Wild Goose Vineyards is marking its 25th
anniversary in style: at the recent All Canadian Wine Championships, the winery’s
2013 Stoney Slope Riesling was acclaimed as the white wine of the year.
Wild Goose also won several other awards, one of several
wineries setting a hot pace for an impressive showing by British Columbia wineries.
The BC wineries entered 711 wines and won 263 medals, of
which just over 100 were gold medals.
In total, 1,356 wines were entered from producers in every
province except Manitoba .
This is the 35st year for the All Canadians. Competition organizers
initially were based in Windsor .
Last year, the organizers moved to Prince
Edward County
in Eastern Ontario .
As a member of the judging panel, I was surprised that Ontario , which has more wineries than BC, entered
significantly fewer wines – especially to a competition run in Ontario .
I would not be so arrogant as to suggest Ontario producers are afraid of the
competition from BC. Trophies for the best red, the best sparkling wine and the
best dessert wine all went to Ontario .
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery had the top red, the
2012 Delaine Vineyard Syrah. Inniskillin Wines, also of Niagara ,
had the best dessert wine with a 2012 Riesling Icewine. Featherstone Estate
Winery’s 2011 Joy was named best sparkling wine.
The
trophy for the best fruit wine went to a winery in Auclair ,
Québec, Domain Acer, for a
quite remarkable product called Val Ambré.
The flavours recall first rate Marsala .
It is a 16% aperitif based on maple syrup. Acer is Latin for maple and Vallier
Robert, the owner of this winery, has described himself as the “ambassador of
maple.”
It still puzzles me why so many fine Ontario wineries did not
compete. Having said that, some leading BC wineries also did not compete. Why
not? Well, when you have earned a big reputation, it is embarrassing to get
bronze medals.
Having judged in many wine competitions
since 1982 (including this one), I don’t think bronze medals should be regarded as embarrassing, if
only because judges are less than infallible. I think the judges under-rated or
over-rated a few wines at the All Canadians this year. It is not easy to be
spot on with every wine when tasting 100 wines a day.
Still, any wine that wins an award has
merit.
The complete results for the completion
are posted on http://canadianwinetrail.com/cwt/.
Let me just focus on just the gold and
double gold medals won by BC wineries. (Double gold means best of class.)
I limit this to BC because most of the readers of this blog are BC wine
consumers.
Gold
for sparkling wine:
- Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estates 2010 Grand Reserve Entourage
- Intrigue Wines “I Do” Non Vintage
Chardonnay
Unoaked:
- Double Gold to Monster Vineyards Skinny Dip Chardonnay 2014
- Gold to Dirty Laundry Vineyard Not So Naughty Chardonnay 2013
Chardonnay
under $20:
- Double Gold to Terrabella Wineries Screaming Frenzy Chardonnay
2013
- Gold to Intrigue Wines Chardonnay 2014
- Gold to Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Grand Reserve Chardonnay 2012
Chardonnay
over $20:
- Double Gold to Daydreamer Wines Marcus Ansems Chardonnay 2013
Gold to:
- 8th Generation Chardonnay 2014
- Dirty Laundry Naughty Chardonnay 2013
- SpierHead Chardonnay 2013
- Volcanic Hills Vineyard Reserve Chardonnay 2012
Riesling
Dry:
- Double Gold to Wild Goose Stoney Slope Riesling 2013
Gold to:
- 8th Generation Riesling Classic 2014
- CedarCreek Estate Riesling 2014
Riesling
Off Dry:
- Double Gold to 8th Generation Riesling 2014
- Gold to
Sauvignon
Blanc:
- Double Gold to Bench 1775 Sauvignon Blanc 2014
- Gold to Gehringer Brothers Sauvignon Blanc 2014
- Gold to Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2014
Gewürztraminer:
- Double Gold to
Gold to:
- Arrowleaf Gewürztraminer 2014
- CedarCreek Estate
Gewürztraminer 2014
- Dirty Laundry Woo Woo Vines Gewürztraminer 2014
Pinot
Gris:
- Double Gold to 50th Parallel Pinot Gris 2014
Gold to:
- Arrowleaf Pinot Gris 2014
- Chaberton Reserve Pinot Gris 2013
- Gray Monk Pinot Gris 2014
- Intrigue Pinot Gris 2014
- Wild Goose Pinot Gris 2014
Viognier:
- Double Gold to Ruby Blues Viognier 2014
