This year was the 22^nd addition of the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC), which took place in Penticton, British Columbia.  There were 1,930 entries from 255 wineries. All entries to the competition are 100 percent grown and produced in Canada.

The National Wine Awards presents four major awards: The Canadian Winery of the Year, The Best Performing Small Winery, Icewine of the Year and Cider of the Year. Within each of the 37 categories, wines are eligible to compete for Gold, Silver or Bronze medals, all topped by Platinum medals, which are presented to the highest one percent of wines across all competition categories.

The major award winners and the Platinum and Gold medal winners from the top 25 wineries are presented below:

The Winery of the Year is Hidden Bench Estate Winery in Beamsville, Ontario.  Being one of the most respected Niagara wineries since its inception 20 years ago, Hidden Bench has finally won Winery of the Year honours by earning 12 medals – two Platinum, five Gold and five Silver.  Congratulations to proprietor Harald Thiel and his team, including winemaker Alex Baines and viticulturalist Joel Williams.

The Platinum and Gold winning wines were:

Platinum

• Hidden Bench Pinot Noir Felseck Vineyard 2020
• Hidden Bench Chardonnay Tete De Cuvée Rosomel Vineyard 2020

Gold:

• Hidden Bench Estate Riesling 2020
• Hidden Bench Natur Zero Dosage 2017
• Hidden Bench Chardonnay Felseck Vineyard Unfiltered 2020
• Hidden Bench Nuit Blanche Rosomel Vineyard 2021
• Hidden Bench Chardonnay Beton 2021

The remainder of the top 25 wineries are as follows:

2. Tawse Winery, Ontario

Awards:  2 Platinum, 4 Gold, 8 Silver, 5 Bronze

Platinum

• Tawse 2020 Carly’s Block Riesling
• Tawse 2020 Tawse Riesling

Gold

• Tawse 2020 Quarry Road Riesling
• Tawse 2020 Cabernet Merlot
• Tawse 2020 Limestone Riesling Spark!
• Tawse 2021 Sketches Riesling

3. Megalomaniac, Ontario

Awards:  1 Platinum, 5 Gold, 1 Bronze

Platinum

• Megalomaniac N/V Bubblehead Limited Edition Brut

Gold

• Megalomaniac 2020 To Be Frank Cabernet Franc
• Megalomaniac 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc
• Megalomaniac 2021 Narcissist Riesling
• Megalomaniac 2020 Sonofabitch Pinot Noir
• Megalomaniac NV Bubblehead Rosé

4. Deep Roots Winery, British Columbia (2023 Best Performing Small Winery)

The details regarding Deep Roots are presented  under the heading regarding the Best Performing Small Winery below.

5. Corcelettes Estate Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  1 Platinum, 7 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze

Platinum

• Corcelettes 2020 Syrah Corcelettes Estate Vineyard

Gold

• Corcelettes 2021 Reserve Pinot Noir Micro Lot Series
• Corcelettes 2022 Oracle Rosé
• Corcelettes 2020 Cabernet Franc
• Corcelettes 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Corcelettes Estate Vineyard
• Corcelettes 2020 Merlot
• Corcelettes 2019 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Corcelettes 2019 Merlot

6. Road 13 Vineyards, British Columbia

Awards:  1 Platinum, 5 Gold, 7 Silver, 2 Bronze

Platinum

• Road 13 2020 Select Harvest GSM

Gold

• Road 13 2013 Jackpot Sparkling Chenin Blanc
• Road 13 2020 John Oliver Cabernet Franc
• Road 13 2021 Viognier
• Road 13 2020 John Oliver Petit Verdot
• Road 13 2022 Honest John’s Bright Rosé

7. SpearHead Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  1 Platinum, 5 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze

Platinum

• SpearHead 2020 Club Consensus Pinot Noir

Gold

• SpearHead 2021 Saddle Block Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2021 Cuvée Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2021 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2021 Clone 828 Pinot Noir
• SpearHead 2022 Pinot Gris

