Results of the 2019 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)

Pinot Noir

Category Overview by Judge John Szabo, MS

The pinot noirs tasted in 2019 showed less consistency overall than in previous NWAC awards, confirming the variety’s particularly fickle nature. Still, an impressive haul of 77 medals was awarded, including two platinum and 14 gold. Of these top tier winners, BC came away with the lion’s share, with 12 out of 16 medals including both platinums, all from the Okanagan Valley. Ontario brought in four golds, with three from Niagara and one from Prince Edward County.

(Jump straight to the medal winners.)

The majority of wines entered are from the 2017 vintage, which helps to explain the east-west discrepancy. 2017 in the Okanagan was a vintage of lower-than-average yields and high concentration, and despite one of the worst wildfire seasons on record in BC’s history, vineyards remained unscathed and smoke taint-free. Fires were sufficiently distant from the Okanagan to not pose any direct threat, and the silver lining of overhead smoke cover was a protective effect that reduced sunburn and safeguarded pinot’s delicate aromatics during the hottest periods of the summer. Ontario, on the other hand, had a more challenging, very wet summer with record rainfalls and flooding. A return to fine September-October weather saved the vintage, but water-inflated, large berries meant less concentration, and pinot noir’s susceptibility to just about everything trialed winegrowers’ skill and patience. The quality of the best 2017s is a testament to great terroir and attention to detail, while a handful of excellent 2016s and even 2015s entered reflect more clement conditions.

And the winners are…

Blasted Church 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Howling Bluff 2016 Pinot Noir Century Block, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Arrowleaf 2016 Archive Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Arrowleaf 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Georgian Hills 2016 Wild Ferment Pinot Noir Cuvee Wismer Vineyards, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Hidden Bench 2017 Pinot Noir Unfiltered, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Kitsch Wines 2017 5 Barrel Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Marynissen Platinum Series 2015 Pinot Noir, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Mission Hill 2016 Terroir Collection No. 43 Reflection Point Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Monte Creek Ranch 2017 Pinot Noir, British Columbia
Oak Bay 2016 Gebert Family Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Privato 2016 Tesoro Pinot Noir Woodward Collection, British Columbia
Rosehall Run 2017 JCR Pinot Noir , Prince Edward County, Ontario
Singletree 2016 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead 2017 Pinot Noir GFV Saddle Block, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead 2017 Pinot Noir Coyote Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

Averill Creek 2016 Somenos Series Pinot Noir, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Averill Creek 2017 Pinot Noir, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
EauVivre 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Fort Berens 2017 Pinot Noir Reserve, British Columbia
Howling Bluff 2016 Pinot Noir Three Mile Creek, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Lake Breeze 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Meyer 2017 Micro Cuvee Pinot Noir McLean Creek Rd, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Monte Creek Ranch 2017 Pinot Noir Reserve, British Columbia
Niagara College Teaching Winery 2017 Marmitons Gastronomy Pinot Noir, Vinemount Ridge, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Norman Hardie Winery 2016 County Pinot Noir Unfiltered, Prince Edward County, Ontario
O’Rourke’s Peak Cellars 2016 Pinot Noir, British Columbia
Organized Crime 2016 Break-in Pinot Noir, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Privato 2015 Grande Reserve Pinot Noir, British Columbia
Prospectus 2016 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Rathjen Cellars Pinot Noir 2016 Saison Vineyard, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
SpearHead 2017 Pinot Noir Club Consensus, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stag’s Hollow 2016 Pinot Noir Stag’s Hollow Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stanners 2017 Pinot Noir, Prince Edward County, Ontario
Tantalus 2016 Reserve Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Wild Goose 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia

50th Parallel 2016 Unparalleled Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Adamo 2017 Pinot Noir, Ontario
Bench 1775 2016 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Blue Grouse 2017 Quill Pinot Noir, British Columbia
CedarCreek 2017 Estate Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Dirty Laundry 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Flat Rock Cellars 2016 Gravity Pinot Noir, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Four Shadows 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Georgian Hills 2016 Wild Ferment Pinot Noir Wismer Glen Elgin Single Vineyard, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Henry of Pelham 2017 Pinot Noir Speck Family Reserve , Short Hills Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Hidden Bench 2016 Pinot Noir Rosomel Vineyard, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Howling Bluff 2016 Pinot Noir Acta Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Hubbs Creek 2016 Pinot Noir Unfiltered , Prince Edward County, Ontario
Huff Estates 2017 Pinot Noir Reserve, Prince Edward County, Ontario
Karlo Estates 2017 Pinot Noir Estate, Prince Edward County, Ontario
Karlo Estates 2017 Pinot Noir Lake on the Mountain, Prince Edward County, Ontario
Kin Vineyards 2017 Pinot Noir, Ontario
Kitsch Wines 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
La Cantina Vallee D’Oka 2017 Pinot Noir, Quebec
Lake Breeze 2017 Aura Home Estate, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Le Vignoble du Ruisseau 2017 Pinot Noir Signature
Leaning Post 2016 Pinot Noir Lowrey Vineyard, St. David’s Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Lightning Rock 2017 Pinot Noir Elysia Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Magnotta Venture Series 2017 Pinot Noir, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Megalomaniac 2016 SonOfABitch, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Meyer 2017 Pinot Noir McLean Creek Rd, Okanagan Falls, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Moraine 2017 Pinot Noir 2017 Sophia, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Nk’Mip Cellars 2017 Qwam Qwmt Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Organized Crime 2017 Break-in Pinot Noir, Beamsville Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Quails’ Gate 2017 Clone 828 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead 2017 Pinot Noir Cuvee, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
SpearHead 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stag’s Hollow 2016 Pinot Noir Shuttleworth Creek Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Stoneboat 2016 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Tantalus 2017 Maija Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
The Farm 2016 Neudorf Single Vineyard Pinot Noir, Twenty Mile Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Tightrope 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
Unsworth 2017 Pinot Noir, Vancouver Island, British Columbia
Van Westen 2017 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia