Niagara’s Domaine Queylus captured the red wine of the year prize at the Ontario Wine Awards presented by George Brown today.
The awards received 558 entries, from 77 Ontario wineries this year, which were judged on May 6 at George Brown College and presented at Niagara College today.
Domaine Queylus was honoured for its 2020 Cabernet Franc Tradition.
The winemaker of the year was Katie Dickieson (very top photo) from Peller Estates Winery, who garnered more gold medals than any other winemaker in Ontario.
The first award presented was the Paul Pender Memorial Rising Star award, selected by a committee of their peers – this individual has demonstrated the qualities that made Paul Pender a winemaker’s winemaker — talent, selfless generosity, mentorship, and innovation. The trophy was Pender’s favourite footwear – the Blundstone boot in his favourite style and colour – kindly donated by Blundstone Canada.
The winner of the 2023 Paul Pender Rising Star Award is Brooke Husband, Domaine Queylus.
Husband graduated from the Niagara College Winery and Viticulture program in 2018 and during her studies she worked at Domaine Queylus for her first harvest. She then worked in the Okanagan Valley at Black Hills Estate Winery. When she returned to Niagara, she knew her passion was wild fermented Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
Brooke has worked at Domaine Queylus now for five harvests and in 2022 received the KML Top-30-Under-30 award for Hospitality in Canada.
And the rest of the awards go to:
SPARKLING WINE AWARD (traditional method) AWARD
Bronze: Chateau des Charmes, Brut Sparkling, NV
Silver: 13th Street Winery, Premier Cuvée 2017
Silver: 13th Street Winery, Grande Cuvée Blanc de Noir 2013 Recently Disgorged 2013
Silver: Chateau des Charmes, Blanc des Blanc 2018
Silver: Malivoire Wine Bisous Brut NV
Silver: Trius Winery, Brut Rose NV
Gold: Malivoire Wine Bisous Rose NV
Gold: Megalomaniac Bubblehead Limited Edition Brut NV
Gold: Niagara College Teaching Winery Balance Brut NV
Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers Sparkling Riesling NV
Gold: Trius Winery Showcase Blanc de Blancs NV
SPARKLING WINE AWARD (Cuve Close)
Silver: Colio Estate Wines Lily Sparkling NV
Gold: Greenlane Estate Winery Saffron Sparkling Rose 2021
RIESLING AWARD (SEMI-DRY)
Silver: Thirty Bench, Wine Makers Small Lot Riesling, Wood Post Vineyard 2020
Gold: Megalomaniac, Narcissist Riesling 2021
PINOT GRIS AWARD
Bronze: Wayne Gretzky Estates, Signature Series Pinot Grigio 2021
Silver: Konzelmann Estate Winery, Pinot Grigio – Lakefront Series 2021
Silver: Strewn Winery, Pinot Grigio 2021
Gold: There was no Gold Medal awarded in this category.
SAUVIGNON BLANC/SEMILLON AWARD
Bronze : Magnotta Winery, Sauvignon Blanc VQA 2022
Bronze : Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Ravine Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Bronze: Reif Estate Winery, Drea’s Sauvignon Blanc 2022
Gold: Peller Estates Winery, Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021
Gold: Palatine Hills Estate Winery, Wild & Free Semillon 2021
Gold: Trius Winery, Showcase Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2020
UNOAKED CHARDONNAY AWARD
Bronze: Konzelmann Estate Winery, Chardonnay Unoaked – Lakefront Series 2022
Gold: Big Head Wines Inc., 2022 Chardonnay Stone
OAKED CHARDONNAY (over $20) AWARD
Bronze: Le Clos Jordanne, Jordan Village Chardonnay 2020
Silver: Jackson-Triggs, Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2020
Gold: Exultet Estates, cru X Chardonnay 2018
Gold: Konzelmann Estate Winery, Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2022
GEWURZTRAMINER AWARD
Gold: Magnotta Winery, Gewürztraminer VQA Venture Series 2022
DRY WHITE VARIETALS AWARDS
Bronze: Big Head Wines Inc., 2021 Chenin Blanc
Bronze: Big Head Wines Inc., 2020 RAW Chenin Blanc
Silver: Malivoire Wine, 2022 Stouck Viognier
Gold:
There was no Gold Medal awarded in this category.
