Author: A Layman's Wine Musings

2023 National Wine Awards

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This year was the 22nd 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.

Photo credit: winealign.com

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. 13th 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

The Effects of Histamines in Wine

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If you get headaches when drinking wine or your face becomes flushed, chances are you have experienced an allergic reaction to the wine.  Antihistamine medications like Zyrtec, Allegra, Claritin or Benadryl may provide quick relief for your symptoms. This is because histamine has caused an immediate inflammatory response in the body.

Photo credit: therealreview.com

Histamine is part of the immune system that serves to provide a warning to your body of any potential attackers. It causes blood vessels to swell so the white blood cells can quickly find and attack an infection or problem.  The increase in the level of histamine is what causes a headache and leaves a person feeling flushed, itchy and miserable.

Many wines contain components that may react negatively to people with histamine sensitivity.  To begin, the wineries tend to use grapes that are ripe or even overripe; a state which leaves the fruit in the perfect state for excess histamine production.  Sulphur dioxide, which is a common preservative used in winemaking, can cause dermatitis, hives’ and/or flushing.   Another preservative, ammonium sulphates, may cause nausea or vomiting. It also causes histamine release in the body.  Commercial yeasts are also a known histamine trigger.

Lastly, ethanol, which is the alcohol we consume when we drink wine, is a by-product of the bacteria which feed on the sugars in the grapes from which the wine was made.  It is the reason why all alcohol contains histamines. Generally, the higher the alcohol content, the lower the sugar content and vice versa.

The level of histamine in wine varies depending on the processes used when making the wine; things such as the type of barrel used. You won’t find an alcohol completely without histamines and sulfites but there are techniques that will lower the histamine formed in wine.

While both red and white wines contain some trace nutrients, red wine has much higher levels of antioxidants, but all wines contain substances such as sulfites, which can cause mild to severe allergy symptoms to appear in some individuals.  White wine will contain between 3 to 120 micrograms of histamine per glass, whereas red wine will have 60 to 3,800 micrograms of histamine per glass.

Some people claim that natural wines contain low levels of histamine, however this is not always true.  It is not easy to determine which wines are safe as most wine labels do not legally have to show this kind of information and there isn’t a legitimized certificate for low histamine wines.

What works for many people with a sensitivity to histamine is a low histamine wine without sulfates.  White wines such as Sauvignon Blanc or sparkling wines like Cava or Prosecco are often a good choice for people with histamine sensitivity.

Sláinte mhaith

New Alcohol Consumption Guidelines

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According to new guidelines from the Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction (CCSA), which were published earlier this year, consuming more than six alcoholic drinks a week leads to high health risks, including cancer, especially for women.

The CCSA led the initiative to update Canada’s Low-Risk Alcohol Drinking Guidelines (LRDGs). This Health Canada initiative was initiated in July 2020. The result of this project was the creation of Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health, which now replaces the LRDGs.

The CCSA states that no matter the kind of alcohol, whether it is wine, beer, cider or spirits, even a small amount is damaging, regardless of age, sex, gender, ethnicity, tolerance for alcohol or lifestyle.  Thus, if you drink, it’s better to drink less.

According to the CCSA, the guide provides people with the information necessary to make well-informed and responsible decisions about their alcohol consumption.  The guidelines state that there is a continuum of risk associated with weekly alcohol use.

  • No risk = 0 drinks per week — Not drinking has benefits, such as better health and better sleep.
  • Low risk = 2 standard drinks or less per week — Most likely to avoid alcohol-related consequences.
  • Moderate risk = 3 to 6 standard drinks per week — There is risk of developing several types of cancer, including breast and colon cancer.
  • Increasingly high risk = 7 standard drinks or more per week — The risk of heart disease or stroke increases significantly at this level.
  • Each additional standard drink radically increases the risk of alcohol-related consequences.
Photo credit: https://c2cjournal.ca

In addition, consuming more than 2 standard drinks on any occasion is associated with an increased risk of harms to oneself and others.

As with the previous guidelines, alcohol should not be consumed when pregnant or while breastfeeding.

On the other hand …

Contradicting at least a portion of the new Guidance on Alcohol and Health is another study, also published this year, this time in the Nutrients Journal where researchers completed a study aimed at understanding the association between wine consumption and cardiovascular mortality, cardiovascular disease (CVD) and coronary heart disease (CHD). 

