While on a recent Danube River cruise through some of the former Iron Curtain countries of eastern Europe, I visited the Bock Winery, which is located near Mohacs (“the mother of wine”), Hungary. It is a tenth-generation family winery that was established in 1850. It spreads out over 125 hectares or about 310 acres.
Bock’s cellars
Bock’s wines are aged in a combination of French, American and Hungarian oak barrels. The use of Hungarian oak introduces a flavour and nose that is slightly different than what would be experienced with most new world wines of Australia, North America or South America. The vintner also uses a combination of both new oak and old oak barrels, depending on the specific wine being produced.
In addition to wine, Bock also produces grape seed oil, grape seed tablets and grape seed flour. This is done to minimize the amount of waste resulting from the wine making process.
While there I had the opportunity to try four of Bock’s wines – a 2023 Villányi Hárslevelú, a 2024 Villányi Rosé Curvée, a 2017 Villányi Bock Curvée, and the 2022 Cabernet Franc.
2023 Villányi Hárslevelú
This is a fresh and fragrant white wine that is produced from a native Hungarian grape variety. It is made using overripe grapes grown on 40-year-old vines in the Göntér vineyard. Its colour is a medium-intensity, straw yellow. The aroma reveals linden blossom, combined with a slight citrus note, which is also reflected in the taste.
2024 Villányi Rosé Curvée
This is a fresh and fragrant wine produced from the virgin must of blue grape varieties from Bock’s vineyards. It has a medium colour with salmon-pink hues. The aroma and taste consist of strawberries, accompanied by satisfying acidity. The wine is enhanced with carbon dioxide before bottling.
2017 Villányi Bock Curvée
2017 Villányi Bock Curvée
This is Bock Winery’s flagship wine, produced from a blend of premium red grapes from several Bock vineyards which produce a full-bodied wine. It is a Bordeaux-type blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (60%), Cabernet Franc (30%) and Merlot (10%) that has developed in new, small oak barrels for 24 months and then in the bottle for an additional year. The wine is characterized by a deep, dark intensity and dark purplish red hue. It is a full-bodied wine, with a scent of ripe cherries and tobacco, and a taste of overripe fruits, chocolate and vanilla.
This was my personal favourite of the wines I sampled.
2022 Cabernet Franc
This is a medium-bodied red wine using grapes from several of Bock’s vineyards. After fermentation, the Cabernet Franc matures in large oak barrels for 12 months to produce a dark, intense, deep red wine with a large body. It has a complex aroma and taste, in which the fruitiness forms a unity with the aromas from the barrel.
Good news for Ontario residents, Bock Wines are periodically available liquor stores.
This year Penticton, British Columbia hosted the 25th anniversary of the WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC). The NWAC is the country’s largest competition, involving only 100 percent Canadian-grown and produced wines.
This year a new category was introduced – Library Wines. This classification includes wines that are 5 years or older. These aged wines were not compared against each other but instead, each wine was independently assessed as to where it was in its lifecycle and how well it was ageing and tasting.
The Replacement wines or Crafted in B.C. wines were not included as part of The WineAlign National Wine Awards.
Winery of the Year
The 2025 Winery of the Year is Penticton, British Columbia’s Mission Hill Family Estate. This is the sixth time Anthony von Mandl has been awarded this prestigious honour.
This year, Mission Hill entered 11 top-tier wines, earning two Platinum medals, five Golds and one Silver medal.
The balance of the top 10 wineries are:
Laughing Stock Vineyards, Penticton, British Columbia
Meyer Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead Winery, Kelowna, British Columbia
The Organized Crime Winery, Beamsville, Ontario
Quails’ Gate Winery, Kelowna, British Columbia
Peller Estates, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Fielding Estate Winery, Lincoln, Ontario
Trius Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario
Tantalus Vineyards, Kelowna, British Columbia
Best Performing Small Winery
This year’s Best Performing Small Winery is Penticton, British Columbia’s Laughing Stock Vineyards. Laughing Stock earned eight medals at this year’s event: two Platinum, three Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze.
