BC’s 2023 Movers and Shakers

December 16, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

These are the wineries from British Columbia that particularly caught my attention this past year. My impressions are based on several factors: the winery’s performance at both the National Wine Awards and the All Canadian Wine Championships, environmental and sustainability practices of each winery and my own thoughts.

I have listed the wineries in alphabetical order and have included several of their 2023 award winning wines.

Corcelettes Estate Winery

Corcelettes was ranked as the second best performing small winery at this year’s National Wine Awards. It is located on 150 acres in British Columbia’s Similkameen Valley. Charlie and Jesce Baessler blend passion, precision and science to craft their expressive, small lot premium wines. No short cuts are taken in finding balance between viticulture, the environment and winemaking.

Corcelettes first vintage was in 2011, consisting of 200 cases. They currently craft 8,200 cases of wine per year, with plans of each future vintage growing in production size.

Their portfolio includes predominantly Syrah and Pinot Noir, crafted from Similkameen grown grapes. There is also a small selection of premium wines from the Micro Lot Series; wines crafted from specially selected grapes available only in limited quantities.

In addition to this year, Corcelettes was among the Top 10 Small Wineries at the 2018, 2019 and 2021 National Wine Awards of Canada.

This year’s Platinum and Gold award winning wines included:

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

Deep Roots Winery

Deep Roots was awarded Best Performing Small Winery at this year’s National Wine Awards where they earned 1 Platinum, 4 Gold, 1 Silver and 4 Bronze medals.

Their Platinum and Gold winners included:

Deep Roots 2020 Reserve Chardonnay
Deep Roots 2020 Parentage Red
Deep Roots 2022 Gamay
Deep Roots 2020 Syrah
Deep Roots 2022 Sauvignon Blanc

Deep Roots is a family owned and operated winery situated on the clay cliffs above Okanagan Lake on the Naramata Bench, where beginning in 2003 the Hardman family began switching their 100-year-old family farm from an apple orchard to a vineyard. Today they have 19 acres of grape vines spread between two Naramata vineyards, using almost exclusively estate fruit.

Initially the grapes were all sold to CedarCreek and Lake Breeze, among others. However, that all changed in 2012 when Will Hardman broke ground to create his own winery. There are two vineyards at two sites on the Naramata Bench where they grow Muscat, Gamay, Merlot, Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Malbec and Syrah grapes.

All the vineyard work is done by hand, as the Hardmans are passionate about producing grapes that are the best expressions of each varietal.

Road 13 Vineyards

At Road 13 in Oliver, B.C., they farm to protect the land. Their philosophy is that by taking care of the dirt, the dirt then can take care of the roots of the vines, thus producing the best fruit possible. Doing things right means going the extra mile, in both the vineyard and in the cellar. Winemaker, Barclay Robinson and his crew farm organically to produce the best wine possible.

Road 13’s Platinum and Gold award winning wines included the following:

Road 13 2020 Select Harvest GSM
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 Rose

SpearHead Winery

SpearHead Winery of Kelowna, B.C, appears on my list of British Columbia’s list of movers and shakers for the second straight year.

Their focus is on premium quality wine which is produced from grapes grown in their estate vineyard and from selected Okanagan Valley vineyards. The hand harvested grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in small lots.

SpearHead produces Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling varietals. Approximately 80% of the 15 acres of vines is comprised of Pinot Noir including four different Dijon clones, 2 California heritage clones and Pommard. This combination of plantings enables the wine maker to select from the different characteristics of these clones to create a complex Pinot Noir from their home vineyard. They also draw from several other vineyards in the Okanagan including Golden Retreat in Summerland and Coyote Vineyard in West Kelowna.

Their 2023 Platinum and Gold award winning wines include the following:

SpearHead 2020 Club Consensus Pinot Noir
Spearhead 2020 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2021 Saddle Block Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2021 Cuvée Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2021 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2022 Pinot Gris

Wild Goose Winery

It all began in early 1983 when founder Adolf Kruger purchased a piece of land east of Okanagan Falls.

Kruger first planted Riesling and Gewürztraminer with the intention of selling the grapes. Over the following few years, outstanding wines were produced by purchasers of the grapes leading him to the decision to make his own wine.

Wild Goose Winery became the seventeenth winery in British Columbia and was established in June 1990. The winery started producing Riesling, Gewürztraminer and Maréchal Foch. Over time Wild Goose established itself as a premium small producer of VQA wines.

In July of 2021, the Wyse family of Burrowing Owl Vineyards purchased Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery. Wild Goose’s approach to winemaking has been to grow the highest quality fruit and then transform it into premium wines.

