The best of Ontario Icewine 2007


Press Release
January 29, 2007

THE NIAGARA ICEWINE FESTIVAL 2007, the biggest event dealing with the marvellous Ontario Icewine, has traditionally culminated with the Xerox Images of Winter Icewine Gala that has taken place at the Sheraton on the Falls Hotel (Niagara Falls). The invited company has enjoyed tasting wines and watching the grand picture of the Niagara Falls.

I am giving you my traditional Festival Icewine Rating, undoubtedly useful for picking a wine as a present, of just for tasting. Now your choice is going to be conscious and qualified. Within the space of just two days, my crew and I have tasted as many as 55 Icewines by 31 vendors. The evaluation criterions were: how good the grape genus is, how good the wine's quality is for its class of the product. I have developed the evaluation scale by as many as 18 indexes. The maximum rate is 100 (as that of Parker's).

Please note that the wines are grouped according to their original grape's genus. The term 'Vinifera' here means that the wine has been made out of very rare grape, e.g. Chardonnay Icewine, as well as Merlot, that are of real rarity. As for the Vidal grape, there have been more than 30 wines by 20 vendors; it appears to be the most frequent grape genus for making Icewine.

And then, of all the wines that have been present, I have made a choice of the best three, which I highly advice as the most exceptional and nectareous products of Canada's vinification, the magnificent fruits of our wine-growers' efforts and talent.

Best Vidal Icewine No Oak
Konzelmann 2005 Vidal Icewine
Strewn Winery 2003 Vidal Icewine
Willow Heights 2004 Vidal Icewine

Best Barrel Fermented/Aged Vidal Icewine
Creekside Estate 2005 Barrel Fermented Vidal Icewine
Hillebrand 2004 Showcase Barrel Fermented Vidal Icewine
Maleta Estate 2003 First Frost Last Grape Canadian Oak Vidal Icewine

Best Riesling Icewine
Vineland Estate 2002 Riesling Icewine
Cave Spring 2004 Riesling Icewine
Chateau des Charmes 2004 Riesling Icewine Paul Bosc Estate Vineyard

Best Gewurztraminer Icewine
Jackson-Triggs Niagara 2004 Proprietors Grand Reserve Gewurztraminer Icewine
Lakeview Cellars Estate 2002 Gewurztraminer Icewine

Best Cabernet Fran Icewine
Legends Estates 2004 Cabernet Franc Icewine
Stoney Ridge Estate 2004 Cabernet Franc Icewine
Peller Estates 2004 Andrew Peller Signature Series Cabernet Franc Icewine

Best Vinifera Icewine
Pillitteri Estates 2004 Merlot Icewine
Hernder Estate 2002 Chardonnay Icewine
Mountain Road 2002 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine
Peller Estate 2004 Andrew Peller Signature Series Chardonnay Icewine

Best Sparkling Icewine (I would call it 'Icewine Champagne')
Inniskillin 2004 Sparkling Vidal Icewine
Magnotta 2005 Vidal Merritt Road Sparkling Icewine LE VQA
Pillitteri Estates 2003 Vidal Sparkling Icewine


Discovery of 2007 Festival (award to new names producers)

Niagara Vintners 2004 Ice Bees Vidal Icewine
Mike Weir Estate 2005 Vidal Icewine
Rockway Glen Estate 2001 Vidal Icewine


The best of Icewine festival 2007!

Pillitteri Estates 2004 Merlot Icewine (wine master Sue-Ann Staff), the unique wine made out of the classic French grape, now is the rare specimen.

Inniskillin 2004 Sparkling Vidal Icewine (winemaker consultant Karl Kaiser), the unique Icewine Champagne; Inniskillin is the only Icewine vendor in the world of it's sort, making this marvellous vine for years.

Chateau des Charmes 2004 Riesling Icewine Paul Bosc (winemaker Paul Michel Bosc), the nectareous product of the classic German grape, the exemplar for the wine-growers, being highly delicate and balanced in taste.