By Rick VanSickle
The late Paul Pender played a prominent role at the Ontario Wine Awards held at Niagara College on Thursday (June 16).
The former Tawse winemaker, who died tragically on Feb. 4, was named the Winemaker of the Year in recognition for his contributions to the Ontario wine industry over the years.
In addition to that honour, the Ontario Wine Awards introduced a special trophy this year in recognition of Pender’s legacy called the Paul Pender Memorial Rising Star Award. The framed citation reads: “The inaugural Paul Pender Memorial Award celebrates the achievements and legacy of an outstanding leader in the Canadian wine industry. The recipient of this ‘Rising Star’ award, selected by a committee of their peers, has demonstrated the qualities that made Paul Pender a winemaker’s winemaker — talent, selfless generosity, mentorship, and innovation.” The award, made from Pender’s favourite footwear – the Blundstone boot in his favourite style and colour – was donated by Blundstone Canada.
Ontario Wine Awards founder, Tony Aspler, explained that the honour is not an annual award but will be offered in future years on the advice of the selection committee. The winner of the first Paul Pender Memorial Rising Star Award went to Alex Baines.
In Aspler’s (above) opening remarks at the 28th annual awards, he said it has been “a difficult and troublesome year for the Ontario Wine Industry. Not only have winemakers had to battle Mother Nature but there have been incidents that have touched us all – the fire at Hernder Estate Winery and the tragic passing of a much-loved winemaker (Pender).”
In other major awards, the Swiftpost White Wine of the Year went to Domaine Queylus for the La Grande Réserve Chardonnay 2020 while the Swiftpost Red Wine of the year was awarded to Peninsula Ridge for its Reserve Syrah Ridge Reserve Syrah 2016.
The Wine Marketing Association of Ontario award for journalism went to Carolyn Evans Hammond, the wine writer for the Toronto Star.
The Brander Label Design award was presented to Megalomaniac for the To Be Franc Cabernet Franc.
Here is a list of the rest of the awards:
SWIFTPOST SPARKLING WINE (traditional method) AWARD:
Bronze: Huff Estate Cuvee Peter F. Huff 2018
Bronze: Queenston Mile Vineyard Blanc de Noir 2017
Silver: Huff Estate Cuvee Janine 2018
There are two Gold medal winners:
The first is Malivoire Bisous Rosé Non-Vintage Sparkling wine and the second is Pelee Island Empress II 2019
SWIFTPOST SPARKLING WINE (Cuve Close) Award:
Bronze: Lighthall Vineyards The Fence 2021
Bronze: 180 Estate Winery Gamay Rosé Sparkling
Silver: Megalomaniac Wines Sparkling Personality Sparkling Riesling
There was No Gold Medal awarded in this category
QUENCH MAGAZINE RIESLING DRY AWARD:
Bronze: Strewn Winery Terroir Riesling 2019
Silver: Niagara Teaching Winery Balance Dry Riesling 2020
Gold: Wending Home Estate Vineyards Riesling 2020
BENCHMARK SEMI-DRY RIESLING AWARD:
Silver: Redstone Limestone Ridge Riesling 2020
Gold: Vineland Estates St. Urban Elevation Riesling 2021
Gold: Thirty Bench Winemakers Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask 2019
Gold: Tawse Quarry Road Riesling 2019
NIAGARA AIRBUS PINOT GRIS AWARD:
Bronze: Konzelmann Estate Pinot Grigio 2019
Silver: Lakeview East Dell Pinot Grigio 2020
Gold: Dim Wine Co. Forged Pinot Gris 2017
Gold: Big Head Wines Pinot Gris Select 2017
VINTAGE ASSESSMENTS SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON AWARD :
Bronze: Trius Showcase Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Bronze: Vineland Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Silver: Palatine Hills Estate Wild & Free White Meritage 2020
Silver: Ravine Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2020
Silver: Peller Estate Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc 2019
Gold: Creekside Estate Backyard Block Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Gold: Burnt Ship Bay Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2021
A.O. WILSON UNOAKED CHARDONNAY AWARD:
Bronze: Ravine Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay 2021
Silver: Kacaba Unoaked Chardonnay 2020
Gold: Peninsula Ridge Inox Chardonnay 2020
COGECO YOUR TV OAKED CHARDONNAY (Under $20) AWARD:
Bronze: Trius ‘Distinction’ Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay 2020
Silver: North 42 Degrees Chardonnay 2020
Gold: Konzelmann Estate Barrel-Aged Chardonnay 2020
DAVID HARDER INSURANCE OAKED CHARDONNAY (over $20) AWARD:
Bronze: Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay 2020
Silver: Bachelder Wismer-Foxcoft Chardonnay 2019
Silver: Magnotta Limited Edition Chardonnay 2020
Gold: Domaine Queylus La Grande Réserve Chardonnay 2020
GEWURZTRAMINER AWARD :
Bronze: Stoney Ridge Estate Gewurztraminer 2019
Silver: Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer 2020
No Gold Medal was awarded in this category.
