At the Alberta Beverage Awards
by Tom Firth
The Alberta Beverage Competition brings together sommeliers, beverage retailers, drink educators, media types and restaurateurs for three days of blind tasting in July. After all the work is done—collecting, categorizing, opening, tasting for soundness and working with a dozen volunteer stewards—the best thing about running Alberta’s largest beverage competition is seeing the results come in.
Alberta is the only market in Canada with a private liquor model. This means that we have a tremendous variety of wines, beers, and spirits (and everything in between), but also that the system is highly competitive. We want the best thing, from the classics to the cutting edge from around the world. Retailers aren’t working with a liquor board’s choices, but are looking for the most suitable products for their shelves at the prices they need. Restaurants choose whatever they think will fit their clientele and the beverage trade. Looking for the next big thing? Trust me, it’s already here.
That’s why a competition like the Alberta Beverage Awards is meaningful. We get some of the best tasters, to taste dozens of categories blind (brand, price and region are not known) to find the best examples, whether it’s Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay, available. At this year’s competition, the seventh, with almost 850 entries, the following wines were chosen as the best in the category.
Sparkling Wines
Gremillet NV Brut Organic Cuvée Prestige, Champagne, France (1)
A treat for the palate. Lean and crisp with tight mineral presence and mildly toasty notes, $62.
Cava
Tied for best Cava:
Parés Baltà NV Cava Brut, Penedes, Spain
Parés Baltà is making some seriously good, mineral-laden cava. A solid cava to have on hand for guests or when bubbles are in order, $21.
Tied for best Cava:
Villa Conchi NV Brut Seleccion, Catalunya, Spain
Villa Conchi is all about clean fruits and zippy acids, $19.
Prosecco
Masottina NV Treviso Prosecco Brut, Treviso, Italy
Plenty of celebratory bubbles, clean appley fruits and all those food-friendly acids that pair with almost anything, $24.
White Single Varieties
Bellingham The Bernard Series 2018 Roussanne, Coastal Region, South Africa
Roussanne is a sadly overlooked grape that brings all sorts of beautiful fruits to the table, as well as clean tea leaf aromas, $32.
Jacob’s Creek 2018 Double Barrel Chardonnay, Australia
Australia is able to produce some of the finest, well-priced chardonnays in the world. Jacob’s Creek hits it out of the park with this Double Barrel line, $24.
Veramonte 2017 Reserve Sauvignon Blanc, Casablanca Valley, Chile (2)
The Veromonte features prominent melon fruits balanced by bright acidity, $16.
Upper Bench 2018 Riesling, Naramata Bench, British Columbia
This Riesling hits each and every note—from the slate mineral character to the tight lemon and flintiness, $30.
Peller Family Vineyards Pinot Grigio, Canada
This Pinot Grigio hit all the right notes with clean fruits, a refreshing palate and the balance we crave, at a price we love, $11.
Wild Goose 2018 Gewürztraminer, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia (3)
Our top gewürzt in 2018 as well, Wild Goose hits the sweet spot with bright tropical fruits, vibrant floral tones and restrained sweetness. A fantastic bottle, $25.
White Blends
Clos du Soleil 2016 Capella, Similkameen, British Columbia (4)
The Similkameen is well worth discovering for exceptional wineries like Clos du Soleil. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon with the best of both grapes coming through, $30.
Aromatic White Blends
Torres 2017 Vina Esmeralda Catalunya, Spain (5)
A dynamite bottle of pure refreshment, the Vina Esmeralda is a consistent winner at the Alberta Beverage Awards, $17.
Rosé
Sandhill 2018 Rosé, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia (6)
Our judges loved this rosé. Well-balanced with tart strawberry and raspberry fruit and mouthwatering acidity, quite dry, $25.
Red Single Varieties
Tied for best Merlot:
Upper Bench 2015 Limited Release Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia (7)
Deep, plummy fruit and prominent tannins offer superb weight and balance, $38.
Tied for best Merlot:
Black Sage 2016 Merlot, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
A generous and polished Merlot with big black fruits and plenty of savoury herb character, $31.
Boekenhoutskloof 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Stellenbosch, South Africa
Our judges loved the big, chewy tannins with all the classic Cabernet flavours. Drinks well now or can be cellared for years, $70.
Fontanafredda 2014 Serralunga d’Alba Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
This Fontanafredda bottling is a top-quality wine at a very reasonable price. Big and youthful with deep fruits and tannins perfect for the cellar, or, big red meats, $46.
Upper Bench 2016 Pinot Noir, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia
A delicious example with all the bright fruit, herb, and vegetable leaf one wants from great Pinot, $35.
Masi Tupungato 2017 Passo Doble Malbec, Mendoza, Argentina
From the Argentine estate of the Italian wine legends Masi, the Passo Doble shares some techniques with Valpolicella’s Ripasso wines to incredible effect, $21.
Peter Lehmann 2017 The Barossan Shiraz, Barossa Valley, Australia
Peter Lehmann was one of Australia’s most iconic wine-makers. This Shiraz is bursting with fruit, but also earth and spice, making for a tasty Shiraz experience, $24.
Vina Zaco 2016 Tempranillo, Rioja, Spain
Spain is one of the hot countries right now for well-priced and tasty wines and this Tempranillo is excellent with roasts or earthier dishes, $20.
Italian Blends
Tenuta San Jacopo 2015
Orma del Diavolo, Tuscany, Italy
A delicious blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Sangiovese, also organic and vegan, with delicious with cherry and spice flavours, $35.
Sangiovese and Blends
Castello di Radda 2013 Chianti Classico Riserva, Tuscany, Italy (8)
Seriously good in every way that matters, from the savoury spices and mild earthiness, to the bright cherry fruits with tart acids. Fantastic, $41.
Rhone-Style Blends
Cims del Montsant 2012, Montsant, Spain (9)
Rhone-style wines are made from Syrah, Grenache, and Mourvèdre. This wonderful blend is well-suited to rich meaty dishes or the earthiness of mushrooms, $21.
Bordeaux Blends
Dourthe 2014 Chateau Pey La Tour Reserve, Bordeaux, France
How refreshing to have a wine from Bordeaux win the award for Bordeaux blends. Pey La Tour comes in at a solid price and delivers loads of cherry and cedar character, $23.
other red Blends
The Social Collection 2013 Bin #115, Mendoza, Argentina (10)
A different blend of mostly Bordeaux varieties with Syrah in the mix. The Social Collection is exclusive to Co-op’s liquor stores—perfect for when one needs a big, rich red for any sort of social event. $22.
Fruit Wine
Field Stone Strawberry-Rhubarb, Alberta (11)
This is a not too sweet, refreshing fruit wine from off the beaten path, $22.
After Dinner and Dessert Wines
Tied for best Dessert Wine :
Inniskillin Niagara 2017 Vidal Icewine,
Niagara Peninsula, Ontario
Rich and sweet with flavours of nectarines and citrus, seriously good, $60.
Paradise Ranch 2014 Sauvignon Blanc Icewine, Okanagan Valley, British Columbia (12)
Icewine? Made from Sauvignon Blanc? Yes! And it works. Melony flavours plus herbaciousness and bright lemon tones are well suited to the sweet, golden nectar that is icewine, $65.
Fortified Wines
Kopke 10 Year-Old Tawny, Douro, Portugal (13)
Tawny Ports are some of the best value in fortified wines and Kopke’s is packed with nutty and toffee flavours, along with spice and just a touch of berry fruit, $42.