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The
Ontario Cuvee Awards
Rick's Picks - March
2010
by Rick
VanSickle
NIAGARA
FALLS, Ont. — Tasting through
the hundreds of wines submitted
for the Ontario Cuvee awards recently
one thing became abundantly clear.
No other year of judging had so
many outstanding wines been submitted
across all the styles.
A
sea of red wines from the 2007 vintage
and the lovely whites from 2008
flooded the various categories as
judges spent a busy (but enjoyable)
day tasting through 200 of Ontario's
top wines.
The
Cuvee Awards are unique in that
they are the only awards in Canada
where the winning wines are chosen
by the winemakers themselves, and
this peer review makes Cuvee one
of the most meaningful competitions
for winemakers. The winners of the
awards are a closely-guarded secret
until they are revealed at the Cuvee
Gala, which was held in February
at the Niagara Fallsview Casino.
A total of 54 Ontario wineries submitted
up to three different wines for
a shot at a variety of awards in
several categories. Winning wines
were poured for guests at the gala.
The
22nd annual wines awards show established
itself as a bona fide and serious
contender for the most important
awards benchmark for Niagara wines.
The
powerful winemaking team of Craig
McDonald and Rob Power cleaned up
again at Cuvee with five awards
for wines made at Creekside and
Wayne Gretzky Estates. But, in somewhat
of an upset, their highly decorated
top Shiraz, the Broken Press Shiraz
(which has won accolades every year
since its inception and for the
reserve shiraz before that) was
dethroned by Fielding Estate's Syrah
2007 and Jackson-Triggs' Proprietors'
Grand Reserve Syrah 2007. There
were more than a few gasps from
the gala crowd when the award was
announced.
But,
hey, don't feel too bad for Creekside/Gretzky.
They picked up wins for Red Assemblage
(Gretzky Estate Series Shiraz Cabernet
07), Sauvignon Blanc (for the reserve
07), Viognier (two awards for the
reserve 08), and the LCBO White
Award for its Pinot Grigio 08. All
in all, a pretty good medal haul.
Other
multiple winners included Flat Rock
Cellars (top White Wine and Chardonnay
for its 07 Reserve Chardonnay),
Jackson-Triggs (tied with Fielding
for Shiraz and LCBO Red Wine award
for the Proprietors' Reserve Meritage
07), Inniskillin (for top Red Wine
and best Cabernet Franc for its
Reserve Series Cabernet Franc 2007)
and Thirty Bench Wine Makers (for
top Meritage for the Small Lot Benchmark
Red 07 and top Riesling for the
Small Lot Steel Post Vineyard 08).
A
full list of the winners can be
found at www.cuvee.ca.
While
I haven't tasted every wine that
won an award at Cuvee, here are
some reviews of some of the winners
tried recently:
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Inniskillin
Reserve Series
Cabernet Franc 2007
($19,
Vintages)
Generous
aromas of fresh raspberry,
currants and mocha spices.
Delicious on the palate
with lush red fruits,
wild spices, cocoa and
a nice finish.
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Flat
Rock Cellars Reserve
Chardonnay 2007
($35,
at www.flatrockcellars.com)
Creamy
aromas of Bosc pear,
toast, spice and vanilla.
It is pure elegance
on the palate with rich,
ripe pear and tropical
fruits propped up by
an array of spice, oak
and a touch of citrus
on the edges.
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Trius
Brut
($25,
LCBO)
Plenty
of citrus zip on the
nose with yeast, apple
and toast following.
Very nice bubbly with
good citrus-apple notes
and lively acidity to
refresh the palate.
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Thirty
Bench Small Lot Steel
Post Vineyard Riesling
2008
($30,
Vintages)
Marked
by sharp citrus-lime
notes, and a wonderful
bead of minerality that
travels on a firm backbone
of acidity.
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Fielding
Estate Syrah 2007
($45,
at www.fieldingwines.com)
A
riveting red with aromas
of roasted meats, blueberry,
wildberry, leather,
smoke, creosote and
game that comes at you
in wave after wave.
The dark fruits on the
palate are joined by
mint, licorice, tar
and smoky oak notes.
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Tawse
17th Street Pinot Noir
2007
($58,
at www.tawsewinery.ca)
Red
cherry-raspberry jam
aromas to go with vanilla
and perfumed spice.
On the palate, pure
elegance, layered spice
and persistent red fruit
flavours.
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13th
Street Gamay Noir
Sandstone Old Vines
2007
($24,
at www.13streetwinery.com)
An
earthy and cherry-laden
nose with wonderful
toasted oak notes to
go with plums and wild
berries. It's rich,
layered and fruity on
the palate with a healthy
helping of interesting
spice.
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