The WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC) is the country’s largest competition, involving only 100 percent Canadian-grown and produced wines. The judging involves a select group of Canadian wine writers, educators, sommeliers and two international judges who spend a week assessing some 2000 wines and ciders. This year’s competition took place near Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Double Honour

The Winery of the Year and Small Winery of the Year is Kelowna British Columbia’s SpearHead Winery. In addition to the twin honours this year, they also had unprecedented success in an individual category (Pinot Noir), winning a total of seven medals for their Pinots, including three platinum, one gold, three silvers and a bronze. In total they earned a total of twelve medals.

Top 10 Wineries

Six of the top ten wineries this year are from British Columbia, with the remaining four from Ontario. The top ten are:

1. SpearHead Winery, British Columbia
2. Meyer Family Vineyards, British Columbia
3. Henry of Pelham, Ontario
4. Black Hills Estate Winery, British Columbia
5. Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Ontario
6. Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, British Columbia
7. Nostalgia Wines, British Columbia
8. Peller Estates Niagara-on-the Lake, Ontario
9. Lake Breeze Vineyards, British Columbia
10. Vieni Estates, Ontario

The Top 10 Small Wineries

Seven of the top ten small wineries are from British Columbia, with the remainder from Ontario. The top ten are:

1. SpearHead Winery, British Columbia
2. Meyer Family Vineyards, British Columbia
3. Nostalgia Wines, British Columbia
4. Lake Breeze Vineyards, British Columbia
5. The Organized Crime Winery, Ontario
6. Corcelettes Estate Winery, British Columbia
7. Black Bank Hill, Ontario
8. Kismet Estate Winery, British Columbia
9. Fort Berens Estate Winery, British Columbia
10. Lailey Winery, Ontario

Regional Top 10 Winners

British Columbia

1. SpearHead Winery
2. Meyer Family Vineyards
3. Black Hills Estate Winery
4. Quails’ Gate Estate Winery
5. Nostalgia Wines
6. Lake Breeze Vineyards
7. Corcelettes Estate Winery
8. Nk’Mip Cellars
9. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
10. Kismet Estate Winery

Ontario

1. Henry of Pelham
2. Thirty Bench Wine Makers
3. Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-Lake
4. Vieni Estates
5. The Organized Crime Winery
6. Black Bank Hill
7. Two Sisters Vineyards
8. Lailey Winery
9. Hidden Bench Estate Winery
10. Marynissen Estates

Platinum and Gold Medal Winners

Only 1% of the wines entered earn a Platinum Medal. This year, 18 out of 1,800 wines received this recognition. Every Platinum winner has passed through a minimum of two tastings and a review by a minimum of five judges. These wines must be put forward by at least three judges in the first round and re-considered by at least five judges in the second round. 

Earning a Platinum Medal greatly increases a winery’s performance score based on the mathematical degree of difficulty in reaching Platinum. This helps to decide the Winery of the Year and the Top 25 list.

Platinum and Gold medals were awarded in the following categories, presented alphabetically below:

Cabernet Franc

Platinum Medal

• Black Bank Hill 2020 Cabernet Franc, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Vieni Estates 2022 Cabernet Franc, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Gold Medal

• Bordertown 2020 Cabernet Franc Reserve, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Domaine Queylus 2022 Cabernet Franc Réserve du Domaine, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Fielding 2022 Cabernet Franc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Megalomaniac Wines 2020 To Be Frank Cabernet Franc, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Organized Crime 2020 Cabernet Franc Unfiltered, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Stonebridge 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc Single Vineyard, Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Thirty Bench 2022 Winemaker’s Blend Cabernet Franc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Vieni Estates 2020 Cabernet Franc Reserve, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Watchful Eye Winery 2022 Cabernet Franc, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Cabernet Sauvignon

Platinum Medal

• Peller Estates 2020 Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Gold Medal

• Chaberton Estate Winery 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon, British Columbia
• Colio Estate Wines 2020 Small Lot Series Cabernet Sauvignon, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Corcelettes 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
• Hillside Winery 2020 Howe Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Kismet 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Qwam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Sprucewood Shores 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Ha

Chardonnay

Platinum Medal

• Henry of Pelham 2022 Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Meyer 2022 Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Gold Medal

