Results from the 2026 Nationals – Icewine & Late Harvest

Announcing the Results from the 2026 National Wine Awards of Canada

The 2026 Nationals took place in Niagara, Ontario from June 12th to 18th. Today, we are pleased to announce the winners in the Cider, Mead & Non-fruit, Fruit wine, Fortified , Maple wine, Icewine and Late Harvest categories. Category results will be rolling out throughout the rest of July, concluding with the Winery of the Year announcement on July 31st. We hope that you will stay tuned to follow the results!

Category Overview by Elsa Macdonald, MW

Icewine & Late Harvest

Go straight to the winners.

Even after decades working with Icewine, I am fascinated that it exists at all. The high number of extreme circumstances that must come together to make something at all drinkable seems insurmountable. Summer ripening conditions must be warm enough to fully ripen the flavours but maintain the acidity. Then the winter conditions must be cold enough to freeze the grapes naturally on the vine for long enough to achieve the desired must concentration (minimum 2 days at -8C). In between those two periods (fall), there can’t be too much disease pressure that would break down the skins along with colour and flavour. The grapes must also be protected from birds during that long period when they are fully ripe but not yet frozen. Even if all the climactic requirements happen then there are obstacles during production. You can only use a relatively small press which exacerbates the slow rate of pressing something frozen. It’s even worse if you’re making red Icewine because you only have this one moment to get all the colour you want (if you leave the juice on the skins, it would become diluted as they thaw, not to mention it couldn’t be classified as Icewine). The yeast is expected to work at extremely low temperatures in an extremely high sugar concentration environment which means fermentation is slow to start and risks spoilage. Still, once the fermentation gets going, it can be difficult to keep the yeast going long enough to achieve your desired balance of sweetness to acid as alcohol rises. But somehow the appellations in Canada provide these unique circumstances and our winemakers know just how to manage this Goldilocks style of wine. The fact that the category accounts for 6% of our Gold awards from only 1.6% of total entries demonstrates how it punches over its weight.

27 Icewines were entered this year with 41% of those achieving Gold and 85% achieving medals. Noteworthy again this year was Inniskillin’s 3 medals (Golds for Riesling 2023 and 2024 and a Silver for their “Vidal Gold” 2024) and the far less known Bylands Riesling achieving top medals for a consecutive year. In fact, 6 of the 11 Golds were Riesling reflecting its natural fit for the style.

Also of note were 2 medal winning Sauvignon Blanc Icewines; a GOLD for Whistler Sauvignon Blanc 2022 Ice Wine, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia and SILVER for Lulu Island Winery 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Icewine, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Both wines are clearly successful despite the variety being a rare choice for Icewine. Whilst it is a variety with naturally high acidity and very high aromatics, it is prone to winter kill in the deeply cold locations. Also, it is a variety so well recognized for a green, grassy or herbal character (pyrazines) and these can be lost when the grapes hang late into the season. The resulting wines are intriguing, and these examples were every bit as delicious as their Vidal counterparts.

There were two Late Harvest wines entered this year with the Lulu Island Winery 2018 Viognier Late Harvest, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia piquing my interest. In contrast to Sauvignon Blanc being a variety that risks losing its typical character with extended hang time, Viognier stands to benefit. It is a variety where the aromas and flavours come in very late and its all too easy for producers to lose their nerve waiting. The wait is well rewarded in this hedonistic bottle. Despite being a variety that can be challenged for refreshing acidity, a medal-worthy balance was achieved.

As Canadians, I hope others feel the sense of pride in our ability to produce such unique, globally recognized wines. If the sweetness challenges you, follow the advice of Geoffrey Moss MW and let them age a few years. The best examples will become more complex and the sweetness less apparent.

And the winners are…