(From a news release) The 23rd year of the Ontario Wine Awards showed just how dynamic the contemporary Ontario wine industry is across the province — from the large companies to the boutique and garagiste producers. This year the awards ceremony was held at Niagara College and their Benchmark Restaurant, hosted by Rush’s legendary guitarist, Alex Lifeson.
Special guest this year was Dr. Dan Patterson, President of Niagara College, who rose to say a few words to the audience.
During the awards reception, held at Benchmark Restaurant, guests were treated to a selection of Gold Medal-Winning wines, paired with appetizers prepared by student chefs at the Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College.
This year, with 373 wine submissions from 54 wineries, Tony Aspler, Founder of the Ontario Wine Awards and Order of Canada Recipient, announced, ‘Ontario growers have suffered two difficult winters but winemakers have shown their expertise and experience in overcoming the obstacles Mother Nature has put in their path by producing high quality wines in spite of these trying vintages.’
The Ontario Wine Awards recognize VQA varietal quality in 25 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 Grape
Growers of Ontario. The ‘Red Wine of the Year’ was awarded to Château des Charmes 2012 Equuleus, Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard, and the ‘White Wine of the Year’ was awarded to Tawse 2015 Quarry Road Riesling.
The Quench Magazine ‘Winemaker of the Year’ award went to Shiraz Mottiar, Malivoire Wine. 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.
James Chatto received this year’s VQA Wines of Ontario ‘Wine Journalism Award’, which recognized his piece on
‘Celebrating Chardonnay’ in the Early Summer 2017 issue of LCBO Food & Drink. View his article here
Tony Aspler and the iYellow Wine Club would like to announce a second 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 21st, 2017 at Arta Gallery in Toronto’s Distillery Historic District. More information can be found here
The Award winners
Quench Magazine |
Winemaker of the Year Award
Shiraz Mottiar, Malivoire Wine
Grape Growers of Ontario |
Red Wine of the Year Award
Château des Charmes 2012 Equuleus, Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard
Grape Growers of Ontario |
White Wine of the Year Award
Tawse 2015 Quarry Road Riesling
VQA Wines of Ontario | Wine Journalism Award
James Chatto
ASL Print FX | Best Label Design Award
Gold: Creekside Estate 2016 Pinot Grigio
Silver: Exultet Estates 2014 Chardonnay
Bronze: Megalomaniac 2015 SonofaBitch Pinot Noir
Q water | Sparkling Wine Award
Gold: Magnotta N/V Blanc De Blancs
Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2016 Effervescence
Silver: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2013 Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Brut
Bronze: No Bronze Awarded
Fine Wine Reserve | Dry Riesling Award
Gold: Niagara College Teaching Winery 2015 Balance Dry Riesling
Silver: Central Valley 2015 Riesling
Bronze: Château des Charmes 2014 ‘Old Vines’ Riesling, Estate Bottled
Benchmark Restaurant | Semi-Dry Riesling Award
Gold: Tawse 2015 Quarry Road Riesling
Silver: Henry of Pelham Family Estate 2016 Estate Riesling
Bronze: Trius 2015 Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek Vineyard
Bronze: Adamo Estate 2016 Riesling Off Dry
Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College |
Dry White Varietal Award
Gold: Kew Vineyards Estate 2015 Marsanne
Silver: Rockway Vineyards 2016 9 White Spritz
Bronze: Strewn 2015 Two Vines Riesling Gewurztraminer
George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts |
Gewurztraminer Award
Gold: Konzelmann Estate 2014 Gewurztraminer Late Harvest
Silver: Reif Estate 2015 Gewurztraminer Reserve
Bronze: Trail Estate 2013 Gewurztraminer
VIA Rail Canada | Pinot Blanc/Pinot Gris Award
Gold: Sandbanks 2016 Pinot Grigio
Gold: Vieni Estates 2016 Pinot Grigio
Silver: No Silver Awarded
Bronze: Konzelmann Estate 2015 Pinot Blanc
680 NEWS | Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Award
Gold: Creekside Estate 2015 Iconoclast Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc
Gold: Trius 2015 Showcase Clean Slate Sauvignon Blanc Wild Ferment
Silver: No Silver Awarded
Bronze: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2015 Discovery Barrel Fermented Sauvignon Blanc
Cheese Boutique |
Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Under $20