This investigation states that wine consumption has an inverse relationship to cardiovascular mortality.  According to the journal, “Researchers performed a systematic review and meta-analysis using longitudinal studies, including cohort and case-control studies retrieved from multiple databases which they searched from their inception to March 2023”.

The researchers stand by the belief that light to moderate alcohol consumption positively affects general health; for instance, it acts on high-density lipoprotein cholesterol to prevent atherosclerosis, lowers the incidence of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and helps with the prognosis of people at higher risk of coronary complications leading to myocardial infarction.

However, these researchers agree that excessive drinking causes over 200 diseases, which makes it a leading cause of deaths globally.  They also warn that alcohol interacts with multiple drugs, altering its metabolism. Decreased alcohol metabolism could lead to increased blood alcohol levels. For example, a component in wine, resveratrol, interacts with certain drugs and modifies their metabolism.

Polyphenols in red wine, such as tannins, provide multiple cardiovascular health benefits. It is also an anti-inflammatory, antioxidant and antimutagenic thus reducing potentially harmful chemicals from the body. Nonetheless, all cardiologist agrees that light to moderate alcohol consumption has a positive effect on cardiovascular health, whereas excessive alcohol drinking elevates the risk of CHD mortality, cancers, etc. At least both studies agree on this point.

The participant’s age, sex or smoking status apparently had no effect on the study’s results.  Both red and white wines displayed positive affects but the impact varied by the type of wine.

Though health benefits were noted with both red and white wine, the variations in the strength of this association were attributable to the different concentrations of some components.  Red wine, in particular, has phenolic compounds such as gallic acid, catechin, and epicatechin (flavonols), which gives it antioxidant properties. These wines also reduce low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, thrombosis risk, plasma and lipid peroxide.

Alcoholic components of wine reduce the risk of thrombosis and levels of fibrinogen, as well as induce collagen and platelet aggregation. Thus, higher consumption of red wine is more beneficial for combating CVDs than white wine other alcoholic beverages.

The study concluded that moderate wine consumption is good for cardiac health. However, researchers should interpret these findings with caution. Increasing wine consumption could harm patients susceptible to alcohol due to age, preexisting pathologies or medications.

In closing …

I leave it to you to make your own decision with regards to the merits of both studies.  Complete information regarding Canada’s Guidance on Alcohol and Health is available at https://ccsa.ca/.  The complete study, Association between Wine Consumption with Cardiovascular Disease and Cardiovascular Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis, is available at https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6643/15/12/2785.

Sláinte mhaith

2023 Ontario Wine Awards

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Photo credit: ontariowineawards.com

The 2023 Canadian wine award season began in early June with the Ontario Wine Awards.  There were 558 entries from 77 Ontario wineries.

Receiving the honour of the Winemaker of the Year was Peller Estates Winery’s Katie Dickieson.  She earned more gold medals than any other winemaker in Ontario.

The Niagara region’s Domaine Queylus attained the Red Wine of the Year award for its 2020 Cabernet Franc Tradition.  This wine is only available directly from the winery but at a very affordable price of $33.50 CDN.

The White Wine of the Year award was presented to Prince Edward County’s Norman Hardie for their 2017 Semi-Dry Riesling.  This wine comes at a price of $21.00 CDN and is available from either the winery or select LCBO stores.

This year Gold medals were awarded in the following categories:

Sparkling Wine Award (Traditional Method)

Gold medals were presented to:

  • Malivoire Wine Bisous Rose NV
  • Megalomaniac Bubblehead Limited Edition Brut NV
  • Niagara College Teaching Winery, Balance Brut NV
  • Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Sparkling Riesling NV
  • Trius Winery, Showcase Blanc de Blancs NV

Sparkling Wine Award (Cuve Close)

The gold medal was awarded to Greenlane Estate Winery for their Saffron Sparkling Rose 2021

Riesling Award (Semi-Dry)

The gold medal was awarded to Megalomaniac Winery for their Narcissist Riesling 2021

Sauvignon Blanc / Semillon Award

Gold medals were awarded to:

