After a 3-year hiatus thanks to COVID, this spring saw the return of the Ontario Wine Awards. There were participants from over 80 wineries and more than 500 of the best VQA wines that Ontario has to offer.

A special award was introduced this year to honour the memory of Tawse Winery winemaker, Paul Pender, who was tragically killed earlier this year. The inaugural Paul Pender Memorial ‘Rising Star’ Award was presented to Alec Baines, winemaker at Hidden Bench Winery.  Alec was selected by a committee of his peers for having demonstrated the qualities that made Paul Pender a winemaker’s winemaker – talent, selfless generosity, mentorship and innovation.

The Winemaker of the Year Award was posthumously presented to Paul Pender.  Tawse was where Paul honed his skills and talents as a winemaker. 

The results of this year’s competition were as follows:

White Wine of The Year

Domaine Queylus La Grande Réserve Chardonnay 2020

Deep golden colour; intense apple and pear bouquet with oak spice and a thread of minerality; medium to full-bodied, with the richly extracted yellow apple and pear flavours carried on lively lemony acidity to a long, lingering finish.

Red Wine of The Year

Peninsula Ridge Reserve Syrah 2016

Deep purple-ruby in colour; cedary, toasty, meaty nose of blackberries and vanilla oak; medium to full-bodied, dry, spicy, well-structured and harmonious black fruit flavours. Reminiscent of Syrah from the northern Rhône.

Sparkling Wine (traditional method) Award

Gold

• Malivoire Bisous Rosé N/V
• Pelee Island Empress II 2019

Silver

• Huff Estate Cuvee Janine 2018

Bronze

• Huff Estate Cuvee Peter F. Huff 2018
• Queenston Mile Vineyard Blanc de Noir 2017

Riesling Dry Award

Gold

• Wending Home Estate Vineyards Riesling 2020

Silver

• Niagara Teaching Winery Balance Dry Riesling 2020

Bronze

• Strewn Winery Terroir Riesling 2019

Semi-Dry Riesling Award

Gold:

• Vineland Estates St. Urban Elevation Riesling 2021
• Thirty Bench Winemakers Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask 2019
• Tawse Quarry Road Riesling 2019

Silver:

• Redstone Limestone Riesling 2020

Pinot Gris Award

Gold

• Dim Wine Co. Forged Pinot Gris 2017
• Big Head Wines Pinot Gris Select 2017

Silver

• Lakeview East Dell Pinot Grigio 2020

Bronze

• Konzelmann Estate Pinot Grigio 2019

Sauvignon Blanc/Semillon Award

Gold

• Creekside Estate Backyard Block Sauvignon Blanc 2021
• Burnt Ship Bay Estate Winery Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Silver

• Palatine Hills Estate Wild & Free White Meritage 2020
• Ravine Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc 2020
• Peller Estate Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc 2019

Bronze

• Trius Showcase Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2019
• Vineland Estates Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Unoaked Chardonnay Award

Gold

• Peninsula Ridge Inox Chardonnay 2020

Silver

• Kacaba Unoaked Chardonnay 2020

Bronze

• Ravine Vineyard Unoaked Chardonnay 2021

Oaked Chardonnay (Under $20) Award

Gold

• Konzelmann Estate Barrel-Aged Chardonnay 2020

Silver

• North 42 Degrees Chardonnay 2020

Bronze

• Trius ‘Distinction’ Barrel-Fermented Chardonnay 2020

Oaked Chardonnay (Over $20) Award

Gold

• Domaine Queylus La Grande Réserve Chardonnay 2020

Silver

• Bachelder Wismer-Foxcoft Chardonnay 2019
• Magnotta Limited Edition Chardonnay 2020

Bronze

• Henry of Pelham Estate Chardonnay 2020

Gewurztraminer Award

Gold

• None awarded

Silver

• Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer 2020

Bronze

• Stoney Ridge Estate Gewurztraminer 2019

Dry White Varietals Awards

Gold

• None awarded

Silver

• Redstone White Meritage 2020
• Niagara College Dean’s List Viognier 2020

Bronze

• Reif Estate Semillon 2020

Roses/Blanc De Noir Award

Gold

• Malivoire Wine Moira Rosé 2021

Silver

• 13th Street Winery Gamay Vin Gris 2021

Bronze

• Henry of Pelham Speck Three of Hearts Rosé 2020
• Inniskillin Wines Reserve Cabernet Franc Rosé 2020

