Results of the 2022 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)

Opening with a Pop – Sparkling

Category Overview by Judge Treve Ring

Recent statistics show that sparkling wine consumption is rapidly rising in Canada, both by value and volume. With 200+ wineries producing a diverse range of sparkling across the country, consumers have a greater selection of quality homegrown sparkling than ever before.

(Jump straight to the medal winners.)

This was clearly evident in this year’s awards, with two dozen outstanding Gold Medals, and one exemplary Platinum wine that impressed the judges time and time again over the competition. Niagara Peninsula’s 13th Street 2015 Premier Cuvée landed atop the fizz podium this year, though wines from Vancouver Island right across to Nova Scotia struck Gold (while Quebec represented close behind with Silver). The joy, for me, in judging this category is that every year I come across new cuvées, new winemakers, and new expressions of sparkling wine that impress. Though not surprising to see classic Champagne grapes Chardonnay and Pinot Noir dominating, it was telling to see lesser-known grapes in the medals, including hybrids, reflective of the vast diversity of this country’s terroirs and climates.

It’s also impressive to see how many more producers are releasing traditional method sparkling wines, a major commitment of time and resources, and involving a great deal of commitment and knowledge.

Though we’re tasting all blind of course, it’s become increasingly easier to read where wines are from. BC sparkling tends to be pure, fruit-forward, and fresh, with more mid-weight to the palate; Ontario’s limestone helps create leaner, sharper fruit, often with more toast and edges; Nova Scotia’s high tones, soaring acidity and, sleek and buzzing baseline stand out. This is certainly an exciting category, and future, for Canadian wine.

Cheers!


And the winners are…

13th Street 2015 Premier Cuvee, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

13th Street 2019 Blanc de Blanc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Avondale Sky 2013 Blanc de Noir Extra Brut, Nova Scotia
Blomidon 2011 Blanc de Blancs, Nova Scotia
Fitzpatrick 2015 Fitz Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Flat Rock Cellars NV Riddled Sparkling, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Harper’s Trail 2019 Chardonnay Sparkling Thadd Springs Vineyard, Thompson, British Columbia
Hidden Bench 2016 Blanc de Blanc Zéro Dosage, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Huff Estates 2018 Cuvée Peter, Prince Edward County, Ontario
L’Acadie 2020 Joie de Vivre L’Acadie Vineyards Charmat Method, Nova Scotia
La Frenz 2018 Aster Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Leaning Post 2018 Traditional Method Blanc de Blanc, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Lightfoot & Wolfville 2015 Blanc de Noirs, Nova Scotia
Malivoire N/V Bisous Brut, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Malivoire NV Bisous Rose, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Megalomaniac NV Bubblehead Blanc de Blancs, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Noble Ridge 2018 The Pink One, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Queenston Mile 2017 Blanc de Noirs, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Queenston Mile 2017 Grand Mile, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Silhouette N/V Boyd Classic Cuvee, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stellers Jay 2017 Mountain Jay Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tantalus 2019 Blanc de Blancs Traditional Method, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tinhorn Creek 2018 Blanc de Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Zanatta NV Tradizionale Brut, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

50th Parallel 2018 Blanc De Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
50th Parallel 2020 Glamour Farming Petillant, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Arrowleaf 2020 Wildblume, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Black Hills Estate Winery N/V Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Charles Baker 2020 Cuvee du Boulanger, Ontario
Creekside 2017 The Trad, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Evolve N/V Pink Effervescence, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Fielding N/V Brut Traditional Method, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Gray Monk 2019 Odyssey Rosé Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2017 Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
L’Acadie 2019 Vintage Cuvee Organic, Nova Scotia
Lakeside Cellars 2020 Patriarch Brut Blanc de Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lightfoot & Wolfville 2019 Brut Rosé, Nova Scotia
Lightning Rock 2020 Blanc de Noirs Canyonview Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Maverick N/V Ella Brut Rose Premier Cuvee, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Monte Creek 2020 Living Land Sparkling Rosé, Thompson, British Columbia
Noble Ridge 2017 The One, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Pelee Island 2019 Empress II, Lake Erie North Shore, Ontario
Pelee Island 2019 Empress, Pelee Island, Ontario
Red Rooster N/V Sparkling Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Rivière du Chêne N/V Monde les Bulles, Quebec
Stoneboat Pinot House N/V Piano Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stratus 2021 Field Blend Ancestral, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Strewn N/V Muselet, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Summerhill N/V Cipes Brut Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Summerhll N/V Cipes Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Two Sisters NV Lush Sparkling Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vieni 2020 Moscato, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vieni N/V Momenti Rose, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Westcott 2021 Violette Sparkling, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario

13th Street NV Cuvee 13 Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
180 Estate Winery 2021 Gamay Rose Sparkling, Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
2027 Cellars 2017 Edgerock Brut Rosé, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Big Head Wines NV Big Bang Black Blanc de Noir, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Blomidon N/V Crémant Extra Dry, Nova Scotia
Chronos N/V Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Evolve N/V Effervescence, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Fresh NV Horizons Sparkling Moscato, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Frind N/V Sparkling Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Gray Monk 2019 Odyssey White Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
GreenLane 2020 Severine Sparkling Riesling, Ontario
Hester Creek 2021 Ti Amo, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Indigenous World 2020 La’p Cheet, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2017 Grand Reserve Entourage Sparkling Rose, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Karlo Estates 2021 Bubble, Ontario
Kismet 2020 Moscato Frizzante, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lightfoot & Wolfville 2016 Brut, Nova Scotia
Lightning Rock 2020 Blanc De Noirs Elysia Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Little Straw 2021 Auxerrois Viognier Frizzante, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lunessence 2021 Riesling Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Magnotta N/V Rosé 1925 Series, Ontario
McWatters Collection 2017 Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Megalomaniac 2021 Sparkling Personality, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Monte Creek 2020 Living Land Sparkling, Thompson, British Columbia
Moraine 2021 Shipuchka Frizzante, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Niagara College Teaching Winery NV Balance Brut, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
North 42 Degrees 2021 Sparkling Sauvignon Blanc Brut, Ontario
O’Rourke Family Estate N/V Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Ravine Vineyard N/V Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Serendipity 2015 Sparkling Truth, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Steller’s Jay 2017 Blanc de Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stratus 2015 Blanc de Blancs, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Strewn N/V Sparkler, Ontario
Tawse 2019 Spark Riesling Limestone Ridge Vineyard, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
The Foreign Affair 2020 Blanc De Noirs, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
The Foreign Affair N/V Sparkling Rosé Brut, Ontario
The Good Earth N/V Aria, Ontario
Three Sisters 2021 Pretty Women, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Trius N/V Brut Rose, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Trius N/V Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Unsworth Vineyards 2017 Cuvée De L’île, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Vieni 2018 Classic Brut, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vieni 2018 Rosé Brut, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vieni N/V Momenti Extra Dry, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Westcott 2013 Brilliant Methode Traditionnelle, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Zanatta NV Fantasia Brut, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia

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