John Szabo
Recently I tasted through about 70 100% VQA wines from across Canada in search of the country’s best value wines. The purpose was to select the top VQA examples that would be worthy of showcasing at the National Arts Centre in Ottawa for banquets and intermissions.
Since celebrity Chef Michael Blackie took over in the kitchen early last year, the NAC has seen significant changes on all levels and is on its way to becoming a premier dining destination in the nations’ capital. No longer is it an old-fashioned meat-and potatoes menu for quick, pre-theatre sustenance. Blackie has elevated the sophistication of the food to top standards with a very ambitious menu indeed. The wine program, evidently, needed significant revamping and updating to say the least, and I have been working with Chef Blackie and dining room manager Tegan Schioler to bring the beverage side of the operation, including service, to the same level. There is still much to be done, but I’m happy to report that it is going very well. If you haven’t been in a while, be sure to drop in, no theatre tickets required!
Having participated for the last 5 years as a judge in the Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards, The country’s best wines are certainly familiar to me. But what was most satisfying was the overall level of high quality and drinkability, knowing that these were all very reasonably priced. VQA wines are often knocked for their poor quality/price ratio relative to international stage, but this tasting belied that belief once again.
In order to select these wines, I sent out a call to tender to Canadian wineries, from which I pre-selected 70 or so samples to be tasted. It was hardly a comprehensive look at all of Canada, and many of the wines I would have liked to see were missing from the lineup, but it was still representative nonetheless. The wines were set up in flights and tasted blind, that is, I knew the style/varietal category and the wines that had been submitted, but not the order in which they were served. Not surprisingly, many of the classic good value Canadian producers emerged, along with a few unexpected surprises. In the end, a dozen whites and ten reds made the cut. Virtually all are under $15/bottles (licencee price), and many are even under $10. In the end it will be the banquet guests and intermission wine drinkers who win; you can bank on a good glass of wine at the NAC. Here are my top picks. Some are available at the LCBO, others are winery direct. If you’re looking for good ‘house wine’, this is a reliable list to start with.
White
2007 Riesling Off-Dry, Rosehall Run, VQA Ontario
2008 Chardonnay Unoaked, Palatine Hills, Niagara
2008 Chardonnay, Vineland Estates, Niagara
2007 Dry Riesling, Vineland Estates, Niagara
2008 Semi-Dry Riesling, Vineland Estates, Niagara
2008 Riesling Dry, Cave Spring, Niagara
2007 Chardonnay, Cave Spring, Niagara
2008 Sullyzwicker White, Rosehall Run, Prince Edward County
2008 Pinot Grigio ‘Ogopogo’s Lair, Prospect Winery, Okanagan Valley
2008 Sauvignon Blanc ‘Spotted Lake’, Prospect Winery, Okanagan Valley
2007 Sauvignon Blanc, Vineland Estates, Niagara
2007 Chardonnay Estate Bottled, Château des Charmes, Niagara
Rosé
2008 Huff Estates South bay Vineyards Rosé, Prince Edward County
Red
2008 Lakeshore Red, Palatine Hills, Niagara Lakeshore
2007 ‘Noirs’ (Pinot & Gamay), 13th Street, Niagara
2007 Gamay Noir, Estate Bottled, Château des Charmes, Niagara
2007 Cabernet Franc Varietal Series, Inniskillin, Niagara
2008 Pinot Noir Reserve, Pelee Island, VQA Ontario
2007 Pinot Noir Five Vineyards, Mission Hill, Okanagan Valley
2007 Cabernet-Shiraz, Dan Aykroyd, Niagara
2007 Rosewood Estate Renaceau Vineyard Merlot, Beamsville Bench
2008 Cabernet-Merlot, Pilliteri
2007 Cabernet- Merlot Five Vineyards, Mission Hill, Okanagan Valley
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