When the winery was acquired by Arterra Wines in 2017, some experts had concerns as to whether Laughing Stock would maintain its boutique identity under its new corporate umbrella. However, the winery continues to operate with a small, focused team and remains fully independent in its winemaking approach.
The balance of the top 10 small wineries are:
Meyer Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead Winery, Kelowna, British Columbia
The Organized Crime Winery, Beamsville, Ontario
Tantalus Vineyards, Kelowna, British Columbia
Township 7 Vineyards and Winery, Penticton, British Columbia
Stag’s Hollow Winery, Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
Moon Cruiser Vineyards, Osoyoos, British Columbia
Orofino Vineyards, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Beamsville, Ontario
Platinum Awards
A Platinum medal is the highest award possible. Less than 2% of the 1,700 wines and ciders entered received this award.
The award process involves a minimum of eight judges, three or four in the first round, and five or six in the second round. Each wine must have achieved an aggregate score of 93 points by five of those judges. 93 points or better is considered entering the realm of “outstanding.” Thus, not every judging category had a Platinum recipient.
This year’s Platinum Award winners are listed below:
Library Wines
Moon Curser 2020 Malbec, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Red Blends
Black Hills 2023 Bona Fide, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Laughing Stock 2022 Blind Trust Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
The Organized Crime 2022 The Download, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Trius 2022 Grand Red, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Pinot Noir
1 Mill Road 2022 Pinot Noir Home Block, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lightning Rock Winery 2022 Pinot Noir Canyonview Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Meyer 2022 Old Block Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead 2022 Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Chardonnay
1 Mill Road 2023 Chardonnay, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Meyer 2022 Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Mission Hill Family Estate 2022 Perpetua, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Quails’ Gate Winery 2022 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Syrah
Laughing Stock 2022 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Sandhill 2022 Syrah Terroir Driven Wine, British Columbia
Stag’s Hollow 2022 Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Riesling
CedarCreek 2022 Aspect Collection Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Peller Estates 2023 Signature Series Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2022 Small Lot Riesling, Triangle Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario Trius 2023 Showcase Riesling, Ghost Creek, Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
As the end of the year rolls around I think back to the year that was and which wineries left me with an impressionable mark. This is not to suggest that these are the only great wineries in the province; they are merely the ones that caught my attention this year. My list varies in length from year to year as I like to focus on achievements rather than listing a specific number of wineries.
Here is my list for 2024. The wineries are presented in alphabetical order.
Henry of Pelham Family Estate
I was surprised when I checked back to my past lists and found that Henry of Pelham has never appeared until now. It was the top Ontario winery this year at the National Wine Awards.
This six-generation family farm is situated in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. In 2006, Henry of Pelham was the first vineyard to be certified as local and sustainable by Local Food Plus. They have followed Sustainable Winemaking Ontario’s world-leading standards in their farming practices since 2004. In 2017, they became one of only six Ontario wineries to be certified by the Wine Council of Ontario as following sustainable winemaking practices from vine to table.
This year’s award-winning wines included:
Henry of Pelham NV Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé
Henry of Pelham 2022 Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay
Henry of Pelham 2023 Pinot Grigio
Henry of Pelham 2020 Speck Family Reserve Cabernet-Merlot
Henry of Pelham 2023 Speck Family Reserve Riesling
Peller Estates Niagara-on-the Lake
This is Peller Estates fourth appearance on my Movers and Shakers list in the past five years. This year Peller Estates placed eighth at the National Wine Awards.
The Peller Estates team has operated in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in the heart of the Niagara wine region, as a family-owned Canadian company for four generations. Their winemaker is Katie Dickieson, who has previous work experience in vineyards in New Zealand and France, as well as in Ontario and British Columbia.
Their 2024 award winning wines included:
Peller Estates 2020 Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon
Peller Estates 2022 Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc
Peller Estates 2023 Signature Series Vidal Oak Aged Icewine
The Organized Crime Winery
Organized Crime previously appeared as a Mover and Shaker in 2020. This year it was recognized as the fifth small winery at National Wine Awards.
Organized Crime is a second-generation, family-owned, small boutique winery located on the Beamsville Bench of the Niagara Peninsula.