DRY WHITE VARIETALS AWARDS:
Bronze: Reif Estate Semillon 2020
Silver: Redstone White Meritage 2020
Silver: Niagara College Dean’s List Viognier 2020
No Gold was awarded in this category.
ASL PRINT FX ROSĖ/BLANC DE NOIR AWARD :
Bronze: Henry of Pelham Speck Three of Hearts Rosé 2020
Bronze: Inniskillin Wines Reserve Cabernet Franc Rosé 2020
Silver: 13th Street Winery Gamay Vin Gris 2021
Gold: Malivoire Wine Moira Rosé 2021
GEORGE BROWN CENTRE FOR HOSPITALITY AND CULINARY ARTS GAMAY AWARD:
Bronze: Niagara College Balance Gamay Noir 2018
Silver: 13th Street Gamay 2020
Silver: Byland Estate Gamay Noir Owner Signature 2020
Gold: Bachelder 52% Whole Cluster Wismer-Foxcroft Gamay 2020
NIAGARA BENCHLANDS (Town of LINCOLN) PINOT NOIR AWARD:
Bronze: Locust Lane Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2019
Silver: Closson Chase South Clos Pinot Noir 2019
Silver: Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Pinot Noir 2019
Gold: Domaine Queylus Pinot Noir Tradition 2019
VINES TO VINTAGES CABERNET FRANC AWARD:
Bronze: Ravine Vineyard Estate Lonna’s Block Cabernet Franc 2019
Silver: Inniskillin Wines Reserve Cabernet Franc 2018
Gold: Tawse Winery David’s Block Cabernet Franc 2019
Gold: Domaine Queylus Cabernet Franc Réserve 2020
MERLOT AWARD:
Bronze: Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Merlot 2019
Silver: Konzelmann Merlot Barrel-Aged Reserve Series 2020
Silver: GreenLane Estate Christine’s Block Merlot 2017
No gold medal awarded in his category.
BLUNDSTONE CANADA CABERNET SAUVIGNON AWARD:
Bronze: Peninsula Ridge Estate BV Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
Bronze: Trius Showcase East Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Silver: Waupoos Estates Winery 2019
Gold: Strewn Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2017
SWIFTPOST MERITAGE AND CABERNET BLENDS AWARD:
Bronze: Strewn Terroir 2016
Silver: Magnotta Legacy Limited edition 2018
Silver: The Foreign Affair Dream 2018
Gold: Southbrook Poetica Red 2019
Gold: The Foreign Affair Temptress 2018
WINE MARKETING ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO SYRAH/SHIRAZ AWARD:
Bronze: Creekside Iconoclast Syrah 2019
Silver: Rockway Syrah 2018
Gold: Big Head Raw Syrah 2020
Gold: Kacaba Proprietor’s Block Syrah Escarpment 2019
Gold: Peninsula Ridge Reserve Syrah 2016
COGECO YOUR TV HYBRID RED AWARD:
Bronze: Riverview Cellars Baco Noir 2020
Silver: Wayne Gretzky Estates No. 99 Signature Series Baco Noir 2020
Gold: Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Baco Noir 2020
FINE WINE RESERVE LATE HARVEST WHITES & REDS:
Bronze: Strewn Ice-Breaker Select Late Harvest Vidal 2014
Silver: Trius Showcase Late Harvest Vidal 2019
Silver: Konzelmann Select Late Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon 2019
Gold: Thirty Bench Special Select Late Harvest Vidal 2019
APPASSIMENTO RED:
Bronze: The Foreign Affair Apologetic 2018
Silver: Dim Wine Co. Field Select Red 2016
Silver: Rennie Estate Winery ‘G’ Assemblage 2016
No Gold medal was awarded in this category.
GRAPES FOR HUMANITY OTHER RED WINES:
Bronze: Creekside Red Tractor Cabernet Shiraz 2019
Silver: Lakeview Cellars Malbec 2017
Silver: Green Lane Estate Malbec 2018
Gold: Lakeview Cellars Grand Reserve Red 2017
ORANGE WINE AWARD:
Bronze: Big Head Amber 2021
Silver: Maenad Wine Co. Skin-Fermented Chardonnay 2020
Silver: Southbrook Skin-Fermented White (Vidal) 2020
No Gold medal was awarded in this category.
LCBO VIDAL ICEWINE AWARD:
Bronze: Lakeview Wine Co. Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine 2019
Silver: Inniskillin Oak-Aged Vidal Icewine 2019
Silver: Magnotta Vidal Icewine Limited 2019
Silver: Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery Vidal Icewine 2018
Gold: Kittling Ridge Vidal Icewine 2019
Gold: Riverview Cellars Vidal Icewine 2019
NIAGARA AIRBUS VINIFERA ICEWINE AWARD:
Bronze: Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019
Silver: Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019
Silver: Wayne Gretzky Riesling Icewine 2019
Gold: Redstone Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2019
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