BLANC DE NOIR AWARD
Bronze: Malivoire Wine 2021 Rose Moira
Silver: Huff Estates Winery Getaway Rosé 2022
Silver: Inniskillin Reserve Cabernet Franc Rosé 2021
Silver: Malivoire Wine 2021 Vivant Rose
Silver: Reif Estate Winery, Fortune' Rosé 2022
Silver: Reif Estate Winery, Drea's Rosato 2021
Gold: 180 Estate Winery, Gamay Rose 2021
GAMAY AWARD
Bronze: 13th Street Winery Gamay Sandstone 2021
Bronze : Chateau des Charmes Gamay Noir Estate 2020
Gold: 13th Street Winery Gamay 2021
PINOT NOIR AWARD
Silver: Konzelmann Estate Winery Pinot Noir – Lakefront Series 2021
Gold: King and Victoria Pinot Noir 2018
Gold : Domaine Queylus 2018 Pinot Noir La Grande Réserve
CABERNET FRANC AWARD
Bronze: Dark Horse Estate Winery One Horse Town Cabernet Franc 2019
Bronze: Hinterbrook Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Reserve 2017
Bronze: Marynissen Estates Marynissen Platinum Series Cabernet Franc 2020
Bronze: Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Cabernet Franc 2020
Silver: Konzelmann Estate Winery Cabernet Franc Family Reserve 2020
Silver: London Born Wine Co Cabernet Franc 2018
Gold: Big Head Wines Inc. 2020 Cabernet Franc Select
Gold : Domaine Queylus 2020 Cabernet Franc Tradition
Gold: Peller Estates Winery Signature Series Cabernet Franc 2020
Gold: Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Ravine Cabernet Franc 2020
Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers Wild Cask Cabernet Franc 2020
MERLOT AWARD
Silver: Bella Terra Vineyards Merlot 2020
Silver: Chateau des Charmes St. Davids Bench Merlot 2020
Silver: Inniskillin Montague Vineyard Merlot 2020
Silver: Konzelmann Estate Winery Merlot Family Reserve 2020
Gold: Kacaba Vineyards and Winery Signature Series, Reserve Merlot 2020
Gold: Niagara College Teaching Winery Dean’s List Merlot 2020
Gold: Sprucewood Shores Winery Merlot Hawk’s Flight Reserve 2020
Gold: Thirty Bench Wine Makers Small Lot Merlot 2020
MERITAGE AND CABERNET BLENDS AWARD
Bronze: Magnotta Winery Magnotta Cabernet Sauvignon Merlot VQA Venture Series 2020
Bronze: Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Ravine Meritage 2020
Silver: Hinterbrook Estate Winery Trinity 2016
Silver: The Foreign Affair Winery Temptress 2020
Gold: Konzelmann Estate Winery Legacy Meritage 2020
Gold: Magnotta Winery Magnotta Legacy Limited Edition VQA 2018
Gold: Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery Reserve Red 2020
Gold: Three Dog Winery Big Red 2020
SYRAH/SHIRAZ AWARD
Bronze: Kacaba Vineyards and Winery Premium Series, Proprietor’s Block Syrah 2020
Bronze: Kacaba Vineyards and Winery Signature Series, Reserve Syrah 2020
Gold: Kacaba Vineyards and Winery Premium Series, Terraced Vineyard Syrah 2020
HYBRID RED AWARD
Silver: Creemore Hills Winery Marquette 2021
No Gold Medal awarded in this category.
LATE HARVEST WHITES and REDS
Silver: Casa Dea Estates Pinot Grigio Late Harvest 2021
Gold: Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Late Harvest Vidal 2021
Gold: Trius Winery Showcase Late Harvest Vidal 2021
APPASSIMENTO RED
Bronze: Sprucewood Shores Winery Appassimento Cabernet Sauvignon 2020
No Gold Medal awarded in this category.
GRAPES FOR HUMANITY OTHER RED WINES
Bronze: Legends Estates Winery Petit Verdot Reserve 2021
Bronze: Pelee Island Winery Stone and Sky 2021
Silver: Pelee Island Winery Vinedresser Cabernet Sauvignon Petit Verdot 2016
Gold: Strewn Winery Select Late Harvest Cabernet 2017
VIDAL ICEWINE AWARD
Bronze : Chateau des Charmes Vidal Icewine 2018
Bronze: Magnotta Winery Magnotta Vidal Icewine NP Limited Edition VQA 2020
Silver: Magnotta Winery Magnotta Vidal Icewine Merritt Road Limited Edition VQA 2019
Silver: Peller Estates Winery Andrew Peller Oak Aged Vidal Blanc Icewine 2019
There was no Gold Medal awarded in this category.
VINIFERA ICEWINE AWARD
Bronze: Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2021
Bronze: Magnotta Winery Magnotta Cabernet Franc Icewine NP Limited Edition VQA 2018
Bronze: Magnotta Winery Magnotta Riesling Icewine NP Limited Edition VQA 2019
Bronze: Pelee Island Winery Ice wine 2017
Silver: Big Head Wines Inc. 2015 Riesling Icewine
Gold: Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019
Gold: Peller Estates Winery Andrew Peller Riesling Icewine 2019
Gold: Riverview Cellars Estate Winery Riesling Icewine 2019
UNASSIGNED WINE
Bronze: Strewn Winery Distinctive Small Lot Chardonnay Musque 2021
Silver: Niagara College Teaching Winery Balance Muscat 2020
Gold: London Born Wine Co Chardonnay Musqué 2020
WHITE WINE OF THE YEAR
Norman Hardie, 2017 Semi-Dry Riesling
WINE MARKETING ASSOCIATION OF ONTARIO JOURNALISM AWARD
The 2023 Award goes to: Christopher Waters
Christopher Waters has been writing about wine for more than two decades. He is the wine and spirits columnist for The Globe and Mail, education director of IWEG Drinks Academy in Toronto and a WSET (Wine Spirits Education Trust) certified instructor at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute, Brock University. Prior to his position at the Globe and Mail, Waters was author of a nationally syndicated column, Waters and Wine, and worked for 21 years as editor/co-founder of Canada’s largest circulation wine magazine, VINES.
Will there be a public tasting event at George Brown?
Have the Ont. Wine awards superceeded the Ont. lieutenant governor’s wine awards which I attended pre-covid?
Hi Nick, I don’t have an answer to the first question, but the Ontario Wine Awards have not replaced any other awards, but not sure when the lieutenant governor’s were/are being held and if there is a public tasting of the wines. Rick