#8 Winery in Canada: National Wine Awards

We are very excited to have been named the 8th best winery in Canada at WineAlign’s National Wine Awards of Canada based on our medal standings!

Gold - 2016 Archive Pinot Noir
Gold - 2017 Zweigelt
Gold - 2018 Pinot Gris
Gold - 2017 Pinot Noir
Silver - 2017 Riesling
Silver - 2017 Summerstorm
Bronze - 2018 Field Collection White
Bronze - 2018 Rosé
Bronze - 2018 Bacchus
Bronze - 2018 Wildblume

The WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada (NWAC), the country’s largest competition of Canadian wines, is held annually in mid to late June. Each year, somewhere in Canadian wine country, co-founders Anthony Gismondi and David Lawrason assemble Canada’s leading wine writers, trade buyers and sommeliers to evaluate the current crop of 100 percent Canadian grown and made wines and ciders.

The 2019 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada were a huge success with 1,815 entries from 259 different wineries from eight different provinces. This year, 21 judges assembled in Wellington, located in the beautiful Prince Edward County wine region of Ontario, from June 10–14 to determine the best wines in Canada.

Here is what the WineAlign judges had to say about our wines:

Archive Pinot Noir 2016:
92 POINTS: Textbook warm climate Pinot, with a pretty floral and cherry nose, backed with oak. Palate is full of pure cherry flavours, with good body and a smooth finish. Pan seared duck would work well with this. - Craig Pinhey

Pinot Gris 2018:
92 POINTS: Lovely sweet herbal and ripe fruit pinot gris of higher aromatics than many and most of similar ilk and class. Does everything it can and should, meaning it delivers cool ideals, floral blossoms, honeysuckle and bright fruit. Really reminds me of good grillo from the heart of Sicily. It’s uncanny really. Who wouldn’t enjoy a chilled glass of this fresh fruit cup? Drink 2019-2022. Tasted blind at NWAC19.” - Michael Godel

Zweigelt 2017:
92 POINTS: “Enticing floral nose, with exotic spice and ripe dark cherry undertones. Very fresh and lively on the medium-bodied palate, with tangy red fruit flavours and earthy nuances.” - Review by Jacky Blisson

Pinot Gris 2018:
91 POINTS: Rich and unctuous with abundant notes of peach, apricot, dried pear and honey that are associated with larger pinot gris. Beautiful creamy texture with a touch of pleasant bitterness at the end of the mouth that compensates for the slightly weak acidity. Well done. - Michelle Bouffard

Summerstorm 2017:
91 POINTS: This charmat method Zweigelt deftly bridges the gap between sparkling red and rosé - not as airy as a rosé, nor as dense as a red it has a great combination of structure, freshness and flavour. Love the blackberry fruit, bramble and lively bubbles. - Heather Rankin

Riesling 2018:
90 POINTS “Consistent, expressive, supremely delicious, Arrowleaf has done it again. Charming white floral fragrance, easy breezy peach and apple flavours with a zap of fruity acidity marking the lingering dry finish. Pure, clean, crisp and smashable. I highly approve of the new label too. Tasted blind at NWAC June 2018.” - DJ Kearney

Pinot Noir 2017:
“90 POINTS: Full and savoury pinot noir, charged, dried fruit leathery yet quite fresh and extensive. Has it all carried in pocket; fruit, acid, tension, tannin and confidence. Drink 2020-2026.” - Michael Godel