• CedarCreek 2022 Platinum Jagged Rock Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• CedarCreek 2022 Platinum Lake Country Chardonnay, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Cloudsley Cellars 2021 Chardonnay, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Domaine Queylus 2020 Chardonnay Tradition, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Fort Berens 2022 White Gold Chardonnay Reserve, Lillooet, British Columbia
• Gray Monk 2022 Odyssey Chardonnay, British Columbia
• Konzelmann 2022 Reserve Series Chardonnay Barrel Aged, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Le Clos Jordanne 2021 Le Grand Clos Chardonnay, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Meyer 2022 Chardonnay Old Main Rd Vineyard, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Meyer 2022 Dekleva Clone Chardonnay Anarchist Mountain Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Monte Creek 2022 Living Land Chardonnay, British Columbia
• O’Rourke Family Estate 2022 Twisted Pine Chardonnay, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Organized Crime 2022 Sacred Series Cuvée Krystyna Chardonnay, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Quails’ Gate 2021 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Redstone Winery 2021 Chardonnay Limestone Vineyard, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Solvero 2022 Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Tawse 2021 Quarry Road Chardonnay, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• The Good Earth 2021 Chardonnay, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Chardonnay Extended Barrel Aged, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Trius 2022 Showcase Chardonnay Wild Ferment Watching Tree Vineyard, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Westcott 2021 Block 76 Chardonnay, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Gamay

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• 13th Street Winery 2023 Gamay, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Deep Roots 2022 Reserve Gamay Noir, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Malivoire 2023 Gamay, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Malivoire 2023 Le Coeur Gamay, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Stratus 2022 Gamay, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Three Sisters Winery 2022 Gamay, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Gewürztraminer and Viognier

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Hillside Winery 2023 Gewürztraminer, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Magnotta 2022 Gewürztraminer Venture Series, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Meyer 2022 Gewürztraminer McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Icewine & Late Harvest

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Inniskillin Niagara 2022 Vidal Icewine, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2022 Reserve Vidal Icewine, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Two Sisters Vineyards 2023 Riesling Icewine, Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Malbec and other Red Single Varieties

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Blasted Church 2022 Small Blessings Grenache, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Corcelettes 2021 Malbec Micro Lot Series Estate Vineyard, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
• Fox & Archer 2021 Malbec, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Lailey Winery 2021 Wild Ferment Malbec Lailey Vineyard, Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Rainmaker Wines 2020 Malbec The Risk Taker Rattlesnake Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Road 13 2021 John Oliver Selection Malbec, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Valley Commons 2021 Malbec Single Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Van Westen 2021 Violeta, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Merlot

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Black Sage Vineyard 2020 Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Marynissen Estates 2020 Platinum Merlot, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2021 Qwam Qwmt Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Nostalgia Wines 2020 Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Pinot Gris/Grigio

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• EastDell 2023 Pinot Grigio, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Henry of Pelham 2023 Pinot Grigio, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Inniskillin Niagara 2022 Reserve Pinot Gris, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Marynissen Estates 2023 Pinot Grigio, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Mayhem 2023 Pinot Gris, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Unsworth Vineyards 2023 Saison Vineyard Pinot Gris, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Pinot Noir

Platinum Medal

• Meyer 2022 B Field Blend McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• SpearHead 2022 Club Consensus Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• SpearHead 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• SpearHead 2022 Saddle Block Pinot Noir, East Kelowna Slopes, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Gold Medal

• 1 Mill Road Winery 2022 Pinot Noir Black Pine, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• 1 Mill Road Winery 2022 Pinot Noir Home Block, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Blue Grouse Estate Winery 2021 Pinot Noir, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
• CedarCreek 2022 Estate Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Domaine Queylus 2020 Pinot Noir La Grande Réserve , Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Fort Berens 2022 Pinot Noir, British Columbia
• Hidden Bench 2021 Pinot Noir Unfiltered Felseck Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Hidden Bench 2021 Pinot Noir Unfiltered Locust Lane Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Meyer 2020 Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Meyer 2022 Micro Cuvee Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Meyer 2022 Old Block Pinot Noir McLean Creek Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Monte Creek 2022 Living Land Pinot Noir, British Columbia
• Organized Crime 2020 Sacred Series Tara Block Pinot Noir Unfiltered, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Riverview Cellars 2021 Pinot Noir, Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Rosehall Run 2022 Pinot Noir, Ontario
• SpearHead 2021 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir, Summerland Lakefront, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Tightrope 2022 Pinot Noir Rubis, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Unsworth Vineyards 2022 Cowichan Valley Pinot Noir, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

Red Blends

Platinum Medal

• Black Hills 2022 Bona Fide, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Burrowing Owl 2021 Athene, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Hester Creek 2022 GSM, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Nostalgia Wines 2020 Malbec Petit Verdot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Gold Medal

