Winery owner Moray Tawse and winemaker Paul Pender have harvested Winery of the Year honours at Canada’s largest wine competition again this year, the fourth time since 2010.
Tawse Winery is on a roll, with five gold medals in this year’s showdown, plus eight silver and eight bronze medals.
Gold Medals:
2013 Tintern Road Pinot Noir – only at the winery
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2013 Tintern Pinot Noir
2013 Riesling Icewine
2014 Carly’s Riesling
2014 Sketches Riesling
2014 Quarry Riesling
2013 Tintern Avenue Pinot Noir
2013 Cherry Avenue Pinot Noir
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David’s Score: 93/100
Tintern Road is a newly planted, tight spaced six acre pinot noir site just inside the Vinemount Ridge appellation atop the Niagara Escarpment. Quite
floral, sweet red cherry aromas with fine oak vanillin, herbs, some meatiness and spice. Certainly the most flattering of the four 2013 Tawse
single-site pinots. I thought fleetingly of Oregon pinot. It has more power,silk and depth on the palate as well; a richer pinot but no lack of
precision or complexity. Really quite a mouthful with firm tannin andalcohol. Still a tad green and tannic but also approachable. Excellent
length and focus.
Vineland, Ontario – Canadian music icon Jim Cuddy has teamed up with Tawse Winery to develop the winery’s newest brand, Cuddy by Tawse. This new label was born from a longstanding partnership between Jim Cuddy and the winery, and a desire to fuse his two passions: music and wine. Cuddy has been a frequent visitor to Tawse, performing concerts at the winery over the past several years and becoming friends with owners Moray and Joanne Tawse.
The recent collaborative effort between Cuddy and the award-winning winemaking team of Paul Pender and Rene Van Ede has given birth to two new VQA labels that are now available at the winery, and will be in the Vintages section of LCBO outlets in September.
“After many years of drinking great wine, it’s been my good fortune to work with Tawse and actually create some,” says Cuddy of the first release that includes a Chardonnay and Cabernet Merlot blend. “I’m very proud of the two new Cuddy Wine varietals we are presenting and hope that people enjoy tasting the wine as much as we enjoyed making it.”
“We’re absolutely thrilled to be celebrating what is now the 15th anniversary of our first grape harvest with one of Canada’s most celebrated musicians collaborating on two fabulous new wines,” says winery owner Moray Tawse. “
The fruit for both wines was carefully sourced from select Niagara Peninsula vineyard sites that use best-in-class farm practices to produce expressive grapes that are true representations of terroir. The Cuddy by Tawse Chardonnay is barrel fermented and aged, and displays notes of minerality accompanied by ripe apples and pears, with allusions to citrus and toasty oak. The Cabernet Merlot blend is a food-friendly wine showing black fruit, plum, cocoa nib and a richness that hints at dark chocolate. Both wines will be available in limited release.
For media inquiries and to arrange interviews, please contact Joanne Tawse, 416-702-4880, j.tawse@tawsewinery.ca
Natalie’s Score: 92/100
A rich, full-bodied Niagara Chardonnay with aromas of toasted almond, golden apple and peach. A layered mid-palate with terrific replays of orchard fruit flavours. Finishes long and smooth. This wine was aged for 12 months in French oak barrels. The 2013 vintage is the inaugural release of this wine. Jim Cuddy, lead singer and guitarist of the Canadian band Blue Rodeo, has partnered with Niagara’s Tawse Winery to create a new wine bran d, Cuddy by Tawse. Cuddy is one of the country’s most iconic musicians: over the past thirty years Blue Rodeo has sold more than four million records, released 14 albums and won eleven JUNO awards. Pair with grilled chicken while enjoying an outdoor concert.
Rick Van Sickle reviews our first cider release
Natalie’s Score: 88/100. A full-bodied red with pleasant mocha and dark fruit notes. Pair with hearty meat dishes.
Rick Van Sickle reviews our 2012 Chardonnays and 2013 Pinots