They farm the land themselves and assist in the winemaking throughout all stages of the process. Their production volumes are very small as they intentionally lean towards the passion side of the business rather than the commercial.
Greg Yemen is Organized Crime’s Consultant Winemaker.
Award winning wines from 2024 included:
Organized Crime 2022 Sacred Series Cuvée Krystyna Chardonnay
Organized Crime 2020 Pipe Down
Organized Crime 2020 Sacred Series Tara Block Pinot Noir Unfiltered
Organized Crime 2020 Cabernet Franc Unfiltered
Organized Crime 2023 Riesling
Thirty Bench Wine Makers
Thirty Bench Wine Makers has previously appeared three times on the Movers and Shakers list, last in 2022. This year they were fifth at the National Wine Awards.
Thirty Bench is committed to “Small Lot” winemaking, which means that many of their wines are made in extremely limited numbers. With Riesling vineyards dating back as far as 1980, they are proud to be considered one of Niagara’s first true boutique wineries.
The Thirty Bench Wine Makers portfolio includes a diverse range of award-winning wines across nine varietals.
2024 award winning wines included:
Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard
Thirty Bench 2022 Winemaker’s Blend Cabernet Franc
Thirty Bench N/V Sparkling Riesling
Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Chardonnay ‘Extended Barrel Aged’
Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard
Vieni Estates
Placing tenth at this year’s National Wine Awards, this is Vieni Estates first appearance on the Movers and Shakers list.
Vieni Estates brings the passion for wine from Italy and combines it with the love for this Canadian wine region. Located in the rolling hills of the Vinemount Ridge along the Niagara Escarpment, master winemaker Mauro Salvador takes the best of the many varietals grown on the estate to produce a broad range of still wines, ice wines and sparkling wines.
In addition to the many fine wines produced here, Vieni Estates also offers traditional Italian-style grappas and spirits distilled from the many fruits of Ontario.
This year’s award winning wines included:
Vieni Estates 2022 Cabernet Franc
Vieni Estates N/V Sparkling Apple Cider
Vieni Estates 2020 Cabernet Franc Reserve
Vieni Estates 2020 Aglianico Reserve
Vieni Estates 2023 Novello Nouveau Gamay Noir
Final Thoughts
The list of award-winning wines includes only a sampling from each winery in order to provide you with an idea of the noteworthy wines each winery produces. It is not an all-inclusive list.
As this is the final post for 2024, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy New Year!
As the end of the year rolls around I think back to the year that was and which wineries left me with an impressionable mark. My list varies in length from year to year as I like to focus on achievements rather than listing a specific number of wineries. Although B.C. wineries have had a very traumatic year, they continued to release some fantastic wines. The strength of B.C. wineries runs deep as they were awarded the majority of the awards at both the National Wine Awards and the All Canadian Wine Awards.
Here is my list of the wineries that have performed extremely well this past year. The wineries are presented in alphabetical order.
Black Hills Estate Winery
Black Hills last appeared on my list in 2022. This year they were fourth overall at the National Wine Awards.
Black Hills wine team is led by Ross Wise, one of only ten Masters of Wine in Canada. He has over 20 years of experience having worked in British Columbia, Ontario, and New Zealand, with an extensive background in organic and regenerative viticulture.
Black Hills has practiced organic farming since 2020, incorporating regenerative viticulture practices. By working with nature and promoting biodiversity, they strive towards a self-sustaining ecosystem.
Their approach is based on traditional, time-honoured winemaking techniques that favour patience over efficiency. The fruit is hand-harvested and slowly fermented using native yeasts to build complexity.
Black Hills approach to winemaking is defined by careful craftsmanship and a deep respect for nature. They blend traditional winemaking methods with modern technology.
Their 2024 award winning wines include:
Black Hills 2022 Bona Fide
Black Hills 2022 Ipso Facto
Black Hills 2022 Addendum
Black Hills 2022 Syrah
Black Hills 2022 Roussanne
Corcelettes Estate Winery
Corcelettes appeared on my Movers and Shakers list for the first time last year. This year they were the sixth place small winery at the National Wine Awards. They credit their success to their commitment to farming their vineyards in the most balanced and sustainable way possible.