• Black Hills 2022 Ipso Facto, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Black Hills 2022 Addendum, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Colio Estate Wines 2020 Small Lot Series Meritage, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Corcelettes 2020 Talus, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
• Foolish Wine 2020 Hooligan Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Henry of Pelham 2020 Speck Family Reserve Cabernet-Merlot, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Hidden Bench 2020 La Brunante Unfiltered, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Kismet 2020 Moksha, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Magnotta Pzazz N/V Merlot Cab Limited Edition, Ontario
• Mt. Boucherie 2020 Summit, British Columbia
• Nk’Mip Cellars 2021 Winemakers Talon
• Nostalgia Wines 2020 Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Nostalgia Wines 2022 Rockabilly Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Organized Crime 2020 Pipe Down, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Peller Estates 2021 Signature Series Estate Red, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Pentâge Winery 2018 GSM Dirty Dozen Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Road 13 2022 Honest John’s Bold Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Stag’s Hollow 2020 Renaissance Meritage Stag’s Hollow Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Stratus 2020 White Label Red, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Tawse 2021 Meritage, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Three Sisters Winery 2022 Bench Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Two Sisters Vineyards 2020 Eleventh Post, Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Wayne Gretzky 2022 Signature Series Cabernet Merlot, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Riesling

Platinum Medal

• Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Gold Medal

• Henry of Pelham 2023 Speck Family Reserve Riesling, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Inniskillin Niagara 2022 Discovery Series Susse Reserve Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• La Frenz Winery 2022 Riesling 21B Freedom 75 Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Lailey Winery 2022 Off-Dry Riesling Lailey Vineyard, Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Lake Breeze 2023 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Megalomaniac Wines 2021 Narcissist Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Organized Crime 2023 Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Peak Cellars 2022 Estate Grown Block 11 Riesling, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Quails’ Gate 2022 Clone 49 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Quails’ Gate 2023 Clone 49 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Storm Haven 2022 Riesling Boulders, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Synchromesh 2023 Dry Riesling Storm Haven Vineyard White Label, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Tantalus Vineyards 2021 Old Vines Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Two Sisters Vineyards 2021 Riesling , Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Van Westen 2022 Viscous, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Rosé

Platinum Medal

• Fresh N/V Rosé, Ontario

Gold Medal

• Culmina 2023 Saignée, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Fox&Archer 2022 Unfiltered Saignée, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Mercator Vineyards 2023 Compass Rosé, Nova Scotia
• Tinhorn Creek 2023 Reserve Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Colu

Sauvignon Blanc

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Peller Estates 2022 Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Sparkling Wine

Platinum Medal

• Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Gold Medal

• Huff Estates 2021 Cuvée Peter F. Huff, Prince Edward County, Ontario
• La Frenz Winery 2020 Aster Estate Grown Chardonnay Pinot Noir Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Lightning Rock 2021 Elysia Vineyard Blanc de Noirs, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Liquidity Wines N/V Reserve Sparkling Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Marynissen Estates 2020 Blanc de Blancs, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Noble Ridge 2018 Noble Knights McEachnie Vintage Blanc de Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Noble Ridge 2019 The Pink One, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Queenston Mile Vineyard 2018 Blanc De Blanc, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Ravine Vineyard N/V Brut, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Redstone Winery 2022 Sparkling Rosé, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Road 13 2019 Select Harvest Old Vines Sparkling Chenin Blanc, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Thirty Bench N/V Sparkling Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Township 7 2020 Seven Stars Polaris, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Two Sisters Vineyards 2021 Lush Sparkling Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

Syrah

Platinum Medal

• Lake Breeze 2020 Cellar Series Mistral, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Gold Medal

• Black Hills 2022 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Corcelettes 2021 Syrah , Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
• Creekside 2020 Broken Press Syrah Reserve Queenston Road Vineyard, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Fielding 2020 Syrah Lowrey Vineyard, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• JoiRyde Winery 2022 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Kismet 2021 Family Select Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Konzelmann 2022 Syrah Barrel Aged Reserve, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
• Laughing Stock 2021 Syrah , Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Le Vieux Pin 2022 Syrah Cuvee Violette, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Phantom Creek 2020 Kobau Vineyard Syrah, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Roche Wines 2021 Amulet Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Tantalus Vineyards 2022 Syrah, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
• The Wine Umbrella 2020 Co-Syrah
• Tinhorn Creek 2021 Reserve Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

White Blends

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Lake Breeze 2022 Roussanne Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Terravista Vineyards 2022 Figaro, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Terravista Vineyards 2023 Fandango, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Other White Single Varieties

Platinum Medal

• No medal awarded

Gold Medal

• Black Hills 2022 Roussanne, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Fort Berens 2023 Small Lot Grüner Veltliner Red Rock Vineyard, British Columbia
• Peak Cellars 2022 Gruner Veltliner, Lake Country, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Quails’ Gate 2022 Clone 220 Chenin Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
• Terravista Vineyards 2023 Albariño, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

The complete list of this year’s results can be found at winealign.com/awards.

Sláinte mhaith