  • Peller Estates Winery, Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021
  • Palatine Hills Estate Winery, Wild & Free Semillon 2021
  • Trius Winery, Showcase Wild Ferment Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Unoaked Chardonnay Award

The Gold medal was awarded to Big Head Wines Inc. for their 2022 Chardonnay Stone

Oaked Chardonnay Award

Gold medals were awarded to:

  • Exultet Estates, cru X Chardonnay 2018
  • Konzelmann Estate Winery, Chardonnay Barrel Aged 2022

Gewürztraminer Award

The Gold medal was presented to Magnotta Winery for their Gewürztraminer VQA Venture Series 2022

Blanc De Noir Award

The Gold medal was awarded to 180 Estate Winery for their Gamay Rose 2021

Gamay Award

The Gold award was presented to 13th Street Winery for their Gamay 2021

Pinot Noir Award

Gold medals were awarded to:

  • King and Victoria, Pinot Noir 2018
  • Domaine Queylus, 2018 Pinot Noir La Grande Réserve

Cabernet Franc Award

Gold Awards were presented to:

  • Big Head Wines Inc., 2020 Cabernet Franc Select
  • Domaine Queylus, 2020 Cabernet Franc Tradition
  • Peller Estates Winery, Signature Series Cabernet Franc 2020
  • Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Ravine Cabernet Franc 2020
  • Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Wild Cask Cabernet Franc 2020

Merlot Award

Gold medals were presented to:

  • Kacaba Vineyards and Winery, Signature Series, Reserve Merlot 2020
  • Niagara College Teaching Winery, Dean’s List Merlot 2020
  • Sprucewood Shores Winery, Merlot Hawk’s Flight Reserve 2020
  • Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Small Lot Merlot 2020

Meritage & Cabernet Blends Award

Gold medals were awarded to:

  • Konzelmann Estate Winery, Legacy Meritage 2020
  • Magnotta Winery, Magnotta Legacy Limited Edition VQA 2018
  • Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, Reserve Red 2020
  • Three Dog Winery, Big Red 2020

Syrah / Shiraz Award

The Gold medal was awarded to Kacaba Vineyards and Winery for their Premium Series, Terraced Vineyard Syrah 2020

Late Harvest Reds & Whites

Gold medals were presented to:

  • Peller Estates Winery, Private Reserve Late Harvest Vidal 2021
  • Trius Winery, Showcase Late Harvest Vidal 2021

Other Red Wines

A Gold medal was awarded to Strewn Winery for their Select Late Harvest Cabernet 2017

Vinifera Icewine Award

Gold medals were presented to:

  • Inniskillin, Cabernet Franc Icewine 2019
  • Peller Estates Winery, Andrew Peller Riesling Icewine 2019
  • Riverview Cellars Estate Winery, Riesling Icewine 2019

Unassigned Wine

A Gold medal was presented to the London Born Wine Co for their Chardonnay Musque 2020

I did not include the Silver and Bronze medal recipients.  However, the complete list is available at https://winesinniagara.com/2023/06/domaine-queylus-captures-red-wine-of-the-year-award/.

Sláinte mhaith

The World of Ultra-Rare Scotch Whisky

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Over the past few years whisky makers have released a variety of very rare and expensive Scotch whiskies to the marketplace.  The price of these rare offerings is determined by what the market will bear, or in other words, the amount the investor is willing to pay.  It appears that the price has little to do with the cost and time required to produce the bottle but more about who is interested in purchasing it. What has been happening is that there are a number of avid whisky enthusiasts who are willing to part with large sums of cash to claim one of these rare items as their own.

Photo credit: harpers.co.uk

The participants in this market consists of collectors, investors and high-end consumers.  Individuals may take on only one or even all three of these roles.  For example, the same person may try to acquire two bottles, one to keep and maybe sell later, and the other to drink.

Ironically, with the recent surge in whisky’s popularity, distillers have been creating and promoting no-age statement whiskies. Older whiskies are more valuable, but the industry is far from claiming that older is necessarily better.  The older the vintage, the fewer bottles there are available, making it more desirable to those who can afford it, as well as more collectible.

Marketing whisky is about the quality of the whisky and the stories it allows the producers to tell about their brand’s legacy and history.