- Gold to Lang Vineyards Viognier 2014
- Gold to Red Rooster Reserve Viognier 2014
White
hybrid blends:
- Double Gold to Beaufort Vineyard Beaudacious 2014
- Gold to Beaufort Epic 2014
- Gold to Ovino Winery Pinot Tramino 2014
Other
single white vinifera:
- Double Gold to Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Chenin Blanc
2014
Gold to:
- Gray Monk Pinot Blanc 2013
- Skimmerhorn Winery Ortega 2014
White
vinifera blends:
- Double Gold to Church & State Lost Inhibitions White 2014
Gold to:
- Deep Roots Winery Parentage White 2014
- Kraze Legz Vineyard Skaha Vineyard Mystique 2014
- Time Winery Sundial 2013
Rosé:
- Double Gold to Unsworth Vineyards Rosé 2014
Gold to:
- Arrowleaf First Crush Rosé 2014
- Gray Monk Rotberger Rosé 2014
- St. Hubertus and
Cabernet
Sauvignon under $25:
- Double Gold to Backyard Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
- Gold to Sumac Ridge Black Sage Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Cabernet
Sauvignon over $25:
- Double Gold to Nk’Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
- Gold to Cassini Cellars Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2011
- Gold to Cassini Cellars Grand Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2012
Merlot
under $25:
Gold to:
- Blasted Church Merlot 2012
- Castoro de Oro Merlot 2012
- Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery Major Allen Merlot 2013
- Nk’Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Merlot 2012
Merlot
over $25:
- Gold to CedarCreek Desert Ridge Vineyard Platinum Merlot 2012
Pinot
Noir under $25:
- Double Gold to Dirty Laundry Pinot Noir 2013
Gold to:
- Cana Vines Winery
- Cassini Cellars Red Carpet Pinot Noir 2013
- EauVivre Winery Pinot Noir 2013
- See Ya Later Ranch Pinot Noir 2012
Pinot
Noir over $25:
- Double Gold to Privato Vineyard Pinot Noir 2012
- Gold to Quails’ Gate Stewart Family Reserve Pinot Noir 2013
Cabernet
Franc under $25:
- Gold to Volcanic Hills Vineyard Cabernet France 2011
Cabernet
Franc over $25:
- Double Gold to Cassini Cellars Collector Series Cabernet Franc
2012
- Gold to
- Gold to River Stone Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2013
- Double Gold to River Stone Estate Winery Stone’s Throw 2012
- Gold to CedarCreek Estate Merlot Cabernet 2012
- Gold to
- Gold to Time Estate Winery McWatters Collection Meritage 2012
- Double Gold to Church & State Quintessential 2011
- Gold to Cassini Cellars Maximus 2012
- Gold to Church & State Quintessential 2010
- Gold to Orofino Winery Beleza 2012
Syrah
under $25:
- Gold to Desert Hills Syrah 2010
Syrah
over $25:
- Gold to
- Gold to CC Jentsch Cellars Syrah 2013
- Gold to Dirty Laundry Kay Syrah 2013
Maréchal
Foch:
- Double Gold to Niche Wine Co. Black Sheep Release Maréchal Foch
2012
Other
Single Red Hybrids:
- Gold to Enrico Winery Cabernet Foch 2012
Red
Hybrid Blends:
- Double Gold to Skimmerhorn Winery Devil’s Chair 2013
- Gold to Beaufort Vineyard Nouveau 2014
- Gold to Monte Creek Ranch Hands Up Red 2013
Other
Single Red Vinifera:
- Double Gold to Deep Roots Gamay 2014
- Gold to Blasted Church Holy Moly 012
- Gold to Church & State Coyote Bowl Malbec 2012
Other
Red Vinifera Blends:
- Double Gold to
Gold to:
- Cassini Cellars Quattro 2012
- Nk’Mip Cellars Talon 2013
- See Ya Later Ranch Major’s Block Red 2012
- Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cabernets 2012
Soft
Fruit Dry:
- Double Gold to Silverside Farm and Winery Tayberry Wine 2014
- Gold to Silverside Farm and Winery Wild Raspberry 2014
Soft
Fruit Dessert:
- Gold to Krause
Tree
Fruit Dry:
- Gold to Blue Moon Estate Winery Phoenix 2014
Fruit
Sparkling:
- Double Gold to Krause
Late
Harvest Wines:
- Gold to Wild Goose Botrytis-Affected Riesling 2013
Riesling
Icewine:
- Gold to Gehringer Brothers Signature Riesling Icewine 2013
- Gold to Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Icewine 2012
Other
Icewines:
- Double Gold to
Red
Icewine:
- Double Gold to Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Tempranillo
Icewine 2012
Grape
Fortifieds and other Dessert:
- Double Gold to Maverick Estate Winery Sofia 2012
- Gold to Adega on 45th Estate Winery Portao di Adega
N/V
.
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