Canadian winery Iniskillin wins top prize at world's largest wine fair

Canadian winery Inniskillin, from Niagara-on-the-Lake in Ontario, has won the top prize at Vinitaly this year.

The winery has won the Premio Speciale Gran Vinitaly 2009 at the 17th annual Concorso Enologico Internazionale. Canadian wineries received a total of seven medals and 14 special mentions at the prestigious awards, which were officially announced today in Verona, Italy, at the world's largest wine fair.

More than 130,000 people will attend the fair, which starts today and runs through April 6. Thirty-four countries entered more than 3,500 wines in this year's competition, for some 110 medals. Results were judged by more than 100 wine critics, wine writers and winemakers from around the world gathered last week at Veronafiere in Verona.

This is not Inniskillin's first major Vinitaly award; the winery is renowned amongst international media and festival judges, primarily for its icewines. Other Canadian wineries also did well:

In the still white wine category designated by geographical zone, Magnotta Winery (from Vaughn, Ontario) received a special mention (Gran Menzione) for its Gewurztraminer Dry Niagara VQA Special Reserve 2007 and its 2007 Chardonnay.

Jackson-Triggs also received a special mention (Gran Menzione) for its Gewurztraminer Niagara Peninsula VQA Proprietors Grand Reserve 2007, as well as its Meritage White Gran Reserve Okanagan Valley 2007, from the Oliver Estate in the Okanagan.

And in the still wine category designated by geographic zone, for white wines aged in oak (Vini Bianchi Elaborati in Barrique o Communque Affinati in Legno), the Gold Medal was won by Jackson Triggs, Niagara Estate, for its Chardonnay Proprietors Grand Reserve 2007. It shares the award with Italy's own Veronese IGT Bianco "Villa Cordevigo" 2006.

In that same category, Inniskillin Wines won special mention for its Chardonnay Four Mile Creek "Montague Vineyard" 2007.

And Jackson-Triggs won special mention for its 2007 Sunrock Vineyard Chardonnay.

Jackson-Triggs also won a special mention in the Red Wine Category for wines from the past three vintages (2008, 2007 and 2006), for its 2007 Sunrock Vineyard Meritage Red and its 2006 Shiraz Grand Reserve, both from the Okanagan Valley. The same winery also won for its 2006 Delaine Vineyard Syrah from Niagara.

Canadian wineries won three of the top four categories in the Vini Dolci Naturali Category for still wines. Konzelmann Estate Winery in Niagara won the Grand Gold Medal for its 2007 Vidal Icewine. Inniskillin won the Gold Medal for its 2006 Vidal Oak-Aged Ice wine from Niagara. And Jackson-Triggs won the silver medal for its 2007 Proprietors Reserve Grand Ice wine.

In the same category, Strewn from Niagara won a special mention for its 2006 Cabernet Franc Icewine. Inniskillin won special mention for its 2007 Riesling Ice wine. Jackson Triggs won two special mentions for its 2007 Proprietors Reserve Riesling Ice wines from both Niagara and Oliver.

Inniskillin also won special mention for its 2007 Vidal Icewine from Niagara.

Magnotta Winery in Vaughn, Ontario, has also won the Grand Gold Medal in the Vini Spumanti Dolci category (sparkling sweet wine) for its Limited Edition 2006 Sparkling Vidal Icewine from the Niagara Region.

And Inniskillin won the gold medal in the same category for its 2006 Sparkling Vidal Icewine.

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