Gamay Award

Gold

• Bachelder 52% Whole Cluster Wismer-Foxcroft Gamay 2020

Silver

• 13th Street Gamay 2020
• Byland Estate Gamay Noir Owner Signature 2020

Bronze

• Niagara College Balance Gamay Noir 2018

Pinot Noir Award

Gold

• Domaine Queylus Pinot Noir Tradition 2019
• Closson Chase Pinot Noir 2019

Silver

• Closson Chase South Clos Pinot Noir 2019
• Le Clos Jordanne Jordan Village Pinot Noir 2019

Bronze

• Locust Lane Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2019

Cabernet Franc Award

Gold

• Tawse Winery David’s Block Cabernet Franc 2019
• Domaine Queylus Cabernet Franc Réserve 2020

Silver

• Inniskillin Wines Reserve Cabernet Franc 2018

Bronze 

• Ravine Vineyard Estate Lonna’s Block Cabernet Franc 2019

Cabernet Franc Award

Gold

• Tawse Winery David’s Block Cabernet Franc 2019
• Domaine Queylus Cabernet Franc Réserve 2020

Silver

• Inniskillin Wines Reserve Cabernet Franc 2018

Bronze

• Ravine Vineyard Estate Lonna’s Block Cabernet Franc 2019

Merlot Award

Gold

• None awarded

Silver

• Konzelmann Merlot Barrel-Aged Reserve Series 2020
• GreenLane Estate Christine’s Block Merlot 2017

Bronze

• Jackson-Triggs Grand Reserve Merlot 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon Award

Gold

• Strewn Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Silver

• Waupoos Estates Winery 2019

Bronze

• Peninsula Ridge Estate BV Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2016
• Trius Showcase East Block Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Meritage And Cabernet Blends Award

Gold

• Southbrook Poetica Red 2019

The Foreign Affair Temptress 2018

Silver

• Magnotta Legacy Limited edition 2018
• The Foreign Affair Dream 2018

Syrah/Shiraz Award

Gold

• Big Head Raw Syrah 2020
• Kacaba Proprietor’s Block Syrah Escarpment 2019
• Peninsula Ridge Reserve Syrah 2016

Silver

• Rockway Syrah 2018

Hybrid Red Award

Gold

• Henry of Pelham Speck Family Reserve Baco Noir 2020

Silver

• Wayne Gretzky Estates No. 99 Signature Series Baco Noir 2020

Bronze

• Riverview Cellars Baco Noir 2020

Late Harvest Whites & Reds

Gold

• Thirty Bench Special Select Late Harvest Vidal 2019

Silver

• Trius Showcase Late Harvest Vidal 2019
• Konzelmann Select Late Harvest Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Bronze

• Strewn Ice-Breaker Select Late Harvest Vidal 2014

Appassimento Red Award

Gold

• None awarded

Silver

• Dim Wine Co. Field Select Red 2016
• Rennie Estate Winery ‘G’ Assemblage 2016

Bronze

• The Foreign Affair Apologetic 2018

Orange Wine Award

Gold

• None awarded

Silver

• Maenad Wine Co. Skin-Fermented Chardonnay 2020
• Southbrook Skin-Fermented White (Vidal) 2020

Bronze

• Big Head Amber 2021

Other Red Wines Award

Gold

• Lakeview Cellars Grand Reserve Red 2017

Silver

• Lakeview Cellars Malbec 2017
• Green Lane Estate Malbec 2018

Bronze

• Creekside Red Tractor Cabernet Shiraz 2019

Vidal Icewine Award

Gold

• Kittling Ridge Vidal Icewine 2019
• Riverview Cellars Vidal Icewine 2019

Silver

• Inniskillin Oak-Aged Vidal Icewine 2019
• Magnotta Vidal Icewine Limited 2019
• Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery Vidal Icewine 2018

Bronze

• Lakeview Wine Co. Lakeview Cellars Vidal Icewine 2019

Vinifera Icewine Award

Gold

• Redstone Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine 2019

Silver

• Jackson-Triggs Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019
• Wayne Gretzky Riesling Icewine 2019

Bronze

• Inniskillin Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019

Label Design Award

• Megalomaniac To Be Franc Cabernet Franc

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