The estate contains nearly 160 acres, with 30 planted acres of mostly Bordeaux varietal grapes, Syrah and Pinot Noir. The vineyards are located in the Similkameen Valley.
Their 2024 winning wines include:
Corcelettes 2021 Syrah
Corcelettes 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Estate Grown
Corcelettes 2021 Malbec Micro Lot Series Estate Vineyard
Corcelettes 2020 Talus
Corcelettes 2021 Chardonnay
Lake Breeze Vineyards
Lake Breeze previously appeared on my list in 2020. This year they placed ninth overall at this year’s National Wine Awards. They were also the fourth place small winery.
Lake Breeze is located on the Naramata Bench on Lake Okanagan. The MacIntyre family purchased the property in 2001. Since then, Lake Breeze has become one of the most beautiful wineries in British Columbia. They practice careful and meticulous viticultural practices. They endeavor to take the natural expression of the grape and transfer it to the bottle with minimal intervention.
The vineyard consists of a 14 acre parcel originally named Rock Oven Vineyards. The first vines on the property were planted in 1985, making them some of the oldest on the Naramata Bench.
Their list of 2024 award winning wines include:
Lake Breeze 2020 Cellar Series Mistral
Lake Breeze 2022 Roussanne Viognier
Lake Breeze 2023 Riesling
Lake Breeze 2023 Ehrenfelser
Lake Breeze 2020 Cellar Series Alizé Roussanne
Meyer Family Vineyards
Meyer Family Vineyards was awarded second overall at this year’s National Wine Awards.
They follow the traditional French Burgundian style of wine making focusing on small case lots of varietals best suited and expressive of their unique place of origin. Chardonnay and Pinot Noir are the varietals produced. The grapes are hand harvested and hand crafted.
Meyer Family Vineyards has been in operation in the Okanagan Valley since 2006.
Their award-winning wines for 2024 include:
Meyer 2022 Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard
Meyer 2022 B Field Blend McLean Creek Road Vineyard
Meyer 2022 Old Block Pinot Noir McLean Creek Vineyard
Meyer 2020 Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard
Meyer 2022 Micro Cuvee Pinot Noir McLean Creek Road Vineyard
Nostalgia Wines
Nostalgia Wines placed seventh this year at the National Wine Awards and was also the third-place small winery. They are located on the Black Sage Bench in Oliver.
Vintner Gina Fernandes Harfman is the fourth generation family farmer. She has created a small lot lineup of excellent quality wines.
The 2024 list of award-winning wines includes:
Nostalgia Wines 2020 Malbec Petit Verdot
Nostalgia Wines 2020 Merlot
Nostalgia Wines 2020 Meritage
Nostalgia Wines 2022 Rockabilly Red
Nostalgia Wines 2022 Chardonnay
Quails’ Gate Estate Winery
Quail’s Gate consistently performs well at the various Canadian wine awards. This year they placed sixth overall at the National Wine Awards.
They are a fourth-generation Okanagan farming family. The winery was founded in 1989. They remain committed to ensuring that the founding family principles and values are maintained throughout the winery. Through dedicated research and ground-breaking innovation, they have assembled a collection of wines that consistently exceed expectations in quality, character and flavour.
Quail’s Gate has 160 acres of vineyards which contain some of the most mature vinifera plantings in the country. They have been leaders in the development of Canadian viticulture practices.
Quails’ Gate Estate is certified by Sustainable Winegrowing BC, a made-in-BC program that leads the way in sustainable winegrowing practices and sets a standard for the province and the rest of the country.
Quails’ Gates 2024 award winning wines includes:
Quails’ Gate 2021 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay
Quails’ Gate 2021 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay
Quails’ Gate 2022 Clone 49 Riesling
Quails’ Gate 2022 Clone 220 Chenin Blanc
Quails’ Gate 2023 Clone 49 Riesling
SpearHead Winery
SpearHead has been part of the Movers and Shakers list continually since 2022. This year they were named Winery of the Year and Small Winery of the Year at the National Wine Awards. In addition to the twin honours this year, they also had unprecedented success in an individual category (Pinot Noir), winning a total of seven medals for their Pinots, including three platinum, one gold, three silvers and a bronze. In total they earned a total of twelve medals.
