Huff Estates wine earns first Lt.-Gov. Award of Excellence

Huff Estates Winery has earned one of the first Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Ontario Wines. Huff’s award-winning PEC Cuvée Peter F. Huff Sparkling 2008, honours their son Peter who passed away in 2006. He was well-known as owner and CEO of the Trenton Sting Junior A hockey team.
David C. Onley, Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, recently named the 12 recipients of the first competition from among 277 submissions received from 76 VQA Ontario wineries.
“I am thrilled to help recognize and promote the excellent quality of wine making in Ontario with this distinction,” said Onley.
The awards are to be presented at a ceremony and wine tasting reception Dec. 7 in the Vice-Regal Suite at Queen’s Park.
Modeled after the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia’s wine awards, Ontario’s ‘Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines’ was created in Apri after extensive consultation with industry stakeholders including: the Winery and Grower Alliance of Ontario, the Grape Growers of Ontario, the Wine Council of Ontario, and the Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College.
The design and delivery of this program was implemented in partnership with Canadian Food and Wine Institute at Niagara College.
This annual competition is open to all VQA wines in the province, produced by definition, with 100 per cent Ontario-grown and Ontario-processed grapes.
The competition will recognize the best wines submitted regardless of vintage or variety. Instead of the typical ‘best of per varietal’, this award celebrates the ‘best of per competition’.
Adjudication was conducted by 10 of Ontario’s leading wine experts and sommeliers.
Winning submissions for the 2011 competition are:
Huff Estates Winery, PEC Cuvée Peter F. Huff Sparkling 2008
Ziraldo Estate Winery, Riesling Icewine 2007
Southbrook Vineyards, Triomphe Chardonnay 2009
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery, Sibling Rivalry Pink 2010
Malivoire Wine Company, Pinot Noir 2009
Charles Baker, Charles Baker Riesling 2009
Mountain Road Wine Company, Mountain Road Vidal Icewine 1999
Magnotta Winery, Enotrium Gran Riserva 2008
Stoney Ridge Cellars, Excellence Chardonnay 2009
Malivoire Wine Company, Courtney Gamay 2009
Mike Weir Wine, Riesling 2008
Thirty Bench Wine Makers, Riesling 2010