8. CedarCreek Estate Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  1 Platinum, 6 Gold, 3 Silver, 6 Bronze

Platinum

• CedarCreek 2021 Aspect Collection Block 3 Riesling

Gold

• CedarCreek 2020 Platinum Haynes Creek Malbec
• CedarCreek 2021 Estate Cabernet Franc
• CedarCreek 2021 Aspect Collection Block 5 Chardonnay
• CedarCreek 2021 Estate Chardonnay
• CedarCreek 2022 Estate Pinot Noir Rosé
• CedarCreek 2022 Estate Riesling

9. Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Ontario

Awards:  1 Platinum, 4 Gold, 3 Silver, 4 Bronze

Platinum

• Thirty Bench 2020 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard

Gold

• Thirty Bench 2020 Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask
• Thirty Bench 2020 Small Lot Cabernet Franc
• Thirty Bench 2020 Benchmark Red
• Thirty Bench 2020 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon

10. Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  7 Gold, 2 Silver, 3 Bronze

Gold

• Township 7 Seven Stars 2019 Aurora Stoneridge Vineyard
• Township 7 Seven Stars 2019 Polaris
• Township 7 2019 Riesling
• Township 7 Benchmark Series 2019 Syrah Fool’s Gold Vineyard
• Township 7 Infinite Series 2015 Sirius
• Township 7 Benchmark Series 2019 NBO Blue Terrace Vineyard
• Township 7 2019 Syrah

11. Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  10 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze

Gold

• Quails’ Gate 2020 Pinot Noir
• Quails’ Gate 2020 Richard’s Block Pinot Noir
• Quails’ Gate 2020 Queue
• Quails’ Gate 2020 The Boswell Syrah
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Chardonnay
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Chenin Blanc
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Clone 220 Chenin Blanc
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Three Wolves Vineyard Pinot Gris

12. Trius Winery, Ontario

Awards:  7 Gold, 4 Silver, 4 Bronze

Gold

• Trius 2020 Grand Red
• Trius 2020 Showcase Cabernet Franc Red Shale
• Trius 2020 Showcase Chardonna
• Trius 2021 Showcase Pinot Noir Clark Farm
• Trius 2021 Distinction Sauvignon Blanc
• Trius N/V Showcase Blanc de Blancs Watching Tree Vineyard
• Trius N/V Brut

13. Blasted Church Vineyards, British Columbia

Awards:  6 Gold, 7 Silver, 4 Bronze

Gold

• Blasted Church 2019 Merlot
• Blasted Church 2019 Cabernet Merlot
• Blasted Church 2019 Nothing Sacred
• Blasted Church 2020 Nectar of the Gods
• Blasted Church 2020 Holy Moly Petit Verdot
• Blasted Church 2022 Small Blessings Blanc de Noir

14. Painted Rock Estate Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  5 Gold

Gold

• Painted Rock 2019 Red Icon
• Painted Rock 2019 Syrah
• Painted Rock 2019 Malbec
• Painted Rock 2019 Estate Grown Merlot
• Painted Rock 2019 Cabernet Franc

15. Mission Hill Family Estate, British Columbia

Awards:  9 Gold, 9 Silver, 2 Bronze

Gold

• Mission Hill 2019 Legacy Collection Quatrain
• Mission Hill 2021 Legacy Collection Perpetua
• Mission Hill 2021 Reserve Merlot
• Mission Hill 2021 Terroir Collection Pine Hill Chardonnay
• Mission Hill 2022 Reserve Pinot Blanc
• Mission Hill 2022 Reserve Pinot Gris
• Mission Hill 2022 Reserve Riesling
• Mission Hill 2022 Reserve Rosé
• Mission Hill 2022 Terroir Collection Border Vista Rosé

16. 13^th Street Winery, Ontario

Awards:  6 Gold, 8 Silver, 4 Bronze

Gold

• 13th Street Winery 2017 Premier Cuvée
• 13th Street Winery 2022 Expression Cabernet Rose
• 13th Street Winery 2022 Expression Riesling
• 13th Street Winery 2021 Syrah
• 13th Street Winery 2021 Whitty Vineyard Gamay
• 13th Street Winery 2022 Expression Riesling