Spearhead Winery is located on the benchlands of Southeast Kelowna. Their focus is on premium quality wine which they produce from grapes grown on the estate vineyard and from selected Okanagan Valley vineyards. The hand harvested grapes are sorted at the winery and fermented in small lots. They grow Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling grapes.
Their 2024 award winning wines include:
SpearHead 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2022 Club Consensus Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2022 Saddle Block Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2021 Golden Retreat Pinot Noir
SpearHead 2021 Club Consensus Pinot Noir
Final Thoughts
Although these are the seven wineries I have featured, there are plenty of other fantastic British Columbia wineries. The devastation resulting from the environmental disasters of the past couple years have taken its toll on many of the wineries. I hope that all of the B.C. wineries will be able to recover from these disasters and continue to excel in producing the top-quality wines that we have come to enjoy over the years.
The list of award-winning wines includes only a sampling from each winery in order to provide you with an idea of the noteworthy wines each winery produces. It is not an all-inclusive list.
It would be an understatement to simply say that Mother Nature has been unkind to the B.C. wine industry this year. In January the extreme cold caused devastating damage to the vast majority of the grapevines in both the Okanagan and Similkameen Valley. It is estimated that 90% of this year’s grape crops were lost and 15% of the vines were destroyed.
Further devastation resulted because of the hot dry summer consisting of heatwaves and wildfires. The good news is that because of the heat, the remaining grapes ripened quickly, resulting in an early harvest with smaller but more concentrated fruit.
Lifelong workers in B.C.’s wine industry cannot recall a year that has been as devastating as this one. The provincial government has established a 26 million dollar vine replant program with an additional 92 million dollars to be paid through the Production Insurance and AgriStability program.
B.C.’s wine industry generates approximately 3.75 billion dollars annually for the province and employs more than 14,000 full-time workers. There are about 350 licensed grape wine wineries in the province that receive nearly 1.2 million visitors annually.
In order to help the wine industry recover from the lost grape harvest, the province is permitting the impacted wineries to import grapes and grape juice in order to produce the 2024 vintage. However, the imported products will not be eligible to carry the B.C. Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA) label. Without these unprecedented concessions, many wineries would face potential financial ruin resulting in cuts to thousands of direct and indirect jobs, including the loss of highly specialized wine makers and cellar masters whose expertise is essential to the industry.
So, what will all this mean for the wine drinker when comes to the 2024 vintage of BC wines? Because of the intense heat and early ripening of those grapes that did survive, they will provide very concentrated and flavourful wines. However, given the scarcity of the wines that will carry the VQA designation, you can expect the price of the 2024 vintage to be higher than most years.
You can also rest assured that the wines that will be created from imported grapes will meet the established standards of the winery producing them. After all, their hard established reputations are at stake here and no one is willing to jeopardize that. British Columbia’s talented winemakers will deliver great results.
During a recent trip to the maritime provinces of Canada, I made a point of seeking out local wines to try. The first I came across while in St. Andrews by the Sea, New Brunswick; the second I found in North Rustico, Prince Edward Island and two while in Nova Scotia.
The first wine my wife and I tried was a 2019 Marquette from the Magnetic Hill Winery of Moncton, New Brunswick. It was a light bodied red wine similar to a Pinot Noir. It had aromas of cherries, blackcurrants and blackberries. The wine was a pleasure to drink and reasonably priced at $20.00 CDN.
The Marquette varietal is the cousin of the Frontenac varietal, which is a well-known French North American hybrid, and a descendant of Pinot Noir. This wine pairs well with pub foods such as cheeseburgers, bangers (sausages) and mash and chili con carne.
The second wine we tried was a $21.99 CDN Gamay from Matos Winery & Vineyards of St. Catherines, PEI. Until then I was not aware that there is a winery on PEI.
