By Anthony Gismondi
Earlier this week Wine Access released its
first ever International Value Wine Awards results, a competition they
positioned as “the search for the best wine in Canada under $25.”
I should make it clear I’m an editor at Wine
Access but like the other 15 judges invited from across Canada to judge the
wines I too sat in a Calgary hotel room for the better part of a week to blind
taste over 760 wines in search of that elusive best wine under $25.
With so many awards worldwide Wine Access
chose to do something different and look at the lower end of the market where
almost 95 per cent of all purchases are made.
The wines were mostly tasted on the basis of
grape, that is to say all the chardonnay, all the sauvignon, all the cabernet
regardless of origin competed against each other. In some cases, particular
blends or styles that could be considered regional were left to be tasted
together.
By the time we finished we tasted almost 1,000
wines, both domestic and imported from 17 countries, with the retail price of
each being $25 per bottle or less somewhere in Canada. This includes government
stores, private stores, and the consignment programs in Ontario and British
Columbia.
The results are illuminating and in the
inaugural year certainly exciting for two B.C. wineries that topped their
categories. Jackson Triggs took home the best cabernet sauvignon in the
competition, and Lang Vineyards snagged the riesling title.
The IVWA will be the cover story of the
November issue of Wine Access, due to hit newsstands the third week of October,
just in time for the busy Holiday buying period. The issue will feature photos
of the top wines, detailed information about the categories and tasting notes
on all winning wines and the unveiling of the Best Red, White and Sparkling
Wine Under $25 as judged in a final taste-off at the end of the competition.
They will also publish an extensive list of the best red and white wines in Canada
under $15.
In the meantime I wanted to share with you
some of the early results so you can get out shopping. And the winners are…
Cabernet Sauvignon
90 Jackson-Triggs Okanagan 2004 Grand Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. B.C. $24.99
Merlot
89 Delicato Family Vineyards 2005 Merlot,
California, United States.
B.C. $13.99, AB $11.95, MB $11.99, ON $11.95,
QC $14.60, NF $13.91
Syrah/Shiraz
91 Nugan Estate McLaren Parish 2004 Shiraz,
McLaren Vale, South Australia. B.C. $23.85
Shiraz Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz Blend
88 Wakefield Promised Land 2004 Shiraz
Cabernet, South Australia.
ON $13.55
Pinot Noir
88 Mount Riley 2005 Pinot Noir, South Island,
New Zealand.
B.C. $19.85, AB $21.95
Malbec
89 Kaiken Reserva 2004 Malbec, Mendoza,
Argentina.
AB $16.95
Zinfandel
89 Clos du Bois 2003 Zinfandel North Coast,
California United States.
MB $23.00, QC $22.85
Sangiovese Blends
90 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi 2004 Tenuta di
Castiglioni, Tuscany, Italy.
B.C. $26.99, AB $23, ON $19.95, QC $26.75
Red Blends
91 Chateau Sainte Eulalie la Cantilène 2003,
Minervois, Languedoc, France. B.C. $24.99, AB$22, ON $18.95
Red All Other
89 De Bortoli dB 2005 Petite Sirah, Riverina,
New South Wales, Australia.
B.C. $11.99, ON $12.95
Sparkling
88 Deinhard Lila N/V Riesling Sekt, Germany.
B.C. $13.99, AB$13, ON $12.95, NS $19.18
Un-Oaked Chardonnay
90 Goundrey 2005 Homestead Unwooded
Chardonnay, Western Australia.
B.C. $12.02, AB $12.65, QC $13.85, NB $10.89
Oaked Chardonnay
89 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve 2004
Chardonnay, California, United States. B.C. $22.21, AB $21.95, MB $18.61, ON
$19.95, QC $21.05
Sauvignon Blanc
89 Villa Maria 2005 Private Bin Sauvignon
Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. B.C. $18.82, ON $16.15
Riesling
88 Lang Vineyards 2005 Riesling Farm Reserve,
Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. B.C. $15.90 winery, VQA stores
Other Aromatic Whites
89 Pfaffenheim 2004 Gewurztraminer, Alsace,
France.
B.C. $16.65, AB $15.95 NB $21
White Blends
87 Parri Estate 2005 Viognier/Chardonnay,
South Australia.
ON $17.95 (Feb 07)
All Other Whites
88 Mission Hill 2005 Five Vineyards Pinot
Grigio, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. B.C. $ 15.86, AB $14.99, NB
$13.87
Canada Best Red
90 Jackson-Triggs Okanagan 2004 Grand Reserve
Cabernet Sauvignon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. B.C. $24.99
Canada Best White
88 Mission Hill 2005 Five Vineyards Pinot
Grigio, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia, Canada. B.C. $15.95
United States Best Red
89 Clos du Bois 2003 Zinfandel North Coast,
California United States.
MB $22.44, QC$22.85
United States Best White
89 Kendall-Jackson Vintner's Reserve 2004
Chardonnay, California United States. B.C. $22.21, AB $21.95, MB $18.61, ON
$19.95, QC $21.05
Chile Best Red
89 J. Bouchon 2005 Reserva Carmenère / Syrah
2005, Maule Chile. $12.95
Chile Best White
87 Cono Sur 2005 Loma Roja Vision Single
Vineyard Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, Chile. ON 14.95
Argentina Best Red
89 Kaiken Reserva 2004 Malbec, Mendoza,
Argentina. AB $15.95
Argentina Best White
89 Catena Chardonnay 2004, Mendoza, Argentina.
BC $24.95, AB $21.50, ON $19.95, QC $21
Australia Best Red
91 Nugan Estate McLaren Parish 2004 Shiraz,
McLaren Vale, South Australia. AB $24
Australia Best White
90 Goundrey 2005 Homestead Unwooded
Chardonnay, Western Australia. B.C. $12.02, AB $12.65, QC $13.85, NB $10.89
New Zealand Best Red
88 Mount Riley 2005 Pinot Noir, South Island,
New Zealand. B.C. $19.85, AB $21.95, ON 18.95
New Zealand Best White
89 Villa Maria 2005 Private Bin Sauvignon
Blanc, Marlborough, New Zealand. B.C. $17.59, ON $16.15, NB $18.26
IVWA France Best Red
91 Chateau Sainte Eulalie la Cantilène 2003,
Minervois, Languedoc, France. B.C. $24.99, AB $22.00, ON $18.95
IVWA France Best White
89 Pfaffenheim 2004 Gewurztraminer, Alsace,
France. B.C. $17.59, AB14.95
Italy Best Red
90 Marchesi de' Frescobaldi 2004 Tenuta di
Castiglioni, Tuscany, Italy. B.C. $26.99, AB $23.00, ON $19.95, QC $26.75
IVWA Spain Best Red
88 Castaño 2004 Monastrell, Yecla, Spain. B.C.
$9.99, AB $10.80, NB $12.09
For complete results and top tens in all
categories go to
www.gismondionwine.com
Anthony
Gismondi is a globetrotting wine writer who makes his home in West Vancouver,
British Columbia. For more of his thoughts on wine log onto
www.gismondionwine.com