Top Canadian Gewürztraminers

The best gewürztraminers at the Wine Access 2011 Canadian Wine Awards

(46 entries, 29 medals)

There was a 31-percent jump in gewürztraminer entries this year. Medals were equally split among B.C. and Ontario; however B.C. scored four of the five golds and silvers, with Thornhaven being a perennial powerhouse of the category. Kalala’s gold may surprise some, but the West Kelowna winery has taken several medals in other competitions for its gewürztraminer since opening in 2008. The judges were overall quite content with the quality of what is a viticulturally difficult and vintage-sensitive variety, although there were a few comments that, stylistically, Canadian gewürz is all over the map. It is a matter of winemaking interpretation to fit perceived market demand — fresh, off-dry patio styles; rich, dry Alsatian styles, or somewhere in between. Winemakers need to educate consumers as to their intentions.