WineAlign - Awards - 2021 NWAC White Blends

Results of the 2021 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)

White Blends

Category Overview by Michael Godel

White blends, white heat

There were 57 medals awarded in the White Blends category, a staggering number (and up from 52 in 2019) when you consider how many consumers (and critics too) often see wines like these as vineyard fruit cast offs, afterthoughts and a way to use up grapes without a home. Nothing could be further from the truth these days with wines of great intendment, trenchant purpose and earned respect. Winemakers love making these wines, appellative or otherwise. They (the makers) are creatures of assemblage and (their wines), masters of habit.

(Jump straight to the medal winners.)

There are traditional gatherings like sauvignon blanc plus sémillon as per Bordeaux. Our Platinum winner is a two to one aspect ratio of that ilk, the La Frenz 2019 Reserve Ensemble from the Okanagan Valley. Described by judge Nadia Fournier as “agréable, onctuosité, doublée de tension. Élégant, expressif et relevé de parfums.” Translation not necessary. Gold winner Clos du Soleil 2019 Capella from the Similkameen Valley acts out the same sauv blanc-sém passion play, as does Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Mer’r’iym White Meritage. The likes of marsanne, roussanne and viognier do the Rhône Valley and Gold by Kismet 2020 does exactly that out of the Okanagan Valley. The top Ontario winners are Creekside 2018 Iconoclast Sémillon-Sauvignon, Flat Rock Cellars 2018 Twisted, Queenston Mile 2018 Mile White, all from the Niagara Peninsula, along with Kew 2018 Marsanne Viognier from the Beamsville Bench.

White blends come in all shapes, sizes and mix of grape varieties. In addition to those already listed there can be Canadian combinations that involve chardonnay, riesling, pinot gris, pinot blanc, gewürztraminer, muscat and other vinifera. There are also many B.C., Ontario, Québec and New Brunswick whites that involve hybrids like l’acadie blanc, vidal, ortega, frontenac blanc, seyval blanc, traminette, la crescent, geisenheim and more. But nowhere in Canada has the idea been fostered and achieved the level of success at that for Nova Scotia’s Tidal Bay.

Tidal Bay is a maritime appellative blend of genius creation, a terroir specific concept so specific to Annapolis Valley/Bay of Fundy/Minas Basin vineyards in Nova Scotia. A veritable East Coast marketing and economic juggernaut from true Canadian wines of quality and efficiency. In 2010 Nova Scotia launched this wine appellation with a purpose “to showcase a vibrant and refreshing white wine compatible with the coastal terroir along the Bay of Fundy, a vast expanse of seawater that is home to the highest tides in the world.” In the past the wines have been sweeter, much like some Alsatian white blends but many are now going dry. There will always be stone fruit, white or yellow citrus, a mineral push and salty Fundy air. The question is whether the wines taste more like the soil or the sea. Four Tidal Bays earned Silver at NWAC 2021, all from the 2020 vintage; Planters Ridge, Gaspereau Vineyards, Jost and Domaine de Grand Pré.

And the winners are…

La Frenz 2019 Reserve Ensemble, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Clos du Soleil 2019 Capella, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Kismet 2020 Reserve Viognier Roussane Marsanne, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Mer’r’iym White Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia