Top Canadian Red Blends

(159 entries, 97 medals)

The very idea of blends is to de-emphasize varietal definition, so we threw all blends into one pot for the judging and reporting, creating a massive and very competitive category that saw the number of gold medals jump from one last year to 14 this year. “Some innovative new blends appeared, like pinot and merlot,” observed Sid Cross. “But the Bordeaux blends (cabernet-merlot, Meritage) were more classy and together, with or without a bit of syrah.” Rémy Charest thought, “Syrah-based blends stood out, with great peppery lushness.” Janet Dorozynski observed: “Blends with more varieties were more complex and elegant than two-grape blends.” It’s hard to generalize about such a large group, but there was less grumbling about unbalanced and/or green wines than in years past.

Red Blend CWA Gold Medal Winners

Laughing Stock 2010 Portfolio, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $42

Van Westen Vineyards 2009 Voluptuous, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $30

Southbrook 2010 Poetica Red, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $55

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan 2008 Gold Series Cabernet-Shiraz-Viognier, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $30

Nk’Mip Cellars 2009 Mer’r’iym Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $50

Tawse 2010 Meritage, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $58

Painted Rock 2009 Estate Grown Red Icon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $50

Cellar Hand 2010 Punch Down Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $25

Road 13 2010 Rockpile, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $25

Church & State 2008 Quintessential, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $50

Generations Wine 2010 Union Squared, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $18

Lailey Vineyard 2010 Impromptu Unfiltered, Niagara River, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $45

Pentâge Winery 2007 Pentâge, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $28

CedarCreek 2009 Platinum Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $35

Red Blend CWA Silver Medal Winners

Colaneri 2010 Corposo Appassimento Style, St. Davids Bench, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $19

Sandhill 2010 Cabernet Merlot Sandhill Estate Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $20

Painted Rock 2008 Estate Grown Red Icon, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $49

See Ya Later Ranch 2009 Ping, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $28

Gray Monk 2009 Odyssey Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $35

Konzelmann Estate 2010 Heritage, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $27

River Stone Estate Winery 2009 Corner Stone, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $29

Volcanic Hills 2009 Eruption, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $30

Magnotta 2009 Meritage Limited Edition, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $20

G. Marquis 2010 EPIC The Silver Line Merlot-Cabernet Sauvignon-Cabernet Franc, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $30

Moon Curser 2010 Dead of Night, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $38

Road 13 2009 Merlot Syrah, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $45

Ganton & Larsen Prospect Winery 2009 Haynes Barn Merlot-Cabernet, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $15

Lake Breeze 2010 Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $20

Church & State 2008 Coyote Bowl Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $35

Lailey Vineyard 2010 Meritage Canadian Oak, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $40

Generations Wine 2010 Union Noir Pinot Noir-Gamay Noir, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $16

Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2009 Cabernets, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $27

Henry of Pelham 2010 Family Tree Red, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $19

Sandhill 2009 Small Lots Three Sandhill Estate Vineyard, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $35

Noble Ridge 2009 King’s Ransom Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $65

Road 13 2009 Rockpile, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $25

Vinedressers 2010 Red, Ontario $20

Orofino 2009 Beleza, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia $34

Inniskillin Wines Niagara 2010 Legacy Shiraz-Merlot, Niagara Peninsula, Ontario $30

Mistaken Identity 2009 Debut Merlot-Cabernet Franc, Gulf Islands, British Columbia $30

Serendipity Winery 2008 Serenata, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $40

Mission Hill 2009 Five Vineyards Cabernet-Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $17

Mission Hill 2009 Compendium, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $50

Blasted Church 2009 Cabernet Sauvignon-Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $26

Desert Hills 2007 Mirage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $37

Seven Stones 2010 The Legend, Similkameen Valley, British Columbia, $45

Burrowing Owl 2009 Athene, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $35

Hillside Estate 2008 Mosaic, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $40

Kalala 2010 Harmony Red, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $16

Serendipity Winery 2010 Devil’s Advocate, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $25

Jackson-Triggs Okanagan 2008 Gold Series Red Meritage, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia $26

A full list of bronze medals winners can be found here.

Results compiled by David Lawrason. Bottle photos by Jason Dziver.