Wild Goose’s 2023 award winning wines include:

Best White Wine of the Year – 2022 Gewürztraminer
Best Red Wine of the Year – 2021 Pinot Noir
2022 Mystic River Gewürztraminer
2020 Cabernet Merlot

Sláinte mhaith

Ontario’s Movers and Shakers 2023

December 9, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

It has become a bit of a tradition that as the year draws to a close that I share my thoughts as to which wineries are stepping forward to be noticed. As usual I have based my opinions on each winery’s performance at both the National Wine Awards and the All Canadian Wine Championships, environmental and sustainability practices and my own personal impressions.

The number of wineries on my list varies from year to year as I prefer to highlight wineries that I feel have excelled. This is not to suggest that these are the only great wineries in the province; they are merely the ones that especially caught my attention this year. The wineries are presented in alphabetical order and I have included several of each winery’s 2023 award winning wines.

Broken Stone Winery

Having been introduced to this winery this past summer I have become a big fan. I then did some research to see what I could find out about it.

Broken Stone began in 2009 when Tim and Micheline Kuepfer purchased three hayfields along a backroad near Hillier, in Prince Edward County. At the time, the acre of newly planted grape vines that came with the land was almost an afterthought. The first harvest was in 2010 when two tonnes of quality Pinot Noir grapes were picked. An additional four acres of grapes were then planted with a vague notion that someday maybe a winery may be developed.

In 2012 a small building was constructed and the necessary licensing to make wine was obtained. Broken Stone Winery was born. Since then, the Kuepfers have been balancing the busy lifestyle of raising a family in Toronto with their passion for growing vines and making wine in Prince Edward County.

The result has become a dynamic boutique winery in the heart of the Prince Edward County wine region. Their mission is to grow the highest quality grapes and craft world-class wines. They believe that great grapes make great wine, and they strive to ensure that each great vintage is a little better than the last. Broken Stone continually strives to improve the vineyard biodiversity and soils. They strive to live in harmony with the earth and leave a legacy for future generations.

Colchester Ridge Estate Winery

Colchester Ridge is a relatively new winery located in Harrow, which is in the Lake Erie North Shore wine region. The wine labels display the acronym CREW.

I was first introduced to CREW wines by a friend who brought my wife and I a bottle of Meritage when they came to stay with us for a weekend just prior to the pandemic. From then until this past July, my search for another bottle had been fruitless (no pun intended). Then finally I was able to order several bottles of their most recent release, the CREW 2020 Meritage.

CREW was established in 2001 by the husband and wife team of Bernie and Nancy Gorski. The Gorski’s planted twelve acres of vines on their family land in 2001 and produced their first vintage in 2004. Then in 2006 they opened their shop. After years of continual growth, the Gorski’s launched the new CREW Winery & Gallery in November 2019.

Their award-winning wines include the following:

CREW 2020 Barrelman’s Blend
CREW 2020 Meritage
CREW 2018 Grand CREW Cabernet Sauvignon

Hidden Bench Estate Winery (ranked 1^st at National Wine Awards)

Hidden Bench was recognized as the 2023 Winery of the Year at the National Wine Awards of Canada. Hidden Bench has come close to top Awards before, previously competing in the small winery category. However, the winery has grown to produce now over 10,000 cases of wine each year, allowing it to qualify for the top prize. Owner Harald Thiel is committed to being an estate winery using only Beamsville Bench fruit. By controlling his own fruit, he can control the quality as well.

Hidden Bench has emerged as the signature property among several highly regarded wineries on Niagara’s Beamsville Bench, an area of gently sloping, north-facing, limestone-laced sites and maturing vineyards and wineries. All of the wines of Hidden Bench are sourced from the Beamsville Bench and are produced using a comprehensive sustainable approach.

Hidden Bench also appeared in my 2022 and 2020 Ontario lists.

Hidden Bench’s 2023 award winning wines include 2 Platinum, 5 Gold and 5 Silver winners. The platinum and gold winning wines included the following:

Hidden Bench 2020 Pinot Noir Felseck Vineyard
Hidden Bench 2020 Chardonnay Tête de Cuvée Rosomel Vineyard
Hidden Bench 2020 Estate Riesling
Hidden Bench 2017 Natur Zero Dosage
Hidden Bench 2020 Chardonnay Felseck Vineyard
Hidden Bench 2021 Nuit Blanche Rosomel Vineyard
Hidden Bench 2021 Chardonnay Beton

Tawse Winery (Ranked 2^nd at National Wine Awards)

Tawse Winery adheres to a non-interventionist philosophy and a firm belief that the start of every great wine begins in the vineyard. Their wines reflect their unique terroir near Vineland, in the heart of the Niagara wine Region.

