Ontario Wines Shine vs Bordeaux In Blind Tasting!

For Immediate Release - January 16, 2006

The Ontario Wine Society announces the results of a "Blind Taste Test" held on January 16th, 2006. The informal competition involved comparing Ontario wines with other wines from British Columbia, New Zealand, and the Bordeaux region of France. One hundred and forty participants tasted the wines without knowing their identities and then ranked them in order of preference.

The favourite wine overall turned out to be from New Zealand, while Ontario and British Columbia took the next six spots!

Ontario Wine Society Director and event organizer, Sadie Darby, said that "this outcome shows that wines from the relatively young wine producing regions of Ontario can challenge the centuries old wine making traditions of the Old World. They show very well in head-to-head competitions, and this type of comparison tasting has been ongoing since 1995. Historically the results have always been very similar." Participants were told that only Canadian and Bordeaux wines were being compared, and the New Zealand wine was placed in as a "ringer". Darby added, "To my knowledge, this is the first time the ringer has taken top spot. Well done, New Zealand!"

The tasting event, held in Toronto, was lead by guest speaker, Tony Aspler, an internationally acclaimed, Toronto-based wine writer, wine judge and author of numerous books about wine. He admitted finding it "very difficult" to differentiate the Bordeaux wines from the Canadian.

Rick Bates, Director of Marketing for the Ontario Wine Society said that "This fact alone proves that the quality of Ontario wines have come a long way in their relatively short history. We know that we can put our products up against wines from all over the world, and they will consistently be chosen over 'Old World' wines in blind taste tests."

Here is the breakdown of the results. Participants were asked to rank which wines they preferred, from one to ten, without knowing anything about the wines ahead of time:

• 1st - Newton, Forrest Vineyard Cornerstone, 2002, New Zealand ($42.75)
• 2nd - Stoney Ridge Cellars, Signature Collection Meritage, 2002 Ontario ($34.95)
• 3rd - Sumac Ridge, Pinnacle, 2001, BC ($50.00)
• 4th - Colio Estates, CEV Merlot Reserve, 2002, Ontario ($24.95)
• 5th - Southbrook Winery, Triomphe, 1999, Ontario ($39.95)
• 6th - Mission Hill Family Estate, Oculus, 2001, BC ($50.00)
• 7th - Chateau l'Hospital Veyret Latour, 2002, France ($27.95)
• 8th - Chateau Segonzac, 2000, France ($32.95)
• 9th - Lakeview Cellars, Cabernet Sauvignon, 1998, Ontario ($25.00)
• 10th - Chateau Puyfromage, 2003 France ($13.65)

The Ontario Wine Society is a non-profit organization that celebrates the exploration of Ontario wines, through informal, enjoyable and educational tastings and special events.

For more information please visit our website at www.ontariowinesociety.com.

Click here for a copy of the original print press release in PDF format.

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