The media seems to have become infatuated by the so-called investment potential of these expensive bottles and casks.  However, whisky producers shy away from considering them as an investment.  There are people collecting simply for the happiness gained from the achievement of getting hold of a particular brand or vintage item.  However, encouraging people to invest for profit is risky business.  A large outlay of cash doesn’t necessarily provide the opportunity for resale for an increased amount later.

In the same way the price of fine wine will fluctuate up and down, so, too will Scotch whisky.  But just like wine, most people don’t consider it an investment vehicle similar to stocks or bonds.

When it comes to distillers setting a price for their rare releases, the only reference point seems to be the auction houses. If the price is set too high they will be accused of having delusions of grandeur. If the price is too low, the whisky will be quickly purchased and resold.

If you find yourself in the possession of a bottle of Scotch from one of the distilleries that no longer exists, you may have something of great value without realizing it. This list of distilleries includes Brora, Imperial, Littlemill, Port Ellen and Rosebank.

Revenues from the sale of rare whisky is minuscule in comparison to the profit made from the sale of the distilleries’ standard fare.  That is one reason why every distillery doesn’t take part in this niche market. Another being that any of the newer distilleries haven’t existed long enough to have any casks that have aged long enough to enable them to provide such a rare offering.

A certain amount of snobbery exists in the ultra-rare whisky market.  There are those who believe that distilleries, such as Macallan, should not have luxury status because their whiskies are available through grocery retailers in Britain.  Apparently in the view of some, if a distiller makes their product easily accessible to consumers, it raises doubts about its luxury status.

Thankfully, this is not an opinion shared by everyone and that whisky is judged and valued by its quality and flavour.  Proof in point, a bottle of Macallan’s 1926 sold at Sotheby’s for £1.5 million or $2.325 million dollars CDN!

Sláinte mhaith

The All Canadian Wine Championships

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Photo credit: allcanadianwinechampionships.com

The 41st edition of the All Canadian Wine Championships was held in mid June.  There were participants from nine of the ten provinces and even one territory. In total 184 wineries entered 1,154 wines.

The overall results by province were as follows:

  • BC           5 Trophies/25 Double Gold/75 Gold/73 Silver /66 Bronze (612 entries)
  • ON          22 Double Gold/32 Gold/37 Silver/39 Bronze (379 entries)
  • QC           2 Trophies/3 Double Gold/14 Gold/10 Silver/10 Bronze (73 entries)
  • NS           7 Gold/ 2 Silver/6 Bronze (26 entries)
  • NB           3 Double Gold/ 3 Gold/1 Silver (26 entries)
  • PEI          1 Double Gold/1 Silver (4 entries)
  • AB            1 Double Gold/ 1 Gold/1 Silver/ 4 Bronze (24 entries)
  • MB          2 Bronze (3 entries)
  • SK            1 Silver (8 entries)
  • YT             1 Double Gold (2 entries)

Assessments and awards were based as follows:

Trophies: “All Canadian Best Wines of the Year”

All wines are judged using the 100-point system. Trophies are awarded for each of the following categories:

  • Best Red table wine
  • Best White table wine
  • Best Dessert wine
  • Best Sparkling wine
  • Best Fruit wine

Double Gold medals / Best of Category were awarded to the single highest rated wine (using an average of the aggregate judges’ scores) from each of the categories. These wines were all submitted for the Trophy round.

Medals of Merit: Gold, Silver, Bronze were awarded in the following manner:

  • Gold awards were awarded to those wines scoring in the top 10 percentile.
  • Silver awards of merit were issued to those wines scoring in the second 10 percentile.
  • Bronze awards of merit were given to those wines scoring in the third 10 percentile.

