 |
 |
||
Fred Couch, Ontario Wine Society – Niagara Chapter
December 2009
The official wines of Queen's Park (Ontario Government) have been chosen for 2010. Wines from two Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries - Marynissen Estates Winery 2007 VQA Cabernet Merlot and Joseph's Estate Wines 2008 VQA Pinot Grigio were chosen from six Ontario VQA wineries. Participants, members of the Provincial Parliament, tasted and marked their preferences on a ballot to determine which wines would be selected to be served at official legislative functions.
The 2004 Rusty Shed Chardonnay from Flat Rock Cellars ( Niagara Peninsula ), 2005 Quatrain Mission Hill ( Okanagan Valley ) and Peller Estates ( Niagara Peninsula ) Ice Cuvee wines were served to Prince Charles and Camilla at a farewell dinner at Governor General Michaëlle Jean's home in November. While in Canada , Prince Charles visited Niagara to commemorate the opening of the Wine Visitor and Education Centre at Niagara College . The Royal Visit was the lead event celebrating the opening of the $3.6 million Centre, a unique state-of-the-art industry centre set in the College's teaching vineyards.
After being out of the wine business for a few years, Inniskillin Wines co-founder; Don Ziraldo has released his 2007 Ziraldo Riesling Icewine.
Congratulations to these Ontario wineries who were ranked in the top 10 wineries in Canada at the 2009 Canadian Wine Awards competition:
Tawse Winery, Vineland (2 Gold, 5 Silver, 7 Bronze)
Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Beamsville (2 Gold, 2 Silver, 4 Bronze)
Hillebrand Winery, Niagara-on-the-Lake (2 Gold, 1 Silver, 5 Bronze)
Inniskillin Wines, Niagara-on-the-Lake (1 Gold, 4 Silver, 5 Bronze)
Fielding Estate Winery, Beamsville (1 Gold, 2 Silver, 2 Bronze)
Complete results of the 2009 Canadian Wine Awards are in the December/January issue of Wine Access Magazine.
A number of Ontario wineries struck gold at the 2009 InterVin International Wine Awards. InterVin is a three-day blind tasting competition judged by a panel of sommeliers, wine writers, educators and winemakers. The gold winners were:
Cattail Creek Estate Winery (2007 Select Late Harvest Riesling Estate Bottled)
Creekside Estate Winery (2005 Butler 's Grant Vineyard Merlot Reserve)
Featherstone Estate Winery (2007 Cabernet Franc)
Flat Rock Cellars (2008 Riesling)
Hillebrand Winery (2008 Showcase Ghost Creek Vineyard Riesling)
Inniskillin Wines (2007 Vidal Icewine)
Lailey Vineyard (2007 Cabernet Sauvignon)
Tawse Winery (2007 Van Bers Vineyard Cabernet Franc)
Complete results can be found at www.intervin.ca
Photographs by © F.G. Couch
Previous Articles by Fred Couch
~ Aug 1 2009
~ Sept 2009
~ Calamus Estate Winery
~ Oct 09 Grape King
~ Nov 09
Return to Writers page
