Canada (Wine) Turns 50, Winery of the Year Announced, and Are People Really Buying Local?

By John Szabo MS and David Lawrason, with notes from David Lawrason, Michael Godel and Megha Jandhyala

Canada takes center stage again this week in the Vintages August 2 release, hot on the heels of the final announcements of all platinum award winners, as well as the Best Performing Small Winery and the Winery ...more

Mission Hill Family Estate

By Anthony Gismondi and David Lawrason

The Okanagan hilltop winery with the stunning vistas has returned to the top of the heap once again at the 2025 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada. It first happened when Mission Hill Family Estate took Winery of the Year honours at the inaugural awards in 2001 at the Royal York Hotel in Toronto. Twenty-five years later, they ...more

Laughing Stock Vineyards

By NWAC judge HJ Cha

^{HJ (Huijeong) Cha is a certified Sommelier and WSET Diploma holder pursuing her wine studies as a Master of Wine candidate. She is a reviewer and contributer at Gismondi On Wine.}

The title of this year’s Best Performing Small Winery went to Laughing Stock Vineyards, with standout results: two Platinum, three Gold, one Silver, and two Bronze medals.