The Trophy Awards were presented as follows:

Best Sparkling Wine of the Year

TIME Family of Wines, BC; N/V Chronos Brut ($40.24 CDN)

Best Red Wine of the Year

Wild Goose Winery, BC; 2021 Pinot Noir ($29.89 CDN)

Best White Wine of the Year

Wild Goose Winery, BC; 2022 Gewürztraminer ($17.89 CDN)

Best Dessert Wine of the Year

Vignoble Rivière du Chêne, QC ; 2021 Monde ($32.00 CDN)

Best Fruit Wine of the Year

Maan Farms Estate Winery, BC; 2020 Raspberry ($23.00 CDN)

Double Gold Awards

Double Gold awards were presented to the following entries:

  • Sparkling Wine – Charmat Method – Fresh, ON; N/V Sparkling Rosé ($18.95 CDN)
  • Sparkling Wine – Frizzante Method – Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery, BC  2021 Daffodils Sparkling To Go 250ml ($7.98 CDN)
  • Chardonnay, Unoaked – Two Sisters Vineyards, ON; 2020 Unoaked Chardonnay ($38.80 CDN)
  • Chardonnay Under $35.00 – Meldville Wines, ON; 2021 Chardonnay Barrel Select ($26.00 CDN)
  • Chardonnay Over $35.00 – Dark Horse Estate Winery, ON; 2018 Stirling Gait Chardonnay ($39.95 CDN)
  • Riesling Dry – Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery, BC; 2022 Private Reserve Dry Riesling         ($18.39 CDN)
  • Riesling Off Dry – Moraine Winery, BC; 2022 Riesling ($23.00 CDN)
  • Sauvignon Blanc – Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery, BC; 2022 Dry Rock Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc ($20.69 CDN)
  • Pinot Gris Style – Lighthall Vineyards, ON; 2022 Estate Pinot Gris VQA. Prince Edward County ($27.75 CDN)
  • Pinot Grigio Style – Ovino Winery, BC; 2022 Pinot Grigio ($18.40 CDN)
  • Viognier – Wesbert Winery, BC; 2022 Viognier ($26.95 CDN)
  • Other Single Vitis Vinifera Whites – Reif Estate Winery, ON; 2021 Chenin Blanc ($19.95 CDN)
  • White Vitis Vinifera Blends – Priest Creek Family Estate Winery, BC; 2022 Marsanne Roussanne Viognier ($32.74 CDN)
  • Single White Hybrids – The Roost Wine Company, ON; 2021 Frontenac ($24.75 CDN)
  • White Hybrid Blends – Privato Vineyard and Winery, BC; 2022 Sorpresa Bianco ($22.99 CDN)
  • Pet Nat – Black Market Wine Co., BC; 2022 Nothing to Declare ($40.25 CDN)
  • Orange Wines – Creekside Estate Winery Ltd., ON; 2022 Undercurrent Madame Marmalade ($35.00 CDN)
  • Rosé Dry – Forbidden Fruit Winery, BC; 2022 Dead End The Happy Ending Organic Cabernet Franc Rosé ($24.00 CDN)
  • Rosé Off Dry – Jabulani Vineyard & Winery Ltd, ON; 2022 Rosé ($16.00 CDN)
  • Cabernet Sauvignon Under $35 – Bordertown Vineyard & Estate Winery, BC; 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon ($35.00 CDN)
  • Cabernet Sauvignon Over $35.01 – Colchester Ridge Estate Winery, ON; 2018 Grand CREW ($39.95 CDN)
  • Merlot Under $35 – Squeezed Wines, BC; 2015 Merlot ($21.90 CDN)
  • Merlot Over $35.01 – Nk’Mip Cellars, BC; 2020 Qwam Qwmt Merlot ($43.69 CDN)
  • Pinot Noir Over $35.01 – Privato Vineyard and Winery, BC 2019 Woodward Collection – Grande Reserve Pinot Noir ($68.99 CDN)
  • Cabernet Franc Under $35 – Colio Estate Wines, ON; 2020 Reserve Cabernet Franc ($19.95 CDN)
  • Cabernet Franc Over $35.01 – Palatine Hills Estate Winery c/o John Neufeld Farms, ON; 2018 Wild & Free Cabernet Franc ($64.95 CDN)
  • Bordeaux Blends Under $35 – Creekside Estate Winery Ltd., ON; 2020 Red Tractor Cabernet Merlot ($17.95 CDN)
  • Bordeaux Blends Over $35.01 – Two Sisters Vineyards, ON; 2018 Eleventh Post ($47.80 CDN)
  • Syrah/Shiraz Under $35 – Moon Curser Vineyards, BC; 2021 Syrah ($34.49 CDN)
  • Syrah/Shiraz Over $35.01 – Moon Curser Vineyards, BC; 2021 Contraband Syrah ($43.69 CDN)
  • Single Red Hybrids – Seaside Pearl Farmgate Winery, BC; 2020 Cabernet Foch ($39.10 CDN)
  • Marechal Foch – Alderlea Vineyards, BC; 2020 Clarinet ($26.45 CDN)
  • Red Hybrid Blends – Vignoble Rivière du Chêne, QC ; 2021 Origine, Cuvée Spéciale  ($32.00 CDN)
  • Other Single Red Vitis Vinifera – Garry Oaks Estate Winery, BC; 2018 Zweigelt ($31.50 CDN)
  • Other Red Vitis Vinifera Blends – Bonamici Cellars, BC; 2020 Belviaggio ($51.75 CDN)
  • Malbec – Moon Curser Vineyards, BC; 2021 Malbec ($40.24 CDN)
  • Gamay – Byland Estate Winery, ON; 2021 Gamay Noir ($38.00 CDN)
  • Appassimento Style – Magnetic Hill Winery, NB; 2021 Terroir Generator Marquette ($45.00 CDN)

