Taylor Whelan
Taylor Whelan at Home Block at CedarCreek Estate Winery.
Reviewing the prestigious awards bestowed upon BC wineries is exciting, particularly as the results arrive from submissions sent beyond BC borders. Here’s a look at some acclaimed competitions.
At Decanter World Wine Awards 2019 among some 16,800 entries, gold medals were awarded to Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards 2014 Blanc de Blancs with a score of 95 points; Inniskillin Okanagan Estates 2017 Riesling Icewine (95 points); Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate 2017 Reserve Riesling Icewine (95 points); and Sperling Vineyards 2015 Old Vines Riesling (95 points).
International Wine & Spirit Competition 2019 awarded Gold to Meyer Family Vineyards 2016 Micro Cuvee Chardonnay; C.C. Jentsch Cellars 2015 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon; Inniskillin Okanagan 2017 Riesling Icewine; Jackson-Triggs Okanagan 2017 Riesling Icewine; Mission Hill Family Estate 2014 Oculus, 2016 Oculus and 2016 Reserve Shiraz; Nk’Mip Cellars 2016 Red Merriym; CedarCreek Estate Winery 2017 Block 5 Chardonnay.
In the Finger Lakes International Wine Competition 2019, double gold was awarded to Chaberton Estate Winery 2015 Syrah; and The Hatch Wines 2015 Black Swift Vineyards Hans Estate Cabernet Syrah. Gold was received by Chaberton Estate Winery 2015 Merlot; Country Vines Winery 2017 Gewurztraminer and 2017 Schonburger; Indigenous World Winery 2014 Simo Small Lots Red Blend; and Serendipity Winery 2018 Viognier.
In the 2019 Pacific Rim Wine Competition, Fort Berens Estate Winery 2018 Riesling was named Best in Class while Grizzli Winery 2013 Sauvignon Blanc Ice Wine was Best Dessert Wine. The Cascadia International Wine Competition (2019) awarded 32 gold or better medals to BC entries.
In the 2019 WineAlign National Wine Awards, BC wines dominated in the top categories. Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, the inaugural Canadian Winery of the Year in 2001, captured the honours for a record fifth time.
Noted David Lawrason, co-head judge: “The Okanagan Valley winery took a whopping 18 medals, including two Platinums, six Golds, seven Silvers and three Bronze. Never in this competition has a winning winery strung together so many medals, and they range across wine styles, grape varieties and price points.”
Best Performing Small Winery of 2019 (production under 10,000 cases) also came to BC with Moon Curser Vineyards taking the bow. Along with Mission Hill and Moon Curser making the list of Top 25 Wineries in Canada were Desert Hills Estate Winery, Nk’Mip Cellars, CedarCreek Estate Winery, Arrowleaf Cellars, Blasted Church Vineyards, Corcelettes Estate Winery, Road 13, Painted Rock Estate Winery, Quails’ Gate Estate Winery, SpearHead Winery, Howling Bluff Estate Wines, The Hatch Wines, Noble Ridge, Hester Creek Estate Winery, Monte Creek Ranch, Meyer Family Vineyards, and Tightrope Winery. (The other six wineries on the list were from Ontario.)
BC also came on strong with Best Cider of the Year a tie between BC Tree Fruits Broken Ladder Apples & Hops and Twisted Hills Tangled Rose.
BC wines achieving Platinum included: Harper’s Trail 2018 Silver Mane Block Riesling Thadd Springs Vineyard; Meyer 2017 Tribute Series Joannie Rochette Old Main Rd; Mission Hill 2017 Perpetua Chardonnay and 2017 Terroir Collection No. 8 Jagged Rock Vineyard Chardonnay; Nk’Mip Cellars 2017 White Meritage Merriym; Quails’ Gate 2017 Stewart Family Reserve Chardonnay; Road 13 2017 Marsanne; Black Sage 2016 Merlot; Blasted Church 2017 Pinot Noir; Daydreamer 2017 Amelia; Hester Creek 2017 Syrah Viognier ; Howling Bluff 2016 Pinot Noir Century Block; Moon Curser 2017 Touriga Nacional; Noble Ridge Vineyard & Winery 2016 Meritage Reserve; The Hatch 2016 Dynasty Red; and Ursa Major 2016 Syrah Eagle Nest Vineyards. For the full list go to winealign.com
In the All Canadian Wine Championships (ACWC) 2019 the trophy for Best Red Wine of the Year went to Daydreamer Wines 2017 Marcus Ansems Shiraz; Best White Wine of the Year to SpearHead Winery 2018 Riesling: and Best Fruit Wine of the Year to Forbidden Fruit Winery 2018 Pomme Desiree Iced Apple. Many BC wineries were awarded Double Golds.
As the 2019 InterVin Awards rolled in, BC wineries continued to shine. In the Winery of the Year rankings, nine of the top 15 were from BC with CedarCreek Estate Winery (1); 50th Parallel Estate Winery (2) and Mission Hill Family Estate Winery (3) leading the pack. Others were Painted Rock Estate Winery (5); Fort Berens Estate Winery (7); La Frenz Winery (9); Tinhorn Creek Vineyards (11); Tightrope Winery (14); and Nk'Mip Cellars (15).
BC wines awarded InterVin Gold included: 50th Parallel Estate Winery 2016 Chardonnay, 2016 Riesling, 2016 Unparalleled Pinot Noir, and 2015 Unparalleled Pinot Noir; Adamo Estate Winery 2018 Estate Riesling, and 2016 Foxcroft Vineyard Chardonnay; Cassini Cellars 2015 Cabernet Franc, and 2015 Maximus; CedarCreek Estate Winery 2018 Platinum Block 3 Riesling, and 2017 Platinum Syrah; Fort Berens Estate Winery 2017 Cabernet Franc; Gray Monk Estate Winery 2018 Pinot Gris; La Frenz Winery 2015 Merlot; Mission Hill Family Estate Winery 2018 Reserve Riesling, 2016 Compendium, and 2016 Quatrain; Painted Rock Estate Winery 2016 Syrah Cabernet Sauvignon, 2015 Merlot, and 2015 Red Icon; Tinhorn Creek Vineyards 2016 Oldfield Reserve Cabernet Franc, and 2015 Oldfield Reserve Merlot; Volcanic Hills Estate Winery 2015 Eruption; Wild Goose Vineyards and Winery 2018 Gewurztraminer, and 2017 Red Horizon; and Winemaker's CUT 2017 Syrah.