wine of the Year Award
Flat Rock Cellars 2007 The Rogue Syrah
Vintage Hotels White Wine of the Year Award
Château des Charmes 2008 ‘Old Vines’ Riesling Estate Bottled
VINES Magazine Wine Journalism Award
Beppi Crosariol, The Globe and Mail
Q water Sparkling Wine Award
Gold: Peller Estates NV Ice Cuvée Rosé
Silver: Château des Charmes 2008 Rosé Sparkling Methode Traditionnelle
Bronze: Henry of Pelham Family Estate NV Cuvée Catharine Brut Bronze: Peller Estates NV Ice Cuvée
Gold: Château des Charmes 2008 ‘Old Vines’ Riesling Estate Bottled
Silver: Henry of Pelham Family Estate 2008 Riesling
Bronze: Thirty Bench 2009 Small Lot Riesling Steel Post Vineyard
680News Semi-Dry Riesling Award
Gold: Mike Weir Estate 2008 Riesling
Silver: Hillebrand Estates 2009 Showcase Riesling Four Mile Creek Vineyard
Silver: Flat Rock Cellars 2009 Riesling Bronze: Tawse 2010 Quarry Road
Luxor Realty Inc. Dry White Varietal Award
Gold: Nyarai Cellars 2010 Viognier Gold: Creekside Estate 2009 Viognier Reserve
Silver: Konzelmann Estate 2008 Riesling Traminer Late Harvest
Bronze: Château des Charmes 2009 Aligoté Estate Bottled
Gewurztraminer Award
Gold: No Gold Awarded
Silver: Konzelmann Estate 2008 Gewurztraminer
Bronze: Malivoire Wine Company 2010 Gewurztraminer
Houselink Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris Award
Gold: Calamus Estate 2009 Pinot Gris
Silver: Fielding Estate 2009 Pinot Gris
Bronze: Inniskillin 2010 Pinot Grigio
The Wine Establishment Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Award
Gold: Jackson Triggs 2009 Gold Series Fumé Blanc
Silver: Creekside Estate 2009 Sauvignon Blanc Reserve
Bronze: Jackson Triggs 2009 Gold Series White Meritage
680News Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Under $20
Gold: Magnotta Winery 2007 Chardonnay Special Reserve
Silver: Stoney Ridge Estate 2009 Warren Classic Chardonnay
Bronze: Lailey Vineyard 2009 Chardonnay
NOW Magazine Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Over $20
Gold: Exultet Estates 2009 Chardonnay
Silver: Tawse 2009 Robyn’s Block Chardonnay
Bronze: Coyote’s Run Estate 2009 Red Paw Vineyard Chardonnay
Bullfrog Power Unoaked Chardonnay Award
Gold: Niagara College Teaching Winery 2009 Unoaked Chardonnay
Silver: Vineland Estates 2009 Chardonnay Musqué Bronze:
Tawse 2010 Chardonnay Musqué
VINES Magazine Rosé/Blanc de Noir Award
Gold: Flat Rock Cellars 2009 The Rogue Pinot Noir
Silver: Malivoire Wine Company 2010 Ladybug Rosé
Bronze: Palatine Hills Estate 2010 Cabernet Franc Rosé
Bronze: Tawse 2010 Sketches Rosé
Bronze: Southbrook Vineyards 2010 Connect Organic Rosé
Crush Wine Bar Gamay Award
Gold: Malivoire Wine Company 2010 M2 Small Lot Gamay
Silver: Malivoire Wine Company 2010 Gamay
Bronze: Malivoire Wine Company 2009 Courtney Gamay
Grape Growers of Ontario Pinot Noir Award
Gold: Tawse 2008 Laidlaw Pinot Noir
Silver: Stoney Ridge Estate 2009 Excellence Pinot Noir
Bronze: Rosewood Estates 2009 Pinot Noir Reserve
Red Hybrid Award
Gold: No Gold Awarded
Silver: Sandbanks Estate 2008 Foch Reserve
Bronze: Sandbanks Estate 2009 Baco Noir
Niagara Airbus Cabernet Sauvignon Award
Gold: Fielding Estate 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver: Southbrook Vineyards 2007 Whimsy Cabernet Sauvignon Lot 19
Bronze: Strewn 2007 Terroir Cabernet Sauvignon
680News Cabernet Franc Award
Gold: Kacaba Vineyards 2007 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Silver: Hillebrand Estates 2008 Showcase Cabernet Franc ‘Carlton Vineyard’
Silver: Peller Estates 2008 Signature Series Cabernet Franc
Bronze: Pillitteri Estates 2007 Exclamation Cabernet Franc Reserve
Bronze: Rosewood Estates 2008 Cabernet Franc
Merlot Award
Gold: No Gold Awarded
Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2007 Merlot Reserve
Bronze: Hillebrand Estates 2007 Showcase Merlot ‘Carlton Vineyard’
Dairy Farmers of Canada Syrah/Shiraz Award
Gold: Flat Rock Cellars 2007 The Rogue Syrah
Silver: Lakeview Cellars 2007 Syrah Reserve (Diamond Estates-The Winery)
Bronze: Southbrook Vineyards 2009 Triomphe Syrah
Bronze: Kacaba Vineyards 2008 Syrah
Bronze: Creekside Estate 2007 Shiraz Reserve
The Ontario Wine Society Meritage and Cabernet/Merlot Blends Award
Gold: Kacaba Vineyards 2007 Meritage Reserve
Silver: Vineland Estates 2007 Cabernet Merlot Reserve
Bronze: Magnotta Winery 2007 Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon Special Reserve
VIA Rail Canada Late Harvest Award
Gold: Konzelmann Estate 2008 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal
Silver: Château des Charmes 2008 Late Harvest Riesling Estate Bottled
Bronze: Calamus Estate 2009 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal
Grape Growers of Ontario Vidal Icewine Award
Gold: Inniskillin 2007 Pearl Vidal Icewine
Silver: Inniskillin 2008 Sparkling Icewine
Bronze: Inniskillin 2006 Oak-Aged Vidal Icewine
LCBO Vinifera Icewine Award
Gold: Magnotta Winery 2007 Cabernet Franc Icewine Limited Edition
Silver: Mike Weir Estate 2008 Cabernet Icewine
Bronze: Peller Estates 2008 Signature Series Cabernet Franc Icewine
Allen’s Blended White Award
Gold: Peninsula Ridge Estates 2009 Top Bench White
Silver: Hinterbrook 2010 Cabernet Franc Blanc
Bronze: Legends Estates 2010 Truth
Allen’s Blended Red Award
Gold: Wayne Gretzky Estates 2008 Estate Series Shiraz/Cabernet
Silver: Reif Estate 2009 The Magician
Bronze: Vineland Estates 2009 Pinot Meunier
ASL Print FX Best Label Design Award
Gold: Kacaba Vineyards 2008 Single Vineyard Syrah
Silver: Lakeview Cellars 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve
Bronze: Fielding Estate 2007 Chosen Few Red
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