FRUIT WINES

  • Soft Fruit Dry – Yukon Wines, YT; 2020 Dry Haskap Wine ($23.30 CDN)
  • Soft Fruit Dessert – Magnetic Hill Winery, NB; N/V Framboise ($20.00 CDN)
  • Tree Fruit Dry – Forbidden Fruit Winery, BC; 2022 Organic Cherysh Cherry Rosé ($21.00 CDN)
  • Tree Fruit Off Dry – Caroline Cellars Winery, ON; N/V Plum ($12.30 CDN)
  • Tree Fruit Dessert – Puddicombe Estate Wines, ON; 2021 Iced Apple ($20.00 CDN)
  • Fruit Sparkling – Cornerstone Estate Winery, ON; 2020 Fizzy Peach ($6.15 CDN)
  • Fruit Fortified – Vinerie DesFruits Winery, NB ; N/V vin de cassis fortifié ($11.99 CDN)

DESSERT WINES

  • Late Harvest – Clos du Soleil Winery Inc, BC; 2022 Saturn ($38.50 CDN)
  • Red Icewine – Harbour Estates Winery, ON; 2017 Syrah Icewine ($100.00 CDN)
  • Grape Fortifieds – D’Angelo Estate Winery BC; N/V Dolce Vita Rosso ($49.39 CDN)

CIDERS

  • Trophy, Best Cider – The View Winery, BC; N/V Wards Winter Spice Picker’s Hut ($9.45 CDN)

MEADS

  • Trophy, Best Mead of the Year – Miel Nature Inc. QC; N/V Poire et miel ($35.00 CDN)

All of the results are available at https://allcanadianwinechampionships.com/acwc-2023-results/

Sláinte mhaith

The Use of Oak – Toasted Oak

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As I discussed previously, oak will enhance the flavour of wine.  Much of that flavour imparted by the oak occurs naturally from the raw wood but ‘toasting’ the inside of an oak barrel will further enhance these flavours.

Photo credit: vinethos.com

After a barrel is made its inside can be exposed to fire in order to toast it. This is done either over an open flame or by using a hand-held torch. The fire caramelizes the wood’s natural sugars and brings out complex compounds. From this, the wine will take on flavours that are toasty, charred, spicy and sweet depending on the amount of time the wood is toasted.

A lightly toasted barrel will be exposed to flame for about 25 minutes while a heavily toasted barrel may get up to one hour of flame exposure.  Generally, the heavier the toast, the stronger and more varied are the revealed flavours.

Light toasting will impart flavours of subtle vanilla, coconut, caramel, clove and cinnamon.  Medium toasting provides stronger vanilla, honey, caramel, toast, coffee and cocoa flavours.  Finally, heavy toasting provides vanilla, espresso, smoke, crème brûlée, butterscotch, toffee, coffee and molasses flavours.

Oak will interact with wine differently depending on the grape variety. Oak may provide hints of chocolate to a Merlot or vanilla or coconut to a Zinfandel. White wines aged in oak typically develop flavours of vanilla, baked apple, caramel, honey, toasted marshmallow, or buttered toast.