Gold: Meldville Wines 2015 Chardonnay
Silver: Palatine Hills Estate 2012 Neufeld Vineyard Chardonnay
Bronze: Magnotta 2015 G. Marquis Chardonnay – The Silver Line
Bronze: 16 Mile Cellar 2013 Rebel Chardonnay
Quench Magazine |
Oaked Chardonnay Award ~ Over $20
Gold: Flat Rock Cellars 2014 The Rusty Shed Chardonnay
Silver: Tawse 2013 Quarry Road Chardonnay
Silver: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2014 Montague Vineyard
Bronze: No Bronze Awarded
Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College |
Unoaked Chardonnay Award
Gold: Kacaba Vineyards 2016 Unoaked Chardonnay
Silver: Creekside Estate 2016 Unoaked Chardonnay
Bronze: Konzelmann Estate 2015 Unoaked Chardonnay
Niagara Airbus | Rosé/Blanc de Noir Award
Gold: Malivoire Wine 2016 Ladybug Rosé
Silver: Château des Charmes 2016 Rosé, Cuvée d’Andrée, Estate Bottled
Bronze: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2015 Small Lot Rosé
680 NEWS | Gamay Award
Gold: Château des Charmes 2015 Gamay Noir ‘Droit’, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
Silver: Malivoire Wine 2015 Courtney Gamay
Bronze: Malivoire Wine 2015 Gamay Small Lot
George Brown College Centre for Hospitality and Culinary Arts |
Pinot Noir Award
Gold: Southbrook Vineyards 2015 Triomphe Pinot Noir
Silver: Stanners Vineyard 2014 Barrel Select Pinot Noir
Bronze: 16 Mile Cellar 2012 Incivility Pinot Noir
Grapes for Humanity | Red Hybrid Award
Gold: Henry of Pelham Family Estate 2015 Speck Family Reserve Baco Noir
Silver: Malivoire Wine 2014 Old Vines Foch
Bronze: Gallucci 2015 Don Paolo
IWEG | Cabernet Sauvignon Award
Gold: Château des Charmes 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
Silver: Peller Estates 2014 Andrew Peller Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon
Bronze: Magnotta 2016 G. Marquis Cabernet Sauvignon – The Red Line
Bronze: Trius 2014 Showcase East Block Cabernet Sauvignon Clark Farm Vineyard
Bronze: Thirty Bench Wine Makers 2012 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon
Yellow Wine Club | Cabernet Franc Award
Gold: Nomad at Hinterbrook 2013 Cabernet Franc
Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2015 Reserve Cabernet Franc
Bronze: Hernder Estates 2012 Deep Roots Cabernet Franc
Arta Gallery | Merlot Award
Gold: Nomad at Hinterbrook 2013 Merlot
Silver: Château des Charmes 2014 Merlot, St. David’s Bench Vineyard
Bronze: Magnotta 2012 Merlot Limited Edition
Quench Magazine | Syrah/Shiraz Award
Gold: Trius 2015 Shiraz
Silver: Magnotta 2015 Shiraz Limited Edition
Bronze: Konzelmann Estate 2015 Shiraz -Lakefront Series
Allen’s | Meritage and Cabernet/Merlot Blends Award
Gold: Château des Charmes 2012 Equuleus, Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard
Silver: Rockway Vineyard 2012 Meritage
Bronze: Tawse 2012 Meritage
Vintage Assessments | Late Harvest Award
Gold: Peller Estates 2015 Private Reserve Late Harvest Vidal
Silver: Trius 2015 Showcase Late Harvest Vidal
Bronze: Konzelmann Estate 2016 Special Select Late Harvest Vidal
Fine Wine Reserve | Vidal Icewine Award
Gold: Trius 2014 Showcase Vidal Icewine
Silver: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2014 Sparkling Vidal Icewine
Bronze: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2015 Sparkling Cabernet Franc Icewine
LCBO | Vinifera Icewine Award
Gold: Tawse 2013 Riesling Icewine
Silver: Inniskillin Niagara Estate 2015 Cabernet Franc Icewine
Silver: Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate 2015 Reserve Cabernet Franc Icewine
Bronze: No Bronze Awarded
Allen’s | Appassimento Red Award
Gold: Kew Vineyards Estate 2012 Heritage
Silver: Kew Vineyards Estate 2014 Soldier’s Grant
Bronze: Reif Estate 2013 The Magician Shiraz
Bullfrog Power | Blended Red Award
Gold: Wayne Gretzky Estates 2015 Estate Series Shiraz Cabernet
Silver: Kacaba Vineyards 2014 Cabernet Syrah
Bronze: Kacaba Vineyards 2015 Cabernet Syrah
Who and where are Meldville and Central Valley Wines ? Thanks!
Lee, Meldville wines are made by Derek Barnett, former winemaker at Lailey, current winemaker at Karlo in Prince Edward County. He makes the Meldville wines at Legends Estate Winery where you can buy them. Central Valley? Must be a typo, but that’s what they gave me. Checking into it. Rick
Lee, Central Valley Winery is indeed a winery, one that I had not heard of. Located in Hamilton, they purchase VQA grapes and make wine from there. Here’s the website: http://www.centralvalleywinery.com/index.html