Results of the 2023 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)
Sparkling Wine
Category Overview by Judge Janet Dorozynski, Ph.D., DipWSET
(Jump straight to the medal winners.)
I remember being asked by a foreign journalist more than ten years ago what I thought was the most exciting and least-known style of Canadian wine. Without any hesitation I said sparkling wine. I continue to believe strongly it is a style we do well from coast to coast.
New and established Canadian wineries are making higher quality sparkling wine every year. The climate and shorter growing season in Quebec and Nova Scotia are two qualities particularly benefiting sparkling wine production but there is also very fine fizz coming from British Columbia and Ontario.
Great Canadian sparkling wines are made with vitis vinifera with a number are from hybrid varieties that make energetic and refined sparkling wine. Production is largely traditional bottle fermented and charmat/tank method, along with increasing amounts of frizzante (carbonation injection), no doubt made in the hopes of chasing that well-known Italian P wine.
The number of entries in the sparkling category increased from 147 in 2022 to 165 this year. The majority of entries were from B.C. and Ontario with a smattering from Quebec and Nova Scotia, the latter of which is making a name for itself internationally with Nova Scotia sparkling wines found on many a restaurant wine list in the U.K.
The judges awarded 30 gold and 34 silver, and one Platinum Medal to Megalomaniac, a strong showing for the category. I would also add that many of the medal winners are well priced — between $30 and $40 a bottle, with quality and excitement that beats many grand marque Champagne any day.
Cheers to seeing even more Canadian sparkling wine over the coming years and congratulations to all of this year’s winners.
Megalomaniac N/V Bubblehead Limited Edition Brut, Niagara Escarpment, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
13th Street Winery 2017 Premier Cuvée, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Bartier Bros. Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Black Hills Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Charles Baker 2020 Cuvee du Boulanger, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Evolve 2018 Brut Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Gray Monk 2019 Odyssey Rosé Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
GreenLane 2019 Blanc de Blancs Brut King Street Vineyard, Lincoln Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Hidden Bench 2017 Natur Zero Dosage, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
L’Acadie Vineyards 2020 Vintage Cuvee, Nova Scotia
Lakeview 2017 Traditional Method Sparkling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Lightfoot & Wolfville N/V Cuvée Evelyn, Nova Scotia
Malivoire N/V Bisous Rosé, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Maverick N/V Ella Brut Rose, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Megalomaniac NV Bubblehead Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Niagara College Teaching Winery 2018 Balance Riesling Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Queenston Mile 2018 Blanc de Noirs, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Ravine Vineyard 2011 Vintage Brut , Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Red Rooster N/V Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Road 13 2013 Jackpot Sparkling Chenin Blanc, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stratus 2016 Blanc de Blancs, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Tantalus Vineyards 2020 Blanc de Blancs, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tawse 2020 Limestone Riesling Spark!, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Therapy Vineyards N/V Boyd Classic Cuvee , Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Township 7 Infinite Series 2015 Sirius, Fraser Valley, British Columbia
Township 7 Seven Stars 2019 Polaris, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Township 7 Seven Stars 2019 Aurora Stoneridge Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Trius N/V Brut, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Trius N/V Showcase Blanc de Blancs Watching Tree Vineyard, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Two Sisters Vineyards 2020 Lush Sparkling Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vieni Estates N/V Rosso, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
13th Street Winery Cuvée Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Blomidon 2016 Brut Réserve, Nova Scotia
Blomidon N/V Cuvée L’Acadie, Nova Scotia
Chronos N/V Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Drea’s 2020 Blanc De Blanc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Enrico Winery 2020 Celebration Charme de L’ile, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Evolve 2018 Brut Nature, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Evolve N/V Effervescence, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Fielding N/V Brut Traditional Method, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Fitzpatrick 2016 Fitz Brut , Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Fitzpatrick 2018 Fitz Blanc de Blancs, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Glamour Farming 2022 Petillant, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Gray Monk 2019 Odyssey White Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hainle N/V No.72, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hester Creek 2020 Old Vine Brut Golden Mile Bench Estate Vineyard, Golden Mile Bench, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Intrigue Wines 2022 Social Sparkling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
JoieFarm 2022 Plein De Vie, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
KEW Vineyards 2017 Barrel Aged Blanc de Blancs, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
KEW Vineyards 2019 Pinot Meunier Natural Brut , Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
KEW Vineyards 2020 Blanc de Noirs, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Leaning Post 2018 Traditional Method – Blanc de Blanc, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Lightfoot & Wolfville 2016 Blanc de Noirs , Nova Scotia
Lighthall 2022 The Fence
Malivoire N/V Bisous Brut, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
McWatters Collection 2017 Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Monte Creek 2022 Living Land Sparkling Rosé, Thompson, British Columbia
O’Rourke Family Estate Brut 2020 Methode Traditionnelle, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Road 13 2018 Sparkling Chenin Blanc, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Seaside Pearl Daffodils Sparkling to Go , Fraser Valley, British Columbia
Stellers Jay Vineyards 2017 Mountain Jay Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stellers Jay Vineyards N/V Sparkling Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Summerhill N/V Cipes Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tawse 2017 Spark! Blend, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Trius N/V Brut Rosé, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Unsworth Vineyards 2018 Cuvée de l’île Unsworth Vineyard, Cowichan Valley, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Volcanic Hills Gidda Family 2020 Royale Blanc de Blancs, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Westcott 2022 Violette Sparkling, Ontario
50th Parallel 2019 Blanc de Noir , Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Backyard Vineyards N/V Reserve Blanc de Noir, Fraser Valley, British Columbia
Broken Stone 2021 Power Take Off, Ontario
Ciao Bella 2022 Pinozannte, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Coteau Rougemont N/V Brut Méthode Traditionnelle, Quebec
Dark Horse 2016 Valegro Traditional Method Sparkling, Ontario
Domaine de Grand Pré N/V Brut Rosé, Nova Scotia
Fitzpatrick 2021 Fitz Cremant, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Frind N/V Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Gray Monk 2018 Odyssey Traditional Brut, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hainle 2022 Frizzante Amore, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Heaven’s Gate Estate Winery 2020 Sparkling Gamay, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Inniskillin Okanagan 2020 Discovery Series Sparkling Tempranillo Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2021 Reserve Sparkling Cuve Close, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Karlo Estates 2021 Bubble, Ontario
KEW Vineyards 2018 Rosalie, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Kismet Estate Winery 2020 Moscato Sparkling, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lightfoot & Wolfville 2021 Brut Rosé, Nova Scotia
Lily Sparkling, Ontario
Malivoire N/V Che Bello, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Marynissen Estates 2020 Blanc de Blancs, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Moraine 2022 Isla Frizzante, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Moraine 2022 Shipuchka Frizzante, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
North 42 Degrees 2022 Brut Rosé, Ontario
North 42 Degrees 2022 Extra Dry Sparkling Riesling, Ontario
One Faith Vineyards 2022 Fizz Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Queenston Mile 2022 Viognier Pet Nat, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Redstone Winery 2017 Mixed Sparkling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Saintly N/V The Good Sparkling Rose, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stellers Jay Vineyards 2017 Blanc de Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stratus 2022 Field Blend Ancestral, Niagara Lakeshore, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Summerhill N/V Cipes Brut Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
The Foreign Affair 2021 Blanc de Blanc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
The Gallery Winery 2019 Inspiration Sparkling Wine, British Columbia
Thirty Bench N/V Sparkling Riesling, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Three Dog Winery N/V Debut Sparkling, Ontario
Township 7 Seven Stars 2018 Equinox, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Unsworth Vineyards N/V Charme de l’île, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Vieni Estates 2022 Bollicine, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vieni Estates 2022 Moscato, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Vignoble Camy 2020 Chardonnay Bulles de Blanc, Quebec
Vignoble Riviére du Chêne N/V La Cantina Vallée d’Oka Blanc de Blanc, Quebec
Vignoble Riviére du Chêne N/V Monde les Bulles, Quebec
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