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The Use of Oak – New Oak versus Old Oak

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Oak has a major impact on the flavour of the wines we drink; whether it is absent or present; and if it is present, whether it be new oak, old oak or neutral oak.  When wine remains in contact with wood during the fermentation and aging process, changes take place due to extractable organic compounds.  These biochemistry effects translate into the wine’s aroma and flavour.

Photo credit: profilewinegroup.com

All oak wine barrels are toasted when they are made.  Toasting is when the inside of the barrel is exposed to a flame for a specific time and temperature depending on the style of barrel.  I will talk more about the toasting process in an upcoming post.

The impact of the toasting process declines as barrels age with use.  New oak creates aromatic and flavour complexity in the wine whereas old oak becomes more neutral year after year.  Some winemakers use a mix of new and old oak throughout the cellar in order to achieve their desired wine characteristics.

New oak influences red wines differently than white wines. In reds it will adjust the tannic structure while in whites it will open the aromatics of the wine.

The use of a high percentage of new oak barrels can create flavours of toast, vanilla, baking spices, coffee, caramel, maple or smoke.  Neutral barrels no longer generate these flavours or aromas.  New oak is also used to accelerate the softening of high tannin wines like Cabernet Sauvignon.  They can produce a more rounded wine at a younger age.

While neutral oak barrels no longer provide flavour, they still play an important role as they introduce oxygen to the wine.  This oxygen seepage has a big impact on the natural chemical conversions that wine undergoes during maturation.  Neutral barrels help maintain the fruit qualities of more delicate wines and soften wines that have a high amount of tannin.

The size of the barrel affects the oak’s impact on the wine.  The larger the barrel, the less oak lactones and oxygen that are transferred into a wine.  Thus, there is less impact on the flavour and aroma.  Barrels are normally 225 litres but can be as large as 1,000 to 20,000 litres.

The typical winemaking lifespan of a properly maintained barrel is around five years.  However, this may vary depending on the appellation, the type of wine and whether the winemaker is using the barrel for profile influence, oxygenation or storage.

Maintaining enough new oak on hand can be a challenge as there are only a limited number of new barrels available for purchase each year.  As well, the cost can be prohibitive as the price of one barrel can range from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars.

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Use of Oak – Types of Oak

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This is the first of a three-part series on the use of oak in the wine-making process.

Photo credit: wordonthegrapevine.co.uk

It’s a well-known fact that oak has become the most accepted way to affect the taste of a wine.  When added to wine, oak combines with the flavours of the grapes to create a wide variety of incredible tasting wines.

Most the world’s finest wines are aged in oak barrels, with French and American oaks being most commonly used.  However, Russian and Eastern European oak are also used, especially in Europe.  All wine barrels are made from white oak but the characteristics of the barrels vary greatly depending on the source of the oak.

French Oak

French oak is historically found in the forests of eastern and central France.  It has more tannin than the other oaks so lighter grape varieties, such as Pinot Noir, are well suited to tannin-rich French oak.  French oak has a tighter-grained wood structure which exposes subtler tastes like aromatic spices, cocoa and coffee. French oak grain is less coarse, contributing to wines with subtle, spicy and smooth, satiny or silky qualities.

American Oak

American oak is twice as dense as French oak, bringing greater spice and wood sugar compounds that slowly extract and fill out a wine’s body.  American Oak has a loose grain and is heavy in lactones, which creates flavours like coconut and banana to finished wines.  It can also provide an impression of a bit of creaminess and a hint of vanilla in wine.  American oak contains a lot of hemicellulose1, which when charred will break down into wood sugars, allowing for some caramelization. 

American oak is widely used in Spain to make Tempranillo. American oak barrels can weigh twice as much as French oak barrels but cost about half the price to purchase.

Russian and Eastern European Oak

Eastern Europe has a vast supply of oak trees. Hungarian oak is richer in eugenols, which impart spice, and tends to create a slightly richer mouthfeel with substantial tannin.   Caucasian oak, on the other hand, releases less tannin and aromatics, which is better for lighter wines desiring a straight-up expression of the grape itself.

Russian oak is used widely throughout Europe. Slavonian oak is used in a variety of Italian wines.  It is known for providing less tannin and more sweetness to the wine.

