2020 Ontario Wine Awards: White Wine of the Year

By / Wine + Drinks / September 12th, 2020 / 15

2020 would have been the 26th year for the Ontario Wine Awards. Unfortunately, COVID-19 put the usual rigorous judging of entries by 24 highly qualified tasters on hold. Last week, we shared how the OWA team was determined to celebrate the quality of Ontario’s VQA wines and reached out to judges asking for their top three white, red and sparkling wine nominations. From their responses, the OWA tabulated the top scoring wines and winemaker of the year.

We’ve already read about the 2020 Winemaker of the Year and Red Wine of the Year. Now it’s time for 2020’s White Wine of the Year.

White Wine of the Year Award: Charles Baker 2017 Riesling, Picone Vineyard

Sponsored by Quench Magazine

Grown and vinified in Vinemount Ridge, in the highest point of the Niagara Peninsula, Charles Baker’s Riesling is one for the table AND the cellar. Apricot and white peach stone fruit is starting to develop on the dry, powerful palate. It’s complex and young now, but bound to grow in the bottle. According to the winery’s tasting notes, this is “delicious with food right now but without doubt a Riesling that will reward some cellaring. This wine feels like it could easily last into its third decade.”

Charles Baker’s Picone vineyard is home to vines dating back to the 1980s. Their Riesling is grown in four distinct blocks of varying sizes and elevation, with shallow clay and an ever-changing distribution of limestone, shale, sandstone and granite.

About the Sponsor (Aka, Us)

At Quench, we’re always looking for ways to support Canada’s food and drink industries. From our Mav Chef awards each year, in which we honour Canada’s culinary trendsetters, to our Mav Wine and Spirits list, where we list every great drink to cross our palates each year, we’re proud to be Canadian and support Canadian producers. So, when we had the opportunity to sponsor the Ontario Wine Awards, of course we said yes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Looking at the small things that make life great and the people who create them.

One response to “2020 Ontario Wine Awards: White Wine of the Year”

  1. […] already read about the 2020 Winemaker of the Year, Red Wine of the Year and White Wine of the Year. Now it’s time for the final award: 2020’s Sparkling Wine of the […]

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