Matos Winery & Vineyards is a family-owned and run business that was initiated in 2007. They utilize the French concept of terroir whereby they found a location where the combination of soil, slope, sun exposure and the peculiar weather patterns allow certain grape varieties to thrive. They consulted with European vintners who visited PEI to provide their skill and knowledge.
Their Gamay has won a bronze medal at the National Wine Awards in 2016, 2014, 2012 and silver in 2011.
The first wine from Nova Scotia that we tried was the 2022 Baco Noir from Blomidon Estate Winery, of the Annapolis Valley, near Canning.
The 2022 Baco Noir has a nose of bright berry fruit accentuated by vanilla and notes of spice. Unfortunately for us, we found the wine to be slightly harsh and not quite as smooth and mellow as we have become accustomed to for Baco Noir. The price of this wine is $23.00 CDN.
Given the structure of this wine it would be best suited for pairing with barbecued beef or pork.
Blomidon Estate produces 100% Nova Scotia grown grapes and wines. Over the years they have earned several national and international awards.
The 2nd wine from Nova Scotia we experienced was Founders’ Red from Jost Winery, which is made from a blend of Leon Millot and Marechal Foch grapes. We experienced this wine during a quiet afternoon at our B&B outside of Cap-Pelé, New Brunswick. Like the day, this wine was very smooth and mellow. It had wonderful fruit flavours and was well worth the $17.19 CDN we paid for it.
Founders’ Red is a well-balanced blend of Nova Scotian-grown grapes with deep colour and intensity. This wine pairs well with barbequed meats and roasted pork.
While visiting a winery in the Beaujolais district of France a few weeks ago I was introduced to a new term. I was told that the winery I was visiting was a biodynamic winery. This was a description I had not heard before, so I decided to research the topic in more depth when I returned home from my trip.
You may be familiar with what organic farming entails (if not, see my post Organic Wine from August 8, 2020), however the biodynamic movement is somewhat different. According to the Biodynamic Farming and Gardening Association, biodynamics is “a spiritual-ethical-ecological approach to agriculture, gardens, food production and nutrition.” Biodynamic wine is made with a set of farming practices that views the vineyard as one solid organism. The ecosystem functions with each portion of the vineyard contributing to the next. Conceptually, everything in the universe is interconnected and gives off a resonance or ‘vibe’. This interconnectivity even includes celestial bodies like the moon, planets and stars. Biodynamic viticulture is the practice of balancing this resonance between vine, human, earth and stars. Biodynamics is a holistic view of agriculture.
As with organic farming, natural materials, soils, and composts are used to sustain the vineyard. Chemical fertilizers and pesticides are not permitted. A range of animals from ducks to horses to sheep live on the soil and fertilize it, creating a rich, fertile environment for the vines to grow in. Biodynamic farming also seeks sustainability, leaving the land in as good or better condition.
Biodynamic farming has been met with skepticism by many scientists as some of the practices are difficult at best to prove they work. In addition to organic practices, biodynamic farming takes other factors into account, such as the lunar calendar and astrology. This method of farming considers all aspects of life in the vineyard — other plants, insects and animals. It’s not just about the grapes.
Photo credit: winefolly.com
Farming practices from pruning to harvesting are controlled by the biodynamic calendar. It breaks all the tasks associated with farming into four types of days: root days, flower days, fruit days and leaf days. Each of these categories has certain tasks associated with it that are reflective of the earth’s four classical elements. Fruit days are meant for harvesting, leaf days for watering, root days for pruning. On flower days, nothing is done in the vineyard.
Biodynamic farming calls for specific and sometimes strange compost and field preparations. One of these is known as cow horn manure. Cow horns are stuffed with manure compost and buried into the ground all through the winter, then excavated the following spring. When excavated, the stuffed material is spread throughout the vineyard.
Biodynamic wines must be certified and adhere to strict rules and regulations. The wineries are overseen by 2 governing bodies, Demeter International and Biodyvin.
Biodynamic wines can be found in the United States, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Eastern Europe, Chile, Argentina, India and Australia. Those who believe in the philosophy feel that the wines are more characteristic to the terroir where they originate. However, wine experts say there is no noticeable difference in the taste of biodynamic wine from organically produced wines. Is the difference worth the additional effort? You be the judge.
