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The Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers Atlantic Chapter is pleased to announce the winners of the 2019 Atlantic Canadian Wine Awards.
According to competition organizer Mark DeWolf, National President of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS), “It was another stellar performance by local vintners. Year in and year out, the bar continues to be raised. At the top end our best wines are reaching quality levels on par with the best in the country, and in the case of Traditional Method sparkling wines, they equal of some of the world’s best.”
The annual awards hosted by CAPS Atlantic brings together several of the region’s top sommeliers and other wine experts to judge the wines in a blind format. Judges are given only basic information, including the varietal (grape) used to make the wines, the vintage and in the case of Tidal Bay, the parameters of the style.
According to DeWolf, “Traditional Method sparkling wines continue to prove to be the province’s best wines, but Riesling and Tidal Bay were also top candidates. Red wines, while not receiving the top scores, were strong, with the quality of production this year very high. I was glad to see a red wine from New Brunswick achieve a top score, as it proves quality wine production is possible throughout the Maritimes. We also can’t forget fruit wines. We had some very solid results from the likes of Magnetic Hill in New Brunswick and Lunenburg County Winery on Nova Scotia’s South Shore.”
Instead of awarding multiple awards in each category, the Atlantic Canadian Wine Awards only recognizes the top wine in each, making the award of Best of Class a truly prestigious title. The Annapolis Valley’s Lightfoot & Wolfville, which practices organic and biodynamic viticulture, took home the title of Winery of the Year for the third consecutive year. Joining them on the top of the podium for title of Wine of the Year was Blomidon Estate Winery. A unanimous decision by the judging panel bestowed the competition’s top award of Wine of the Year and Best of Class Traditional Method Sparkling Wine to both the 2014 Lightfoot & Wolfville Blanc de Blanc Brut and the 2011 Blomidon Estate Brut Reserve. Both wines are crafted from 100 per cent Chardonnay, made using the Traditional Method, and aged on their lees for years. DeWolf describes Nova Scotia Traditional Method sparkling wines “as having an enviable ability to deliver vibrant fruit flavours, back-end richness and a certain nerve and verve that is almost unparalleled in the sparkling wine world. Year in and year out these wines show themselves as our province’s best.”
Top Awards:
Winery of the Year – Lightfoot & Wolfville
Wine of the Year (tie) - 2014 Lightfoot & Wolfville Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut (tie)
Wine of the Year (tie) – 2011 Blomidon Estate Brut Reserve
Tidal Bay of the Year (tie) – 2018 Domaine de Grand Pré Tidal Bay
Tidal Bay of the Year (tie) -2018 Lightfoot & Wolfville Tidal Bay (tie)
White Wine of the Year – 2018 Domaine de Grand Pré Riesling
Red Wine of the Year – 2016 Lightfoot & Wolfville Ancienne Pinot Noir
Dessert Wine of the Year – 2016 Lightfoot & Wolfville Terroir Series Vidal Icewine
Other Awards:
Best of Class Traditional Method Sparkling Wine (tie) – 2014 Lightfoot & Wolfville Blanc de Blancs Extra Brut
Best of Class Traditional Method Sparkling Wine (tie) – 2011 Blomidon Estate Brut Reserve (tie)
Best of Class Non-Traditional Sparkling Wine – 2017 Luckett Vineyards Phone Box Fizz
Best of Class Tidal Bay – 2018 Domaine de Grand Pré Tidal Bay (tie)
Best of Class Tidal Bay – 2018 Lightfoot & Wolfville Tidal Bay (tie)
Best of Class White Single Hybrid – 2018 Gaspereau Vineyards Muscat
Best of Class White Single Vinifera – 2018 Domaine de Grand Pré Riesling
Best of Class White Blend – 2017 Gaspereau Vineyards White Rock
Best of Class Red Blend – NV Luckett Vineyards Old Bill
Best of Class Single Hybrid – 2017 Magnetic Hill Mascaret
Best of Class Red Single Vinifera – 2016 Lightfoot & Wolfville Ancienne Pinot Noir
Best of Class Rose – 2018 Mercator Vineyards Compass Rosé
Best of Class Dessert Wine – 2016 Lightfoot & Wolfville Terroir Series Vidal Icewine
Best of Class Fruit Wine (blue fruit) – NV Magnetic Hill Bay of Fundy Blue
Best of Class Fruit Wine (red fruit) – NV Magnetic Hill Mystique
Best of Class Fruit Wine (overall) - NV Magnetic Hill Bay of Fundy Blue
Best of Class Natural & Orange Wines – 2017 Lightfoot & Wolfville Small Lots Skin Ferment Vidal