Healthy vines yield quality fruit which allows for the creation of terroir-driven wines of great elegance, depth and character. Promoting the health of the vines and vineyards requires a labour-intensive and hands-on approach. Yields are kept low by cluster-thinning to ensure that all the energy of the vine is focused to ripen fewer, higher-quality grape clusters.

Organic farming feeds the vines and controls diseases without the use of synthetic insecticides, fungicides and fertilizers. They strive to create a diversified balanced ecosystem that generates health and fertility from the vineyard itself. Healthy vines mean less need for outside substances to control diseases and promote growth.

The architecture of the winery was created to be environmentally friendly. The wines are aged in underground cellars, which keeps the ambient temperature between 10 and 16 degrees Celsius, with a natural humidity of approximately 85%. The modern geo-thermal energy system has reduced the use of traditional forms of energy by 80%. There is also a wetland bio-filter which allows them to re-use all their sanitary and winery process water.

Tawse earned 2 Platinum, 4 Gold, 8 Silver and 5 Bronze medals this year at the National Wine Awards. The Platinum and Gold award-winning wines include the following:

Tawse 2020 Carly’s Block Riesling
Tawse 2020 Tawse Riesling
Tawse 2020 Quarry Road Riesling
Tawse 2021 Sketches Riesling
Tawse 2020 Cabernet Merlot
Tawse 2020 Limestone Riesling Spark!

Sláinte mhaith

From One Passion to the Other

October 7, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

People sometimes look at me funny when I tell them I periodically write about whiskey in my wine blog. However, here is an excellent example of how the world of one is in many ways very similar to that of the other.

Raimonds Tomsons, who is from Latvia, won the ASI (Association de la Sommellerie Internationale) Best Sommelier of the World competition earlier this year in Paris, France. Prior to winning the championship, Tomsons had already made a name for himself due to his work in wine, being a board member of the Latvian Sommelier Association and having worked with several high-end restaurants and importers in Latvia.

He is now going to be the global brand ambassador for The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. of Dublin, Ireland. Tomsons will now be applying his expertly trained nose and palate in his new role. He sees this new endeavor as giving him the opportunity to further enhance his learning by exploring the diverse world of spirits and other beverages.

Tomsons sees that by joining Jay Bradley and his team at The Craft Irish Whiskey Co., he will have an opportunity to explore fine Irish whiskey in depth, and work on innovative whiskey and food pairings. Bradley feels that Tomsons’’ knowledge and ability to detect nuances and layers of flavour compliments the way he makes whiskeys, each bottle of which offers a unique complexity of flavours.

The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. was founded by Bradley in 2018. The distillery creates rare and ultra-rare Irish whiskeys, including The Emerald Isle, worth an incredible $2 million US, making it one of the most expensive whiskeys in the world.

Craft Irish Whiskey is made only in a pot still and with hand-selected barrels. They craft whiskey as it was once made before the rise of blends and mass-production techniques. They are proud to be reviving the art of crafting whiskey. The Craft Irish Whiskey Co. considers themselves as being rooted in tradition but with an eye on the future, a modern expression of a historic craft.

It is now also a marriage between the world of wine and that of whiskey.

Sláinte mhaith

B.C. Winemaker Séverine Pinte

August 26, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

In June, Séverine Pinte, French born viticulturist and managing partner at both LaStella and Le Vieux Pin wineries, was awarded the Knight of the Order of Agricultural Merit. The award was presented in Oliver, British Columbia by the Consul General of France, Nicolas Baudouin.

The Order of Agricultural Merit (Ordre du Mérite agricole) is presented by France for outstanding contributions to agriculture. It is the highest distinction given in France to individuals, both French and foreign, who have made significant contributions in the fields of agriculture and the food and wine industry, whether in public duties or in the practice of agriculture. It also rewards people who have distinguished themselves in scientific research or in related publications.

Severine Pinte came to LaStella and Le Vieux Pin in 2010 with 14 harvests of international winemaking experience along with 8 years of vineyard management. She is a graduate of the infamous ENSAM (Ecole National Superior Agronomic of Montpellier) where she acquired her Masters in viticulture and oenology, and her National Diploma of Oenology. After graduating from ENSAM she apprenticed at the Cave de Tecou in the AOC Gaillac before coming for the first time to British Columbia to work for Domaine de Chaberton as an assistant winemaker. In 1999 she returned to France and worked a year in Bordeaux under the direction of Andre Lurton in Pessac-Leognan. For nine years Severine was head winemaker and viticultural council for ‘Le Vignoble des 2 terres’ in the Terrasse du Larzac terroir.

In 2003 Severine worked at Frankland Estate winery in Australia and learned about the Australian way of making Cabernet Sauvignon and other Bordeaux originated varieties. Curiosity and the pursuit of new challenges lured Severine to British Columbia’s Okanagan.

Severine is an active member of British Columbia’s wine industry as a board member of the B.C. Wine Grape Council. She is a leading advocate of sustainable viticulture practices and was instrumental in launching the Sustainable Winegrowing B.C. certification program.

She has proven to be a true steward of the land, making some of the finest, most sought-after wines in B.C. at both Le Vieux Pin and LaStella wineries. The wines produced by the two wineries may be purchased online through their respective websites, www.levieuxpin.ca and www.lastella.ca .

Sláinte mhaith

Trek to The County

August 19, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

During the first week of August my wife Valerie and I made our first post pandemic adventure to Prince Edward County. I came prepared with a selection of wineries that I felt deserved a closer look, each having caught my attention for a variety of reasons.

The wineries are not presented in any particular order.

Hinterland Wine Company, 1258 Closson Rd, Hillier, Ontario

Hinterland Wine Company is a boutique winery specializing in wines made using the traditional method. Hinterland uses minimal intervention in their winemaking process, allowing the unique terroir to shine through.

I was particularly impressed with their 2021 L’Imparfait Seneca, which is classified as an orange wine, though it is very much red in colour. It is a blend of 67% Pinot Noir, 26% Marquette and 7% Savagnin grapes. If you like a sweet wine this one is definitely not for you; it has distinct earthy tones.

Closson Chase Winery, 629 Closson Rd, Hillier, Ontario

From Closson Chase we came away with some of their 2022 Estate Unoaked Chardonnay and 2021 Churchside Pinot Noir.

The unoaked Chardonnay was sourced entirely from their South Clos vineyard. It was whole cluster pressed, then cool fermented in stainless steel at 14 C.

The Pinot Noir is sourced entirely from their Churchside vineyard. Destemmed with no crushing and cold soaked for 3-5 days. The juice was then fermented in oak tonneau and aged for 18 months in French oak barrels, 20% new. The wine has five to seven years of cellaring potential.

Rosehall Run, 1243 Greer Rd, Wellington, Ontario

At Rosehall Run we found a 2021 Chardonnay Musque, a wine that not many wineries seem to produce. It is an unoaked variety that contains Chardonnay Musque grapes, rather than the more common Chardonnay. The wine is 100% estate grown and bottled.

Another find was their 2019 Cabernet Merlot which is a blend of 49% Merlot, 43% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that were sourced from select vineyards in the Niagara Peninsula. This wine has a cellaring potential of a minimum of ten years. It has been consistently rated as a 92 out of 100 by several wine critics.

Grange of Prince Edward Vineyards and Estate Winery, 990 Closson Rd, Hillier, Ontario

At Grange I had to go with one of my favourite varietals, Cabernet Franc. In this case it was their 2020 Cabernet Franc, which contains 100% estate grown grapes. This is unusual for Prince Edward County given the slightly cooler climate and shorter growing season than either Niagara or the North Shore of Lake Erie.

Broken Stone Winery, 524 Closson Rd., Hillier, ON

This find I must credit my brother for as he happened by it when he was touring the County earlier this summer. He brought me back a bottle of each of their 2018 Intensity Meritage Blend Niagara Peninsula and 2021 Gamay Noir Barrel Reserve. Both were delightful.

In addition to purchasing these two wines, I also picked up some of their 2021 Chardonnay Sans Chene.

Karlo Estate Winery, 561 Danforth Rd, Wellington, Ontario

I am pleased to report that Karlo is back in full swing with a complete lineup of both red and white wines, including their unique red blend Quintus. Winemaker, Derek Barnett, has recreated this work of founder Richard Karlo using a blend of the classic noble grape varieties, Malbec, Petit Verdot, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Cabernet Sauvignon.

The Old Third Vineyard, 251 Closson Rd, Hillier

The Old Third produces unfiltered Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay. Unfortunately, the tasting room is inside a barn that can only be entered by climbing steps consisting of some uneven precariously strung planks with no handrail. This proved too much of an obstacle for my post-stroke climbing ability so I had to pass on going inside.