The All Canadian Wine Championships (ACWC) were held earlier this month. It is open to all Canadian licensed wineries, cideries and meaderies and content must be grown and made in Canada. This year there were 995 entries submitted by 173 wineries.
The panel of judges consisted of wine writers, sommeliers, and professional wine judges from the Wine Judges of Ontario. There were 10 judges from Ontario, 2 from Alberta and 1 from each of Quebec and New Brunswick.
The 2024 trophy winners were as follows:
The Best Sparkling Wine of the Year was presented to British Columbia’s (BC) Bench 1775 Winery, for their 2020 Blanc de Blanc ($39.75 CDN).
The Best Red Wine of the Year was BC’s Sunrock Vineyard’s 2021 Shiraz ($40.24 CDN).
The Best White Wine of the Year was awarded to BC’s Van Westen Vineyards, for their 2022 Viscous ($27.40 CDN).
The Best Dessert Wine of the Year was Quebec’s Vignoble du Marathonien, for their 2021 Vin de glace ($50.00 CDN).
The Best Rosé Wine of the Year was awarded to yet another BC winery, Hester Creek Estate Winery, for their 2023 Rosé Noir ($32.19 CDN).
The Best Fruit Wine of the Year was presented to another BC winery, Maan Farms Winery, for their N/V Raspberry Dessert ($29.99 CDN).
The Best Cider of the Year was Nova Scotia’s Domaine de Grand Pré, for their N/V Vintage Sparkling Cider ($29.00 CDN).
The Best Mead of the Year was presented to Manitoba’s Shrugging Doctor Beverage Co, for their N/V Apple Cinnamon Mead ($18.47 CDN).
Double Gold, Gold, Silver and Bronze medals may be awarded in each category. Double Gold and Gold medals were presented to the following participants:
Sparkling Wine-Traditional Method
Gold
Two Sisters Vineyards, ON – 2021 Lush Sparkling Rosé – $57.80
Two Sisters Vineyards, ON – 2020 Blanc de Franc – $63.80
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery, ON – N/V Brut – $44.80
Sparkling Wine–Charmat Method
Double Gold
Bella Terra Vineyards, ON – N/V Sparkling Rose – $24.95
Gold
Three Dog Winery, ON – 2023 Debut Sparkling – $27.80
Harbour Estates, ON – 2023 Sparkling Riesling – $25.00
Sparkling Wine–Frizzante Method
Double Gold
Planters Ridge Winery, NS – 2022 SEK – $22.43
Gold
Jost Vineyards, NS – N/V Luvo Sparkling White – $5.89
Chardonnay, Unoaked
Double Gold
Calamus Estate Winery, ON – 2023 Unoaked Chardonnay – $18.95
Gold
Kacaba Vineyards and Winery, ON – 2023 Select Series Unoaked Chardonnay – $15.95
Chardonnay Under $35.00
Double Gold
Wending Home, ON – 2021 Chardonnay Estate Vineyards – $34.95
The name Arterra Wines has come up in discussion in a couple of my blog posts in the past regarding their acquisitions within the wine industry. So, it seems to be a good time to investigate and find out more about Arterra Wines.
According to the Arterra Wines Canada website, their mission is, “To build wine brands people love”. Their origins date back to 1874 when the Niagara Falls Wine Company was founded. In 1994 they became known as Vincor International. In 2006, Vincor was acquired by Constellation Brands, a U.S.-based company that is both a leading international producer and marketer of beer, wine and spirits. Finally, in 2016, the Canadian branch of Constellation Brands was acquired by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and became Arterra Wines Canada.
With many iconic and recognized wine brands, Arterra is developing and expanding their wine portfolio to provide Canadians from coast-to-coast with the opportunity to enjoy and experience wines made both in Canada and from renowned wine-making regions around the world.
Arterra owns and operates Wine Rack retail stores in Ontario, as well as sells wine kits and products for winemaking at RJS Craft Winemaking.
