Lieutenant Governor Announces Recipients of 2012 Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines

TORONTO, July 17, 2012 /CNW/ - The Honourable David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, is pleased to announce the recipients of the second annual Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines.  An impressive 258 wine submissions were received from 73 VQA Ontario wineries, and eleven extraordinary wines were chosen as having reached a level of 'excellence'.

In no specific order, the winning submissions for the 2012 competition are:

Cave Spring Blanc de Blancs Brut NV (Cave Spring Cellars)	Ravine Vineyard Reserve Cabernet Franc Picone Vineyard 2010 (Ravine Vineyard)
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery Excellence Chardonnay 2010 (Stoney Ridge Estate Winery)	Riverview Cellars Salvatore's Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010 (Riverview Cellars Estate Winery)
Flat Rock Cellars Sparkling Brut VQA Twenty Mile Bench 2007 (Flat Rock Cellars)	Malivoire Courtney Gamay 2010 (Malivoire Wine Company Ltd.)
Kacaba Vineyards Reserve Meritage 2007 (Kacaba Vineyards)	Tawse Sketches Riesling 2010 (Tawse Winery)
Konzelmann Estate Vidal Icewine 2010 (Konzelmann Estate Winery)	Thirty Bench Riesling 2011 (Thirty Bench Wine Makers)
Inniskillin Riesling Icewine 2008 (Inniskillin)

The Lieutenant Governor will present the awards at a ceremony and wine-tasting reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, in the Lieutenant Governor's Suite at Queen's Park. The awards ceremony and reception are open to members of the media and Ontario's Consular Corps.

BACKGROUNDER

THE 2012 LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR'S

AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN ONTARIO WINES

• Ontario's 'Lieutenant Governor's Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines' began in 2011, after consultation with industry stakeholders including: the Winery and Grower Alliance of Ontario, the Grape Growers of Ontario, VQA Ontario, the Wine Council of Ontario, and the Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College.
• The design and delivery of this program was implemented in partnership with Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College.
• This annual competition is open to all VQA wines in the province, produced by definition, with 100% Ontario-grown and Ontario-processed grapes.
• The competition recognizes the best wines submitted regardless of vintage or variety. Instead of the typical 'best of per varietal', this award celebrates the 'best of per competition'.
• In 2012, a total of 258 wines were submitted from 73 wineries.
• Adjudication was conducted by 14 of Ontario's leading wine experts and sommeliers.
• The eleven winning wines derive from one of Ontario's most concentrated wine appellations.
• Ontario's various terroir conditions support balanced, complex, and elegant wines.
• Awards will be presented at a ceremony and wine-tasting reception at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, in the Lieutenant Governor's Suite at Queen's Park.  The awards ceremony and reception are open to members of the media and Ontario's Consular Corps.

 

Mr. Anthony Hylton
Office of the Lieutenant Governor
416-325-7780
www.lt.gov.on.ca