Results of the 2021 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)
Other White Single Varieties
Category Overview by Judge Jacky Blisson, MW
The number and diversity of excellent single variety dry white wines submitted this year proved once again that Canada excels in this area. Aromatic, cool climate varieties were particularly successful.
(Jump straight to the medal winners.)
Gewürztraminer continues to be a strong variety for Canada, with gold-medal winning wines from several Canada’s cooler regions including Québec. Impressive aromatic complexity and intensity defined the best Gewürztraminers.
Viognier also made a prominent showing this year from several areas in BC. Award winners offered balanced acidity (a tripping point for many Viognier wines) and lots of textural appeal. Much the same can be said for the handful of successful Sémillon submissions.
Muscat entries ran the gamut from fresh, delicately fruity, rounded dry wines to overt, verging on candied, off-dry styles. This wide range is in keeping with the countless permutations that the Muscat family of grapes has to offer.
Finally, on the nervier, drier side of the spectrum, some lovely Pinot Blanc, Chenin Blanc, and Grüner Veltliner whites are worth a mention. The best of the bunch were very complete on the palate, with fine depth and subtly creamy mid-palates.
Da Silva 2020 Chenin Blanc Hidden Hollow Vineyard, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Konzelmann 2019 Gewürztraminer Late Harvest Reserve Series, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
La Frenz 2020 Semillon Knorr Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2019 Gruner Veltliner, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
S’milka Vista Vineyards 2017 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Thirty Bench 2019 Small Lot Gewürztraminer, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Union Libre 2020 Gewürztraminer, Quebec
Van Westen 2019 Vivacious, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Bartier Bros. 2019 Muscat, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Blasted Church 2020 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Bordertown 2020 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Cave Spring 2019 Gewürztraminer Estate, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Chaberton 2019 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Church & State 2018 Roussanne, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Church & State 2019 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Clos du Soleil 2020 Winemaker’s Series La Cote Viognier, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Crescent Hill 2020 Glennallyn Private Reserve Gewurtraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hester Creek 2020 Old Vine Trebbiano, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hester Creek 2020 Sémillon, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hillside 2020 Heritage Muscat Ottonel, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hillside 2020 Heritage Viognier, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
JoieFarm 2020 En Famille Muscat, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Konzelmann 2019 Pinot Blanc Lakefront Series, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Lake Breeze 2020 Ehrenfelser, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Liber Farm 2018 Rebil Viognier, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Lightfoot & Wolfville 2020 Terroir Series Scheurebe, Nova Scotia
Liquidity 2020 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Mission Hill 2020 Terroir Collection Bluebird Passage Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Moon Curser 2020 Arneis, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Mt. Boucherie 2020 Original Vines Gewürztraminer South Rock Vineyard, British Columbia
O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2020 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Quails’ Gate 2020 Clone 220 Chenin Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Quails’ Gate 2020 Orchard Block Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Red Rooster 2020 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Strewn 2019 Distinctive Small Lot Gewürztraminer Divergent, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Wild Goose 2020 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Alvento 2020 North Wind, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Alvento 2020 West Wind, Ontario
Backyard 2020 Simply Social Bacchus, British Columbia
Backyard 2020 Simply Social Gewürztraminer, British Columbia
Backyard 2020 Simply Social Viognier, British Columbia
Baillie-Grohman 2020 Gewürztraminer, British Columbia
Black Hills 2020 Roussanne, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Black Sage 2020 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Chaberton 2020 Estate Grown Siegerrebe, Fraser Valley, British Columbia
Chronos 2020 Semillon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Church & State 2019 Coyote Bowl Marsanne, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Colio 2020 Bricklayer’s Reward Viognier, Ontario
Domaine de Grand Pré 2020 Ortega, Nova Scotia
Enrico 2020 Ortega Tempest, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Fitzpatrick 2020 The Mischief Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Fitzpatrick 2020 Unwinder Ehrenfelser, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Flat Rock Cellars 2020 Gewürztraminer, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Gray Monk 2020 Ehrenfelser, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Heaven’s Gate 2019 Viognier, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia
Heaven’s Gate 2020 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hillside 2020 Gewürztraminer, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Inniskillin Niagara 2019 Reserve Viognier, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Inniskillin Okanagan 2019 Discovery Series Chenin Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
L’Acadie 2020 Estate L’Acadie Organic, Nova Scotia
Lake Breeze 2019 Cellar Series Alize, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lake Breeze 2019 Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Moraine 2020 Gewürztraminer, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Moraine 2020 Viognier, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Mt. Boucherie 2019 Original Vines Sémillon, British Columbia
Narrative 2018 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Narrative 2019 Chenin Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Narrative 2019 Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Nighthawk 2017 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Nk’Mip Cellars 2020 Winemakers Pinot Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Nostalgia Wines 2020 Viognier Home Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2020 Gruner Veltliner, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Play 2019 Spotlight Series Semillon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Rainmaker Wines 2019 Roussanne Rainmaker Vineyard The Activist, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Ravine Vineyard 2020 Gewürztraminer, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Redstone 2020 Gewurtraminer, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Rust Wine Co. 2019 Gewürztraminer, British Columbia
Sandhill 2020 Sovereign Opal Terroir Driven Wine Casorso Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Second Chapter 2018 Roussanne Second Chapter Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
See Ya Later Ranch 2020 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Strewn 2019 Terroir Viognier, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Sumac Ridge 2020 Private Reserve Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Sunnybrae 2020 Siegerrebe, Shuswap, British Columbia
Sunnybrae 2020 The Boss Man’s Kerner, Shuswap, British Columbia
Terravista Vineyards 2020 Roussanne Focus Series, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Terravista Vineyards 2020 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tinhorn Creek 2020 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Trius 2019 Reserve Viognier, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Upper Bench 2020 Pinot Blanc, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Van Westen 2020 Viognier, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Volcanic Hills 2018 Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Wesbert Winery 2020 Viognier, British Columbia