Here is the timeline of important events that have taken place throughout the life of Arterra Wines:
1874
Niagara Falls Wine Company was founded.
1911
Niagara Falls Wine Company renamed T.G. Bright & Co. Limited.
1975
Inniskillin is given the first Canadian winery license since 1929 in Ontario, making it the first estate winery in Canada.
Don Triggs and Alan Jackson, with a group of employees and investors, purchase Cartier Wines from John Labatt Limited.
1992
Cartier Wines acquires Inniskillin.
1993
Jackson-Triggs brand launches.
1994
T.G. Bright & Co. changes its name to become Vincor International Inc.
2000
Acquisition of Sumac Ridge, one of B.C.’s first wineries, and See Ya Later Ranch (formerly Hawthorne Mountain Vineyards) in the Okanagan, B.C.
2001
NK’Mip Cellars Inc. in B.C. becomes first Aboriginal winery thanks to the joint venture with Osoyoos Indian Band and Vincor International.
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery opens.
2003
Acquisition of Kim Crawford Wines of Auckland, New Zealand.
2005
Naked Grape brand launches.
2006
Vincor International is acquired by Constellation Brands.
2009
Open Wine brand launches in Ontario (and later in B.C. in 2011).
2012
Vincor International starts operating under the Constellation Brands name.
2013
Bodacious brand wine launches.
2016
Constellation Brands is acquired by the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan.
2017
The name is changed to Arterra Wines Canada.
2019
Acquisition of Culmina Family Estate Winery in B.C.s Okanagan Valley.
After stopping production in 2016, Jordan, Ontario’s Le Clos Jordanne wines were re-established.
2020
Acquisition of Sandbanks Winery, Prince Edward County, Ontario (see March 8, 2020 post, The Shifting of Sandbanks).
Acquisition of Tom Gore Vineyards and the trademark rights to Paso Creek, Revolution, Vintage Ink and R.H. Phillips.
2021
Acquisition of Vin First, a Canadian canning and Tetra™ packaging company, specializing in the beverage alcohol industry.
2023
New location for Le Clos Jordanne on Niagara’s Beamsville Bench.
Acquisition of Angels Gate Winery and Kew Winery, Niagara, Ontario.
Acquisition of Champagne Palmer of Champagne, France.
How long Arterra Wines remains under the control of the Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan and a Canadian corporation remains to be seen. Should ownership become non-Canadian in the future, a significant portion of the Canadian wine industry will hang precariously in the balance; a sobering thought.
Millesime was a sparkling wine company in Niagara that was originally established by Frenchman Alain Girerd. He saw Niagara’s potential as a wine producing region and developed his export business from France to service Canadian winemaker’s needs. Millesime provided comprehensive solutions for traditional method sparkling wine production services such as consulting, riddling, disgorging, and packaging.
Len Pennachetti, Harald Thiel, and Philip Dowell
In December 2023, Millesime was purchased by two of the Niagara’s key winery owners and a veteran winemaker. Hidden Bench Winery owner Harald Thiel, Cave Spring co-founder Len Pennachetti and winemaker Philip Dowell purchased Millesime and have renamed it Niagara Sparkling Wine Service.
By acquiring Millesime and providing Ontario craft winemakers with a scalable traditional method for producing sparkling wine, they feel they can ensure and expand the growth of premium sparkling wine production in Ontario. Winemaker Dowell, the operating partner of Niagara Sparkling Wine Service, has been crafting benchmark traditional method sparkling wine for more than 20 years and provides sparkling wine consulting services to the industry on an as needed basis. Dowell was most recently the winemaker at Kew Vineyards and Angels Gate prior to their being purchased by Arterra Wines Canada.
Millesime was originally sold by its founder, Alain Girerd to John Young, who was then president at Angels Gate Winery. Dowell and Young operated the company as the full-service facility as it was envisioned by Girerd until Arterra purchased Angels Gate Winery and left Millesime dormant. The purchase by Thiel, Pennachetti and Dowell from Young got the idle sparkling wine production facility back in operation to the relief of wineries who had their wines tied up during the transition.
A Layman's Wine Musings 