Chacun Son Vin - Awards - 2024 NWAC Platinum Medals

Results of the 2024 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (The Nationals)

The Platinum Winners 2024

By co-chair David Lawrason

(Jump straight to the medal winners.)

A Platinum Medal at the National Wine Awards of Canada is a rare and highly prized recognition. The wines that achieve this pinnacle represent just one percent of all the wines entered; this year, 18 out of 1,800 wines. Every Platinum has passed through a minimum of two tastings and a total of eight to thirteen judges, having been put forward by three judges in the first round and re-considered by five and sometimes ten judges in the second round.

Wines that win a Platinum medal obviously earn bragging rights and usually experience a healthy sales bump. But Platinum means more than that. It greatly increases a winery’s performance score based on the mathematical degree of difficulty in reaching Platinum. This helps to decide not only our Winery of the Year but a winery’s ranking among all the other wineries in Canada and determines our Top 25 list.

I don’t want to lean too heavily on Platinums being bellwethers for broader trends in Canadian wine. These determinations are better made by looking at each of the wine categories in terms of the number of entries and percentage of platinum, gold, and silver medals (89 to 93+ points). Over the past few days, we have individually published results in all those categories with expert, quality-focused analysis by the judges.

I will only add that Canada’s strongest categories have dominated the Platinums in 2024, so the universe is unfolding as it should. And there is a good spread among our top categories – Canada does not have to be just one or two things.

There were four Platinums each for red blends and pinot noir (all from B.C.) There were three for chardonnay (two B.C. and one Ontario). Cabernet franc earned two, and cabernet sauvignon received one (all three from Ontario). Single Platinum medals went to riesling, sparkling, syrah and rosé (all but syrah from Ontario). Regional strengths are being confirmed year after year. Still, there is always considerable anomaly because Canada is actually making many types of wine, within vintages that vary a great deal in our fringe climate.

I must pause here to discuss the amazing win for the Platinum winning Fresh Rosé from Ontario, the only Platinum Rosé. Krikee – it is only $15.95!! Co-Chairs Anthony Gismondi and I work in the back room running checks and balances on things happening in the judging room (largely re-pouring potentially flawed wines and dispute resolution among panellists who must come to a consensus so that wines get the fairest possible shake). We were incredulous to see Fresh Rose come through the first round with an excellent score, so we tasted it ourselves. It was indeed surprisingly good – so bright, riveting and well-balanced. On it went to captivate five more judges and skate away with the big pink prize.

This leads to a price/value discussion that matters much more to our readers than to the judges, who are not given any indication of price as they taste. The average price of wines entered in the NWACs this year was $37. This would likely be a shocking statistic for most wine drinkers with a vague understanding of Canadian wine. However, this price range is where quality gets serious everywhere worldwide, and the wines start to intrigue and please us.

This price range also begins to define the quality of wine regions as a whole, or at least those regions capable of quality. Canada belongs to this context and should be considered. There is still a sentiment that Canadian wine can’t be or shouldn’t be expensive. Still, those who know otherwise will be parsing the NWAC medalists – especially Platinums and Golds – for those wines that offer excellent value, not just for Canadian wine, but for wine, period. There are many examples! You can see the price of each of the Platinums by clicking on the link.

As a last thought, we run this complex exercise primarily to inform, educate, and excite consumers about Canadian wines. We believe there is much to be gained by the wineries. They pay entry fees and want to benefit. Those who win Platinums should be over the moon. And Golds, too. But within all the nooks and crannies of the results, there is much to be gleaned by the winemakers who know precisely what decision-making went into their wines and how those decisions all shook out.

We hope you get as much satisfaction from these awards as we do from organizing them each year.