Results of the 2024 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)
Mead, Maple, Fruit Wine and Fortified
Category Overview by Judge Janet Dorozynski, Ph.D, DipWSET
(Jump straight to the medal winners.)
This is a small but expansive category comprising many different wine types – mead or honey wine, fruit wines and fortified wines. Each sub-category is judged separately and entries come from all across Canada. A number are made by stand alone meaderies, fruit wineries and distilleries, while others are product extensions made by traditional grape based wineries.
It was a fascinating assortment of alcoholic beverages made from everything from raspberries, black currants, various types of honey and maple syrup. There was even a dandelion flower wine from Alberta’s Spirit Hills Flower winery. The vermouth category is small but increasing impressive with Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers in Niagara leading the way with both sweet and dry vermouth.
Top honours and gold this year went to two raspberry based fruit wines from Maan Farms in Abbotsford, British Columbia for their raspberry table and raspberry dessert wines.
And the winners are…
Maan Farms 2022 Raspberry, Fraser Valley, British Columbia
Maan Farms Raspberry Dessert, Fraser Valley, British Columbia
Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers Dry Vermouth, Ontario
Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers Sweet Vermouth, Ontario
Lost Bell 2019 Kingsport, Nova Scotia
Prairie Bee Meadery Raspberry Rapture , Saskatchewan
Aspen Grove Meadery 2023 Apple Pie Mead
Domaine Acer N/V Mousse des Bois brut 7g/L Lot 27, Quebec
Domaine Acer Val ambre (8 years old) Lot 52, Quebec
Domaine Vallier Robert Charles-Aimé Robert (8 years old) Lot 51, Quebec
Prairie Bee Meadery N/V Saskap Sensation, Saskatchewan
Spirit Hills 2022 Saskwatch Black Currant Wine, Alberta
Spirit Hills 2023 Dande Dandelion Flower Wine, Alberta
Spirit Hills 2023 Whitetail Oaked Violet Flower Wine, Alberta
Spirit Hills 2023 YeaHaa! Cowboy’s Sangria, Alberta
Ve Oh Lay Acres N/V Mel’s Haskap
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