Anthony Gismondi: B.C.'s stellar Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays creating fierce competition
Pinot Noir and Chardonnay dominate this week’s announced results of the 2025 WineAlign National Wine Awards. Both grapes have gained traction nationwide in the past decade, particularly in B.C.
Both categories involved more than 100 entries, making the competition fierce.
Numerous B.C. sub-GIs contribute to our growing collection of top-flight Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays from the Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island to Okanagan Falls, the Naramata Bench, Summerland, East and West Kelowna, and further north into Lake Country. Each of the sub-regions is distinct from the other, and it appears that the competition and quality are intensifying among producers.
The Quails’ Gate 2022 Rosemary’s Block Chardonnay, priced at $69, is a top-notch, all-around Chardonnay that delivers a sophisticated, cool-climate version of the powerful grape. Other platinum medals right on its heels are the flagship Mission Hill Family Estate 2022 Perpetua $77, the dependable and affordable Meyer 2022 Chardonnay McLean Creek Road Vineyard $33 and the up-and-coming subtle 1 Mill Road 2023 Chardonnay $48.
There were nine B.C. gold medals:
• Mission Hill Family Estate 2023 Terroir Chardonnay $59
• SpearHead 2022 Chardonnay Clone 95 41.50
• Unsworth Vineyards 2022 Chardonnay $39
• Tantalus Vineyards 2022 Chardonnay Reserve $56.50
• Unsworth Vineyards 2023 Chardonnay $38
• Meyer 2022 Micro Cuvee Chardonnay
• Old Main Road Vineyard $61
• JoieFarm 2022 En Famille Chardonnay $77
• Mission Hill Family Estate 2023 Perpetua $77
• Tightrope 2022 Chardonnay $30 (the best value)
Five Pinot Noirs earned platinum medals, led by the enticing Meyer 2022 Old Block Pinot Noir from McLean Creek Road Vineyard, priced at $48. The other platinums included a SpearHead 2022 Okanagan Valley Pinot Noir $42.50, 1 Mill Road 2022 Pinot Noir Home Block $65, Lightning Rock Winery 2022 Pinot Noir Canyonview Vineyard $42, SpearHead 2022 Pommard Clone Pinot Noir $52.50, and a delicious Moraine Winery 2022 Estate Pinot Noir Sophia Vineyard $37.
Nine B.C. Pinots took home gold medals including:
• Red Rooster 2022 Pinot Noir $27.50
• SpearHead 2022 Club Consensus Pinot Noir $41.40
• CedarCreek 2022 Aspect Collection Pinot Noir $92
• Laughing Stock 2022 Pinot Noir $40
• Little Engine 2021 Gold Pinot Noir $78.20
• Meyer 2022 B Field Blend McLean Creek Road Vineyard $31.40
• Quails’ Gate Winery 2022 Richard’s Block Pinot Noir $79
• Tantalus Vineyards 2022 Reserve Pinot Noir $75
• Stag’s Hollow 2022 Pinot Noir Shuttleworth Creek Vineyard $40
The best part about these lists is that each wine has been tasted blind, at least twice by as many as seven to 12 judges. At the gold and high silver levels, the wines have been tasted, again blind, against each other, providing a result that is impossible to duplicate by any winery, distributor, or wine critic on their own.
The awards were designed for wineries to benchmark themselves against their peers; for the judges to get a real-time snapshot of the state of Canadian wine, and best of all, for you, the consumer, who gets free access to the results, so you can further explore some of Canada’s best wines and decide for yourself what you like. Good hunting.
Weekend wine picks
Roche Artist Series Pinot Gris 2024, Dundee Hills, Willamette Valley, Oregon
$27 I 90/100
UPC:
724901648870
Penelope and Dylan Roche are terroir-ists, and so I’m not surprised that The Collaboration Pinot Gris is a well-made, delicious white wine. It is farmed in the Dundee Hills of the Willamette Valley, Oregon, and produced in Naramata. This stainless-fermented wine opens with a bright, orchard fruit attack, a creamy mineral undercurrent, and a juicy finish. One of the best replacement gris I have tasted in 2024.
Villota Selvanevada Rioja Alevesa Bianco 2021, Rioja Alavesa, Rioja, Spain
$33.99 I 93/100
UPC:
8437020927147
This Rioja Blanco is a magical blend of 85 per cent Viura, 11 per cent White Garnacha, 2 per cent Malvasia, and 2 per cent White Tempranillo. The pale gold colour is accompanied by an expressive nose of tropical fruit, including pineapple and lemon, with underlying floral notes, spice, and vanilla. It spends six months in French oak aging on its lees, creating a creamy, rich textured palate that hums with minerality, dried apricots, and hazelnuts. Honestly, this is so delicious that it doesn’t need any accompaniment. However, in Spain, it’s customary to pair it with roasted chicken or pork, cured Spanish ham, herbaceous soups, or rice dishes like paella, made with saffron.