1 According to ScienceDirect.com, “Hemicelluloses are typically defined as components that can be precipitated by ethanol after extraction from the cell wall by dilute alkali. In such procedures they are extracted after depletion of the pectin content of the walls by aqueous solvents and calcium chelators”.

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Misstated Scotch Whisky Names

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The western half of Scotland has its roots based in the Gaelic language and given that many whisky distilleries are situated in Gaelic lands, it should be no surprise that their names are often Gaelic as well.  Even some of us who were raised with a Scottish Gaelic parent have difficulty deciphering and pronouncing the names correctly.

I have come up with a list of the distilleries that sport Gaelic names and export their whisky regularly to the Canadian marketplace.  The list is presented in alphabetical order.

AnCnoc Distillery

AnCnoc Distillery, founded in 1894, is situated in Knock, Aberdeenshire. It was originally known as Knocdu (“nock-doo”) from the Gaelic Cnoc Dubh which means ‘black hill’. It later became AnCnoc which simply means ‘the hill’. And is pronounced “ah-nock”.

Auchentoshan Distillery

Auchentoshan Distillery was established in 1823 and is located at the foot of the Kilpatrick hills, close to Clydebank. In Gaelic its name translates to ‘Achadh an Oisein’ which means ‘corner of the field’. It is pronounced as “ock-un-tosh-un”.  The distillery’s motto is “Challenging to say, easy to drink”.

Bruichladdich Distillery

Bruichladdich is located on the wild Rhinns, located on the west side of the Isle of Islay.  It was originally founded in 1881. The name is derived from the Gaelic words ‘brudhach’ and ‘chalddich’ which together translate to ‘brae by the shore’. The name is pronounced as “broo-ick-laddie”.

Bunnahabhain

Bunnahabhain Distillery, founded in 1881, is located near Port Askaig, on the north side of the Island of Islay. Its name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic for ‘mouth of the river’, Bun na h-Abhainn.  It is pronounced “bu-na-ha-venn”.

Caol Ila Distillery

Caol Ila Distillery is located on the northeastern shore of Islay. It was founded in 1846. The name derives from the Gaelic ‘Caol Ìle’ which means ‘sound of Islay’ and is pronounced as “cull – eela”.

Cragganmore Distillery

Cragganmore is in the Speyside region near the village of Ballindalloch.  It has been in existence since 1869. The Gaelic form of its name is creagan mór, which translates as ‘great rock’. Cragganmore is pronounced as “kra-guhn-more”.

Glenfiddich Distillery

Glenfiddich was founded in 1886, in the Highland community of Dufftown, Banffshire.  Glenfiddich is Gaelic for valley of the deer and is pronounced “glen-fidd- ick”.

Glenmorangie Distillery

Established in 1843, Glenmorangie is located in the Highlands, about 60 kilometres north of Inverness. There is debate as to whether the name was derived from Gleann Mòr na Sìth, which means ‘valley of tranquility’ or Gleann Mór-innse, which refers to ‘valley of big meadows’. In either event, Glenmorangie is pronounced “glen-muh-ran-jee”.

Lagavulin Distillery

Lagavulin, founded in 1816, is located at Laguvulin Bay on Islay. Its name is an anglicization of the Gaelic lag a’mhuilin which means ‘hollow by the mill’. Lagavulin is pronounced “lagga-voolin”.

Laphroaig Distillery

The name Laphroaig means ‘beautiful hollow by the broad bay’, which makes sense as the distillery, which was founded in 1815, is situated along the south shoreline on Islay.  Laphroaig is pronounced as “la-froyg”

Tamdhu Distillery

Established in 1897, Tamdhu Distillery is located in the Highlands in the village of Knockando. Its Scottish Gaelic name translates to ‘little dark hill’ and is simply pronounced “tam – doo”.

Tomintoul Distillery

Tomintoul Distillery is located in the Speyside whisky region, inside the Glenlivet estate. The distillery is named after the nearby village of Tomintoul, which is the highest village in the Highlands of Scotland.  Tomintoul is by far the youngest distillery in the group, established in 1964. The Gaelic translation of its name means ‘the hill of the barn’ and is pronounce “tom-in-towel”.

In Closing

I think I now have a better understanding as to why my father always drank Glenlivet; it was very easy to pronounce, even for a Scotsman!

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