Stanners Vineyard, 76 Station Rd., Hillier

Stanners locally grown Cabernet Franc has always been one of my favourite Prince Edward County wines but given the small quantity produced, it is often difficult to obtain and this year is no exception. The 2020 Cabernet Franc VQA Prince Edward County is already sold out, as well as the 2020 Pinot Noir VQA Prince Edward County and the 2020 Pinot Noir VQA Prince Edward County. However, I was still able to obtain the 2020 Cabernet Franc VQA Lincoln Lakeshore. The grapes for this Cabernet Franc came from a single vineyard in the Lincoln Lakeshore sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. The grapes were hand harvested then destemmed to whole berries with no crushing. The wine was aged in mostly older French oak barrels for 19 months and was not fined or filtered in order to preserve its fine fruit flavours. This wine is likely to age gracefully for quite a few years.

Devils Wishbone, County Road 7, Prince Edward County, Ontario

In the past I always enjoyed several of Devil Wishbone’s red varietals. When I last visited the County in 2020 the winery was temporarily closed. I anticipated a return visit there this summer but was saddened to learn that the owner, Jennifer Baldini, passed away in June of 2021 after suffering from a two-year illness. The retail operations of the Devils Winery had been closed since the onset of her illness in 2019 but the vineyards were maintained in anticipation of her successful recovery. Sadly, this didn’t prove to be the case and Devils Wishbone is now closed permanently.

Sláinte mhaith

2023 National Wine Awards

August 5, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

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

New Alcohol Consumption Guidelines

July 22, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

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.

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

July 15, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

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 All Canadian Wine Championships

July 1, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

*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

Invasive Species in Ontario

May 13, 2023 / A Layman's Wine Musings / Leave a comment

The spotted lanternfly is an invasive species from Southeastern Asia that poses a threat to Ontario’s wine-growing industry. It has been recently detected in New York state, not far from the Niagara wine-growing region.

*Photo credit: onnurserycrops.wordpress.com*

According to the Invasive Species Centre, the spotted lanternfly is an invasive plant-hopper native to Southeast Asia. The insect was first detected in Pennsylvania in 2014 and since then has advanced to several other states, including Monroe and Erie Counties of New York, which are very close to the Niagara wine region. It has not yet been detected in Canada, but industry experts say it’s only a matter of time.

The spotted lanternfly has caused a great deal of destruction to grape vines and other tender fruit trees in the United States. The insect sucks the sap out of grape vines, causing them to collapse. If left unchecked, the insects could devastate entire vineyards, which would each cost upwards of $45,000 an acre to replant. It is a much more aggressive pest than previous pests.

A 2019 study completed by Pennsylvania State University estimated that the insect caused between $43 million and $99 million US since being detected. Although the study also includes nursery operators and Christmas tree growers, researchers noted that grape growers were hit especially hard. Pennsylvania has experienced a loss of between 45% to 100% of wine grape crops.

Insecticide application in some vineyards and orchards in the affected areas have gone from four applications per season up to 14 applications, increasing industry expenditures and potential negative impact to the environment.

Early detection will be the key to mitigating the damage caused by the spotted lanternfly. It’s easier to control and a lot less expensive at the prevention stage. At the management stage it has proven to be very difficult to control and eradicate.

An adult spotted lanternfly can be identified by its black and grey spots and bright red underwing. Their wings are about 2 centimetres or 1 inch long. They will often be found clustered together on a tree.

The eggs are brown, seed-like, covered in a grey, mud-coloured secretion. They will be grouped together in a vertical formation, usually found on trees, but can be laid on any surface, including cars.

The nymphs grow in four stages, starting out with black and white spots but as they mature they gain red spots with distinctive patches of black and white.

Spotted lanternflies spread into new environments in two ways. They are not strong flyers but are able to cling well to a variety of surfaces. They will hold on to people and vehicles who move through heavily infested areas. Their eggs masses are very difficult to spot and can be laid on almost any material, including stone, cut logs, Christmas trees, rusty metal, boats or grills. Egg masses are laid on an object then covered by a shiny, grey, putty-like material that darkens and turns brittle overtime.

The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs is currently surveying for spotted lanternflies in high-risk areas to assist with early detection. However, we can all help prevent the spread of spotted lanternfly by buying and burning local firewood, checking ourselves and our belongings thoroughly after visiting an infested area, and watching for egg masses especially during the winter. If spotted, take photos, note the location, and report the sighting to the Canadian Food Inspection Agency.

The pending invasion of the spotted lanternfly is an example of a larger problem linked to climate change. The longer growing season and more temperate winters caused by rising temperatures are allowing more invasive species to spread into the region and to live longer.

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