GRIMSBY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Aug. 17, 2015) - This year marks the 15th annual national WineAlign competition, judged by an extensive panel of the most respected wine writers, wine critics, retail buyers, Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wines in Canada. With 1,408 wines from 205 wineries across Canada being reviewed, and fresh off a 2014 win of Canadian Winery of the Year for Peller Estates, Andrew Peller Limited continues their excellence in producing some of the top wines in Canada with wins for both Thirty Bench Wine Makers for Best Performing Small Winery of the Year and Trius Winery for Top Ontario Winery of the Year.
Andrew Peller Limited, the largest Canadian-owned wine producer in Canada, has been creating high quality award-winning wines for over 50 years. APL acquired Thirty Bench Wine Makers in 2005, bringing a more specialized, small lot brand into the family.
"I'm deeply honoured that the legacy of excellence that my father, and grandfather, instilled in our organization continues on today through the efforts of our immensely talented winemakers. We promised the Muckle family that we would uphold their dedication to small lot growing and quality standards, something that has been recognized this year with such a prestigious award. Emma is one of the most dedicated winemakers in Canada and we couldn't be more proud of what she has accomplished," said John Peller, President & CEO, Andrew Peller Limited.
Coming into her tenth year with Andrew Peller Limited, Thirty Bench's lead winemaker Emma Garner has developed her own legacy of excellence, having already received the distinction of 2015 Winemaker of the Year from the Ontario Wine Awards this past May. Emma demonstrates her consistent quality production across her portfolio, with successes as demonstrated by additional wine awards and overall contribution to the Niagara wine industry. Emma believes in allowing the vineyard to express itself by making wine with minimal intervention.
David Lawrason, wine critic, columnist and VP of Wine at WineAlign says: "Winemaker Emma Garner has taken some of the finest mature vineyards on the Beamsville Bench and consistently delivered brilliant and balanced wines that express their terroir. Riesling is an obvious strength but 2015 National Wine Award medals across other varieties confirm her expertise."
The top five of the 12 medals awarded to Thirty Bench this year include:
Gold - 2013 Small Lot Riesling Wild Cask
Gold - 2013 Small Lot Gewurztraminer
Silver - 2012 Small Lot Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver - 2012 Benchmark Red
Silver - 2014 Winemakers Riesling
The company's reasons to celebrate don't stop there. Trius Winery has been awarded Top Ontario Winery of the Year.
Craig McDonald, who oversees all winemaking at Andrew Peller Limited and is the lead winemaker at Trius believes that winemaking starts in the vineyard. Craig looks to our fertile land to inspire and guide his "hands-on" winemaking style, which has been a perennial award winner for decades. Under Craig's guidance, Trius has elevated standards in the Niagara wine industry and has established a reputation as an iconic wine producer and leading wine and food destination in Ontario.
"We are thrilled with the results of this year's National Wine Awards of Canada. Our winery-exclusive Showcase wines are proof that amazing wines can (and are) made right here in Niagara."
The top five of the 14 medals awarded to Trius Winery this year include:
Gold - 2009 Showcase Sparkling 5 Blanc de Noir
Gold - 2013 Trius Showcase Vidal Icewine
Gold - 2013 Showcase Outlier Gewurztraminer
Gold - 2012 Showcase Red Shale Cabernet Franc
Silver - 2012 Trius Grand Red
About Thirty Bench Wine Makers
Thirty Bench is a producer of premium wines grown exclusively on estate vineyards in the Beamsville Bench appellation, a superior winegrowing region on the Niagara Peninsula. Focused on what the vineyard does best, growing Riesling and classic red varietals on vines managed for low yield and maximum fruit intensity.
Facebook: /ThirtyBench
Twitter: @Thirtybench
About Trius Winery
Trius Winery, a Niagara winemaking pioneer. For more than 30 years, Trius has brought iconic, inspired and innovative VQA wines crafted from premium grapes grown in the four appellations of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Facebook: /TriusWines
Twitter: @TriusWines
About WineAlign
WineAlign is Canada's largest wine site and is a free, community‐based service for reviewing, sharing and discovering wine. WineAlign works with top wine critics to provide a resource for consumers to find the best wines at the LCBO, BCVQA and BCLBD stores. WineAlign also recently expanded into Quebec under the Chacun Son Vin brand. WineAlign, which is growing rapidly with over to 1.5M unique annual visitors, answers the question: What wine do I buy? It combines reviews from top critics and community members to create an objective resource to help users find great wine. WineAlign runs two major wine awards annually, the National Wine Awards of Canada and the World Wine Awards of Canada.
Facebook: /WineAlign
Twitter: @WineAlign
Contact Information:
Adine Fabiani
National Marketing Director, VQA Wine
adine.fabiani@andrewpeller.com