17. Nk’Mip Cellars, British Columbia

Awards:  6 Gold, 10 Silver, 1 Bronze

Gold

• Nk’Mip Cellars 2019 Qwam Qwmt Syrah
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2021 Qwam Qwmt Chardonnay
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Qwam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Qwam Qwmt Merlot
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2021 Merriym White Meritage
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Merriym Red Meritage

18. Van Western Vineyards, British Columbia

Awards:  5 Gold, 2 Silver

Gold

• Van Westen 2021 Viscous
• Van Westen 2020 V
• Van Westen 2022 Vino Grigio
• Van Westen 2022 Viognier
• Van Westen 2020 Violeta

19. Two Sisters Vineyards, Ontario

Awards:  1 Platinum, 2 Gold, 5 Silver, 1 Bronze

Platinum

• Two Sisters Vineyards 2020 Riesling

Gold

• Two Sisters Vineyards 2020 Chardonnay
• Two Sisters Vineyards 2020 Lush Sparkling Rosé

20. Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Ontario

Awards:  1 Platinum, 2 Gold, 7 Silver, 2 Bronze

Platinum

• Ravine Vineyard 2020 Cabernet Franc

Gold

• Ravine Vineyard 2020 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Ravine Vineyard 2011 Vintage Brut

21. Orofino Estate Vineyards, British Columbia

Awards:  4 Gold, 5 Silver, 2 Bronze

Gold

• Orofino 2022 Old Vines Riesling Home Vineyard
• Orofino 2022 Gamay
• Orofino 2020 Syrah
• Orofino 2021 Zinfandel

22. TIME Family of Wines, British Columbia

Awards:  4 Gold, 6 Silver, 5 Bronze

Gold

• McWatters Collection 2020 Meritage
• Chronos 2020 Merlot
• Chronos 2020 Cabernet Franc
• Evolve 2022 Brut Rosé

23. River Stone Estate Winery, British Columbia

Awards:  4 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

Gold

• River Stone Estate Winery 2019 Corner Stone
• River Stone Estate Winery 2019 Stones Throw
• River Stone Estate Winery 2022 Splash
• River Stone Estate Winery 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

24.  Moon Curser Vineyards, British Columbia

Awards:  5 Gold, 1 Silver, 2 Bronze

Gold

• Moon Curser 2022 Arneis
• Moon Curser 2022 Roussanne Marsanne
• Moon Curser 2022 Viognier
• Moon Curser 2022 Dolcett

25. Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

Awards:  4 Gold, 4 Silver, 1 Bronze

Gold

• Peller Estates Niagara 2020 Andrew Peller Signature Series Cabernet Franc
• Peller Estates Niagara 2021 Private Reserve Late Harvest Vidal
• Peller Estates Niagara 2022 Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
• Peller Estates Niagara 2021 Andrew Peller Signature Series Rieslin

The 2023 Best Performing Small Winery of the Year was presented to Deep Roots Winery of Naramata, British Columbia.  Deep Roots had the best-scoring top five wines in the competition among wineries producing fewer than 10,000 cases. Their 2020 Reserve Chardonnay earned a platinum medal, one of only three Chardonnays to do so, as well as four gold medals for:

• Deep Roots Parentage Red 2020
• Deep Roots Gamay 2022
• Deep Roots Syrah 2020
• Deep Roots Sauvignon Blanc 2022

British Columbia wineries dominated the Small Winery category, claiming nine of the top ten rankings.  The remaining top 10 small wineries are as follows:

2. Corcelettes Estate Winery, British Columbia

3. SpearHead Winery, British Columbia

4. Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, British Columbia

5. Painted Rock Estate Winery, British Columbia

6. Van Westen Vineyards, British Columbia

7. Orofino Vineyards, British Columbia

8. River Stone Estate Winery, British Columbia

9. Moon Curser Vineyards, British Columbia

10. The Organized Crime Winery, Ontario

Note: A minimum of five wines must have been entered to be eligible for Winery of the Year and the Top Wineries lists. Ranking was determined by the total score of their top five wines, not total number of medals.

The complete listing of all the winning wines from this year’s event is available on the Canadian Wine Awards website, www.winealign.com/awards.

Sláinte mhaith