Results of the 2021 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)
Riesling
Category Overview by Judge John Szabo
Little remains to be said about Canadian riesling; long-time observers recognize it as one of the country’s strongest suits. There were an impressive 140 entries this year, behind only chardonnay among whites. If the edge for bigger reds goes to B.C., it’s Ontario’s turn to shine in this cool-loving category, taking six of the top ten spots including the only platinum award.
(Jump straight to the medal winners.)
The judges’ appreciation of a range of riesling styles was made evident by the varied soil/climate combinations that came up trumps. In Ontario, wines from the warmer, heavier clay pockets of Niagara-on-the-Lake, for example (Trius, Peller Estates), garnered equal praise as those from the cooler parts of the Niagara Escarpment and its thinner, more limestone-laced soils (Thirty Bench, Tawse).
In B.C., the sandy-loams of the Naramata Bench are clearly a superior spot for riesling, yielding three of four BC golds (Upper Bench, Synchromesh, La Frenz), with the other coming from the variety’s original Okanagan home in the cooler area around Kelowna and the volcanic soils of Mount Boucherie (SpearHead).
Overall, judges noted a general decrease in the levels of residual sugar in Rieslings from across the country, once considered essential to balance high acids (or just underripe) grapes. Producers have clearly gained more confidence in the fruit depth and higher ripeness provided by their ageing vines, over 40 years now for Canada’s oldest, and the longer, warmer growing seasons brought on by climate change, making dry, balanced riesling more regularly possible.
Arrowleaf 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Cave Spring 2019 Riesling Estate, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
La Frenz 2020 Riesling Cl. 21B Freedom 75 Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Redstone 2019 Brickyard Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
SpearHead 2019 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Synchromesh 2020 Riesling Thorny Vines Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tawse 2019 Riesling Limestone Ridge-North, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2018 Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2018 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2019 Small Lot Riesling Steel Post Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Trius 2019 Showcase Riesling Ghost Creek, Four Mile Creek, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Upper Bench 2020 Riesling, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Van Westen 2020 Viscous, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
13th Street 2020 Riesling June’s Vineyard, Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
50th Parallel 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Adamo 2020 Riesling, Ontario
CedarCreek 2020 Estate Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Chronos 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Crowsnest 2019 Riesling, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Del-Gatto 2020 Riesling, Ontario
Featherstone 2020 Black Sheep Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Fielding 2019 Estate Bottled Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Fitzpatrick 2020 Lookout Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Flat Rock Cellars 2018 Nadja’s Vineyard Riesling, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Flat Rock Cellars 2018 Riesling, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Flat Rock Cellars 2019 Envy, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Four Shadows 2020 Riesling Classic, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Harper’s Trail 2019 Silver Mane Block Riesling Thadd Springs Vineyard, Thompson, British Columbia
Harper’s Trail 2020 Pioneer Block Riesling Thadd Springs Vineyard, Thompson, British Columbia
Honsberger 2020 Riesling, Creek Shores, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Kitsch 2019 Esther’s Block Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Kitsch 2019 Maria’s Block Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Leaning Post 2018 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Monte Creek 2020 Living Land Riesling, British Columbia
Organized Crime 2019 Wild Ferment Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Orofino 2018 Hendsbee Vineyard Clone 21B Riesling, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Orofino 2018 Hendsbee Vineyard Clone 239 Riesling, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Phantom Creek 2018 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Quails’ Gate 2020 Clone 49 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Ravine Vineyard 2020 Patricia’s Block Riesling, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Redstone 2019 The Club Riesling Limestone Vineyard, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
SCW Campbell Kind Wine 2019 Riesling, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Storm Haven 2019 Blue Label Riesling Storm Haven Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Strewn 2018 Strewn Terroir Riesling, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Synchromesh 2018 Black Label Riesling Storm Haven Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Synchromesh 2019 Riesling Storm Haven Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Synchromesh 2020 Riesling Long’s View Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Synchromesh 2020 Riesling Storm Haven Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Synchromesh 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tantalus 2018 Old Vines Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tawse 2018 Riesling Carly’s Block, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Tawse 2018 Riesling Limestone Ridge-North, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Tawse 2019 Riesling Quarry Road Vineyard, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2018 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2019 Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2019 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Thirty Bench 2019 Winemaker’s Blend Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Tightrope 2019 Riesling, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Wild Goose 2020 Stoney Slope Riesling, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Alvento 2020 Riesling, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Cave Spring 2019 Riesling CSV Cave Spring Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Cornerstone 2018 Riesling, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Crescent Hill 2020 Crystal’s Fault, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
CREW 2019 Riesling, Lake Erie North Shore, Ontario
Dirty Laundry 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Domaine de Grand Pré 2020 Riesling, Nova Scotia
Fielding 2018 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Fort Berens 2019 Riesling Reserve, Lillooet, British Columbia
Fort Berens 2020 Riesling, British Columbia
Four Shadows 2020 Riesling Dry, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Gaspereau 2020 Riesling, Nova Scotia
Henry of Pelham 2020 Speck Family Reserve Riesling, Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Hidden Bench 2018 Estate Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Inniskillin Niagara 2019 Reserve Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Intrigue Wines 2020 Focus Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan 2019 Grand Reserve Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lighthall 2020 Riesling, Prince Edward County, Ontario
Marynissen 2020 Heritage Collection Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Moraine 2020 Reserve Riesling, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Moraine 2020 Riesling, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Niagara College 2020 Balance Dry Riesling, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Qwam Qwmt Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Organized Crime 2020 Wild Ferment Riesling, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Orofino 2020 Wild Ferment Old Vines Riesling Home Vineyard, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2019 Riesling Block Eleven, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Quails’ Gate 2019 Dry Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Ravine Vineyard 2019 Small Batch Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Redstone 2019 Riesling Limestone Vineyard South, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Rivière du Chêne 2019 La Cantina Riesling, Vallée d’Oka, Quebec
Rollingdale Winery 2020 Riesling, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Sue-Ann Staff 2019 Riesling Loved by Lu, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Sue-Ann Staff 2019 Robert’s Block Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Synchromesh 2019 Riesling Long’s View Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Synchromesh 2019 Riesling Thorny Vines Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tawse 2018 Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Tawse 2019 Riesling Carly’s Block, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Therapy 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Thirty Bench 2019 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Two Sisters 2019 Riesling, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Wild Goose 2020 Riesling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