Tantalus Rosé Looney Vineyard 2024, Ribbon Ridge, Willamette Valley, Oregon
$23.50 I 91/100
UPC:
696852162333
The 2024 Tantalus replacement Rosé is from Looney Vineyard in Oregon’s Ribbon Ridge AVA, a site with which winemaker David Paterson has prior experience from an earlier internship. Exhibiting a Bellini pink hue, this elegant, saline Rosé embodies the distinct character of Tantalus, featuring wild strawberry, raspberry, and subtle savoury undertones that dissolve into a lingering minerality. After whole-bunch pressing and overnight transport, the free-run juice was fermented dry in stainless steel. At the same time, the harder pressings underwent fermentation in seasoned Pinot Noir barriques to dryness at Tantalus, enhancing texture. The result is a pure, fruit-driven, dry Rosé of exceptional quality, as you might expect from Tantalus.
Coq Léon 2023, Vin de France, France
$19.99 I 89/100
UPC:
3493399331812
Coq Léon is a wine by Dominique Piron, designed for enjoyment and drinking. The 95/5 mix is a blend of Gamay from Beaujolais and Beaujolais Villages, combined with Gamaret, a little-known variety created in the 1990s by crossing Gamay with Reichensteiner. The grape was never authorized for use in Beaujolais, so it is sold as Vin de France, but do not let that deter you. It is a juicy, fresh, fruity, soft, delicious summer red that you can serve at cellar temperature or with a slight chill from the refrigerator. Slightly richer and darker than classic Beaujolais, it is further refreshed by a concrete fermentation. Oh, and the price is a giveaway.
D. Piron La Chanaise Morgon 2022, Morgon, Beaujolais Villages, Beaujolais, Burgundy, France
$28.99 I 91/100
UPC:
3493399011615
Dominique Piron’s family history spans over four centuries of winegrowing in Beaujolais, specifically in the hamlet of Morgon, dating back to 1590. His sloping vineyards sit atop fragmented granite and schist, which provide the structure and minerality necessary for the wines to express their origin fully. Morgon wines age well, and this 2022, an excellent year, will be no exception — beautiful fruit, pure freshness with terrific acidity and some tannin will aid its age-ability. You can drink it now, but if you can wait, you will be rewarded. Great value here, what is a gastronomique wine?
Calendar items
Vancouver’s South Granville neighbourhood will host a new summer event focused on wine and local culture. On Saturday, Aug. 16, the South Granville Business Improvement Association will present the inaugural GranVino Wine Walk, a walkable wine-tasting event located in the retail and gallery district. Attendees can visit over 20 locations, including art galleries, fashion boutiques, concept stores, and restaurants, where they can sample products from B.C. wineries, distilleries, and cideries. The event will also feature live music and in-store experiences. The event is scheduled from 11 a.m.- 7p .m. Tickets are $75 and can be purchased on Eventbrite by searching for GranVino Wine Walk.
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And now for something different. Township 7 (Naramata) is hosting a fried chicken and sparkling wine event with the Law of Attraction Food Truck. For $20, guests receive three fried chicken bites paired with sparkling wines from the Seven Stars collection. Additional chicken platters are available. The event takes place on Tuesday, Aug. 19, and Tuesday, Sept. 16, from 1-4 p.m. at Township 7 on the Naramata Bench; tickets allow arrival at any time during this window. Reserve at Township7.com.
B.C. wine of the week
Lunessence Viognier 2022, Okanagan Valley
$26.99 I 90/100
UPC:
793588412999
Lunessence opens with vibrant tropical fruit, accompanied by a fresh, deep, and juicy undercurrent, which I love in my Viognier. Expect a rush of exotic honey, peaches, and fresh apricots, all woven into an intense citrus, candied Meyer lemon palate, with a creamy texture and a long, ripe aftertaste. The property is farmed in a sensitive and sustainable manner. One-third of the wine is barrel-fermented in neutral French oak, adding texture and weight with a light touch.
Value wine of the week
Quinta da Calcada Lago Cerqueira Rose Vinho Verde N/V, Portugal
$14.99 I Score 87/100
UPC:
5600230679189
Quinta da Calçada has been producing wines since 1917. António Lago Cerqueira, a republican, winemaker, diplomat, and founder, established the Quinta da Calçada wine cellars in 1917. It farms over 50 hectares of vineyards sustainably and is committed to wellness. Their Rosé wine, with light strawberry and melon aromas and flavours, is naturally low in alcohol at 10 per cent and is only 80 calories per 5-ounce glass. It is sold in a lightweight bottle for $14.99 and is available in over 100 B.C. liquor stores. Interestingly, it is represented and distributed by a small agency, so purchasing this wine supports people who continue to visit properties and collaborate with growers dedicated to producing high-quality wines worldwide, providing a modicum of interest in the growing and commercially laden shelves of the monopoly. Stock up for the rest of summer.
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Source: vancouversun.com