Every year, the Wine Spectator selects a hundred wines from the tens of thousands tasted that year for their much hyped Top 100 list (published in November). I don't recall ever having seen a Canadian wine chosen for the Top 100 and it looks like this year an Ontario wine has broken through - Konzelmann’s 2006 Vidal Icewine made the list.
Now, I'm not particularly fond of the WS Top 100 but I'll leave that discussion for another time. Even so, it really is fantastic news that the Ontario wine region gets recognition like this in a magazine that is read widely around the world. Congrats to Konzelmann!
Here's the formal press release that was sent my way…
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Canadian Winery featured in world’s largest circulated wine publication’s
Top 100 list of wines from across the Globe
(Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON) – December 16 - Konzelmann Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake Ontario is home to a Canadian first.
Following a blind tasting of over 19,500 bottles of wine from around the world, the Wine Spectator - the world’s largest circulation wine publication - chose Konzelmann’s 2006 Vidal Icewine as part of their annual Top 100 list. Only 5,300 of the wines reviewed earned outstanding ratings (90 points or higher on a 100 point scale. Konzelmann’s 2006 Vidal Icewine earned an impressive 94-point score.
“We’re really proud of this accomplishment,” said Jansin Ozkur, Director of Marketing for Konzelmann Estate Winery. “This is a testament to the great wines produced in Niagara and Canada. Hopefully this will help to educate people about the quality of wines that come out of our country,” he added.
From a field of 5,300 wines, the list was then narrowed down to 100 based on quality, value, availability and an x-factor, which Wine Spectator called ‘excitement’. Fourteen countries were represented in this year’s list, making it the most diverse group in the history of Wine Spectator’s Top 100. The magazine is highly regarded as the world’s premiere wine publication, having more than 400,000 subscribers and two million readers per issue.
Konzelmann’s first Vidal Icewine was produced in 1987, and since then has received over 90 awards in competitions around the world. The wine itself can be described as a golden nectar dessert wine, with distinct aromas of dried apricot and honey.
“It’s no secret that Niagara produces excellent Icewines, but it’s reassuring that there is recognition on an international scale. This is the first, but definitely not the last time you’ll hear of a Canadian wine making the Wine Spectator’s Top 100. There are some fantastic wines in Niagara and across Canada that are comparable if not better than those in regions reaching as far as Europe and Australia,” added Ozkur.
Konzelmann Estate Winery is a family-owned and operated vineyard, located along the shores of Lake Ontario in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Herbert Konzelmann is the fourth generous winemaker in the family. Over 30 different VQA selections of wine are produced by the winery and they have received much praise for their nationally and internationally award-winning VQA wines and Icewines. The winery is well-known for its Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot and Cabernet-Merlot blends. Housed inside a Germanic-style mansion, Konzelmann produces 40,000 cases of wine, and has the storage capacity of 600,000 Litres.
A limited amount of Konzelmann’s Vidal Icewine are available, retailing for $65 at Konzelmann’s wine boutique and at LCBO outlets. Residents of Ontario can also purchase all of Konzelmann’s wines through their website at www.konzelmann.ca. Out of province residents can locate a dealer through the winery’s website, and US residents can order the wines through www.thecuvee.com
Visit www.konzelmann.ca for more information on Konzelmann Estate Winery
About Konzelmann Estate Winery
Konzelmann Estate Winery was established in Canada in 1984 by Herbert Konzelmann. The site, on the shores of Lake Ontario, was chosen due to the meso-climate, which is similar to the Alsace region in France. Niagara's Exclusive Lakefront Winery is open all year round, offering over 30 different VQA selections of quality wine for tasting and for purchase.
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