Guide to Canada’s Best Wines 2020 – Top Riesling
Announcing Canada’s Top Riesling
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Category Overview by Sara d’Amato
Riesling proved to be a polarizing, thought-provoking category with no single overarching style across Canada but there certainly are trends emerging. From east to west coast, drier styles have surfaced. More importantly, this year more than ever, more balanced styles ruled allowing sweetness and acid to create tension and showcase a sense of place.
It is no surprise that the CSV Riesling from Cave Spring took the top position, but it is good to know that there is consistency in this iconic Niagara riesling resulting from some of the oldest riesling vines in the country. As for Ontario as a whole, more than half of the rieslings represented originated from either the Beamsville Bench or Twenty Mile Bench, solidifying these adjacent, limestone-rich escarpment terroirs as top quality riesling locales.
Given that the top 5 scoring riesling were Niagara-based, BC’s presence in this category is not slim and it continues to grow. Stylistically speaking, there were greater idiosyncrasies in the BC submissions with some oxidative, some riper with varying sweetness levels, and then those of classic austerity. We were pleased to see compelling submissions from BC’s smallest appellation, Lillooet along with BC’s newest appellation, Skaha Bench. I for one, am happy that there is not one style of wine that dominates in Canada and that producers are not afraid to experiment, even with this expressive grape variety.
Editor’s Note: We’d also like to emphasize the amazing value that the wines in this category offer.
Return to the complete Guide to Canada’s Best Wines.
Top 10 Rieslings in Canada:
Cave Spring Csv Riesling 2018, VQA Beamsville Bench ($30)
Charles Baker Picone Vineyard Riesling 2017, VQA Vinemount Ridge ($37)
Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask 2017, VQA Beamsville Bench ($30)
Kitsch Wines Esther’s Block Riesling 2018, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($29)
Trius Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek Vineyard 2018, VQA Four Mile Creek ($30)
Thirty Bench Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard 2017, VQA Beamsville Bench ($30)
CedarCreek Platinum Block 3 Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($38)
Flat Rock Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling 2018, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($25)
Pentâge Riesling 2014, Skaha Bench ($23)
Leaning Post Riesling 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($25)
More top Rieslings:
Tawse Limestone Ridge North Estate Bottled Riesling 2017, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($22)
Trail Estate Barrel Ferment Riesling Foxcroft 2018, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($35)
Upper Bench Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($25)
Culmina Decora 2018, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($24)
Lunessence Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($29)
Henry Of Pelham Riesling Speck Family Reserve 2019, VQA Short Hills Bench ($28)
Summerhill Vineyard Riesling 2017, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($32)
Summerhill Vineyard Riesling 2018, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($32)
Wild Goose Stoney Slope Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Falls ($23)
Fort Berens Riesling Reserve 2018, BC VQA Lillooet ($32)
Kitsch Maria’s Block Riesling 2018, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($27)
Southbrook Heather’s Home Vineyard Riesling 2017, VQA Vinemount Ridge ($23)
Flat Rock Riesling 2018, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($18)
Charles Baker Riesling, B Side 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($22)
13th Street June’s Vineyard Riesling 2019, VQA Creek Shores ($20)
Westcott Butlers’ Grant Riesling 2019, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($25)
Charles Baker Riesling Ivan Vineyard 2017, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($25)
Charles Baker Riesling 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($20)
Fitzpatrick The Lookout Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($19)
Frind Premier Riesling 2018, VQA British Columbia ($33)
Mayhem Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($21)
Therapy Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($29)
Peller Estates Andrew Peller Signature Series Riesling 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($30)
La Cantina, Vallée D’oka Riesling 2019, Igp Vin Du Quebec ($24)
Organized Crime Wild Ferment Riesling 2019, VQA Beamsville Bench ($21)
Tawse Riesling Carly’s Block 2019, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($32)
Redstone Limestone Vineyard South Riesling 2019, VQA Twenty Mile Bench ($20)
Adamo Riesling 2019, VQA Ontario ($29)
Wild Goose Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($20)
Nk’mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Riesling 2019, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($24)
Tightrope Riesling 2018, BC VQA Okanagan Valley ($23)
Fort Berens Riesling 2019, BC VQA British Columbia ($18)
Bricklayer’s Reward Riesling 2018, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($19)
Fogolar Riesling Hughes Vineyard 2019, VQA Lincoln Lakeshore ($20)
Del Gatto Riesling 2019, VQA Ontario ($22)
Redstone Riesling 2017, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($17)
Inniskillin Reserve Riesling 2019, VQA Niagara Peninsula ($21)
Meldville First Edition Riesling 2019, Niagara Peninsula ($22)
indicates the wine received a 5 star value rating from at least one writer.
Return to the complete Guide to Canada’s Best Wines.