Canadian Wines Return to London

By / Wine + Drinks / May 17th, 2013 / 2

Building on the success of the 2010 Seriously Cool Chardonnay Tasting in London, England, Canadian wineries from Wine Country Ontario, British Columbia and Nova Scotia will return to the UK for a trade and press tasting at Canada House, Trafalgar Square on Thursday 16th May. The Rediscover Canadian Wine tasting hosted by The Canadian High Commission will showcase red and white wines, as well as featuring sparkling wines and Icewine, from over twenty producers across Canada in order to highlight the diversity and quality of Canadian wine.

To ensure the tasting provides focus, wineries have been invited to select their best wines from a list of grape varieties including Pinot Noir, Bordeaux blends or varietals, Syrah,  Gamay,  Chardonnay and Riesling. They have also been invited to submit wine for an open-pour tasting of sparkling wines. As noted by wine writer Stephen Brook who commented, “Canada has long been out of the ‘Promising Newcomer’ category. Its white wines from decidedly cool zones can be thrilling, and Pinot Noir gets better from year to year. These are wines we all need to discover.” With reference to their suitability and relevance to the UK market, Gerard Basset OBE MW MS added, “I have discovered some superb wineries and producers with both flair and talent during my recent tour of Canadian wine regions. Some of the wines were truly delicious and would fit nicely on the wine lists of some of our best restaurants, here in the UK.”

Wine Country Ontario, in partnership with Foreign Affair and International Trade Canada and the Canadian High Commission in London, England is organizing another competition in London on May 16. The Cool Climate Oenology & Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) at Brock University in Ontario hosted and organized the wine submissions for the screening process. The Ontario Ministry of Agriculture and Food is also providing support for the event. Over 100 Canadian wines will be showcased in London when British wine writers and the wine trade gather at Canada House in Trafalgar Square to sample a select group of wines. The Rediscover Canadian Wine tasting will showcase key wines from each winery – screened by a panel of Canadian wine critics. Wineries from across Canada were invited to submit their wines in a blind tasting judged by a panel of Canadian judges. The panel previewed over 250 Canadian wines and selected 89 wines from 37 wineries to qualify for this event. To ensure that the tasting provides focus, wineries were invited to submit their best wines from a list of grape varieties including Pinot Noir, Bordeaux  blends or varietals, Syrah, Gamay Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Wineries will be showcasing up to three of their eligible reds and up to two of their eligible whites. 18 wines from 9 British Columbia wineries along with 71 wines from 28 Ontario wineries will be showcased at the media and trade tasting.

Additionally, there will be a feature table and seminar to showcase traditional method sparkling wines from across Canada. 20 sparkling wines from 16 producers were selected by the same panel of judges that screened the wines for this event. Sparkling wines will include 4 from Nova Scotia, 6 from British Columbia and 11 from Ontario. As put by Canadian Master Sommelier John Szabo, Canada “has the potential to produce, and is already producing, quality wines of the calibre that should make the champenois quiver”.

British Columbia Wineries

Burrowing Owl Estate Winery
Church & State Wines
Meyer Family Vineyards Inc.
Moon Curser Vineyards
Painted Rock Estate Winery Ltd.
Poplar Grove Winery
Quails’ Gate Estate Winery
Tinhorn Creek Vineyards

British Columbia has five primary wine growing regions – Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island and Gulf Islands.

Wine Country Ontario wineries

13th Street Winery
Bachelder Wines
Cave Spring Cellars
Château des Charmes
Charles Baker
Closson Chase
Coyote’s Run Estate Winery
Creekside Estate Winery
Exultet Estates
Fielding Estate Winery
Flat Rock Cellars
The Grange of Prince Edward Estate Winery
Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery
Inniskillin Wines
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate
Lailey Vineyard Wines
Le Clos Jordanne
Malivoire Wine Company
Mike Weir Wine
Norman Hardie Winery
The Organized Crime Winery
Pelee Island Winery
Peller Estates Winery
Pillitteri Estates Winery
Ravine Vineyard
Riverview Cellars Estate Winery
Rosewood Estates Winery
Southbrook Vineyards
Stratus Vineyards

Ontario has three primary wine growing regions – Niagara Peninsula, Lake Erie North Shore and Prince Edward County.

Sparkling Wine – British Columbia

Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan
Sperling Vineyards
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery
Summerhill Pyramid Winery
Tantalus

Sparkling Wine – Nova Scotia

L’Acadie Vineyards
Benjamin Bridge
Blomidon Estate Winery

Wine Country Ontario

13th Street Winery
Cave Spring Cellars
Fielding Estate Winery
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
Hinterland
Huff Estates Winery
Peller Estates Winery

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