This year was the twentieth anniversary of the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC). The country’s largest competition of Canadian wines is usually held in June each year but this year the event was moved to October due to COVID-19 and took place in Penticton, British Columbia. The final results were not released until November 12th.
The judges’ panel consisted of 14 men and 12 women who tasted 2,075 wines from more than 260 wineries.
This year’s Winery of the Year is Niagara’s Malivoire Wine Company. Malivoire earned 17 medals at this year’s Nationals, including 3 Platinum, 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze.
It is the first time in NWAC history that a single winery has won three Platinum Medals at the Nationals. Equally incredible is that the medals were won in three different wine categories.
The NWAC top 10 wineries for 2021 are listed below, including their Platinum and Gold winning wines. The lion’s share of this year’s awards went to British Columbia.
In order to be considered for inclusion on the list, the winery must enter a minimum of five wines. The five top-scoring entries (not including Icewine) from each winery are used to determine the order.
- Malivoire Wine Company, whose awards included 3 Platinum, 1 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze. The winning Platinum and Gold wines included:2020 Le Coeur Gamay (Platinum Award)
- No Vintage (N/V) Bisous Rose (Platinum Award)
- 2020 Analog Demo Series (Platinum Award)
- 2020 Small Lot Chardonnay (Gold Award)
- B.C.’s La Frenz Estate Winery was awarded Best Performing Small Winery of the Year. They earned 2 Platinum, 6 Gold and 5 Silver awards. The Platinum and Gold award winning wines included:
- N/V Liqueur Muscat (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Reserve Ensemble (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Reserve Chardonnay (Gold Award)
- 2018 Cabernets Rockyfeller Vineyard (Gold Award)
- 2020 Riesling Cl. 21B Freedom 75 Vineyard (Gold Award)
- 2020 Sauvignon Blanc Wits End Vineyard (Gold Award)
- 2020 Semillon Knorr Vineyard, Okanagan Valley (Gold Award)
- N/V Tawny Port, Okanagan Valley (Gold Award)
- B.C.’s Blasted Church Vineyards was awarded 2 Platinum, 6 Gold, 5 Silver and 11 Bronze medals. The Platinum and Gold award winning wines included:
- 2019 Big Bang Theory (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Cabernet Franc (Platinum Award)
- 2017 Holy Moly Petit Verdot (Gold Award)
- 2017 Nectar of the Gods (Gold Award)
- 2018 Cabernet Merlot (Gold Award)
- 2018 Small Blessings Malbec (Gold Award)
- 2018 Small Blessings Cabernet Sauvignon (Gold Award)
- 2020 Blaufrankisch Rosé (Gold Award)
- Ontario’s Trius Winery received 2 Platinum, 1 Gold, 7 Silver and 5 Bronze awards. The Platinum and Gold award winning wines included:
- 2019 Showcase Late Harvest Vidal (Platinum Award)
- Brut Rose (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek (Gold Award)
- Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-Lake were awarded 2 Platinum, 1 Gold, 2 Silver and 3 Bronze medals. The Platinum and Gold winners are:
- 2019 Private Reserve Cabernet Franc (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Signature Series Riesling (Platinum Award)
- 2018 Andrew Peller Cabernet Franc Icewine (Gold Award)
- B.C.’s Road 13 earned 1 Platinum, 3 Gold and 3 Silver medals. The Platinum and Gold award winners are:
- 2019 GSM (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Syrah Malbec (Gold Award)
- 2020 Cabernet Merlot (Gold Award)
- 2019 Jackpot Malbec (Gold Award)
- B.C.’s Quails’ Gate Estate Winery received 1 Platinum, 3 Gold, 8 Silver and 4 Bronze medals. Their Platinum and Gold wines are:
- 2019 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Richard’s Block Pinot Noir (Gold Award)
- 2019 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay (Gold Award)
- 2018 The Boswell Syrah (Gold Award)
- B.C.’s Mission Hill Family Estate earned 6 Gold and 8 Silver medals. The Gold winners are:
- 2017 Legacy Collection Quatrain (Gold Award)
- 2019 Legacy Collection Perpetua (Gold Award)
- 2019 Terroir Collection Vista’s Edge Cabernet Franc (Gold Award)
- 2017 Legacy Collection Compendium (Gold Award)
- 2020 Reserve Pinot Gris (Gold Award)
- 2019 Reserve Chardonnay (Gold Award)
- Ontario’s Thirty Bench Wine Makers who were awarded 5 Gold, 6 Silver and 3 Bronze medals. The Gold medal winners are:
- 2019 Small Lot Gewurztraminer (Gold Award)
- 2019 Small Lot Riesling Steel Post Vineyard (Gold Award)
- 2018 Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask (Gold Award)
- 2018 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard (Gold Award)
- 2017 Small Lot Cabernet Franc (Gold Award)
- B.C.’s Nk’Mip Cellars won 1 Platinum, 2 Gold, 3 Silver and 1 Bronze medal. The Platinum and Gold winners are:
- 2018 Qwam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon (Platinum Award)
- 2019 Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay (Gold Award)
- 2019 Mer’r’iym Red Meritage (Gold Award)
During the upcoming weeks I will review the top 10 B.C. winners and top 10 Ontario winners in more detail.
Sláinte mhaith
A Layman's Wine Musings 