BC's Best Selections for Canada Day

This first week of summer I found myself in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont ., in the thick of the WineAlign 2013 National Wine Awards of Canada. With the demise of Wine Access Magazine, WineAlign, a Toronto-based online wine site, launched The Nationals to pick up where the magazine left off by holding a competition in search of the best wines made in Canada. Results will be filtered back to the wineries in the next month and out to the public just after Labour Day as the latest vintage of wines are rolled out across the country. In all, 18 tasters from around the country worked through some 1,100 wines. From my vantage point, the competition was fierce and the results point to an ever-buoyant domestic industry.

Competition results much closer to home were released this week by the office of the lieutenant-governor of British Columbia. The Honourable Judith Guichon announced that 12 wines made the list of 2013 winners of the Lieutenant-governor's Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines. This year's competition attracted an amazing 402 wines from a 109 wineries across the province.

The Lieutenant-governor's Awards for Excellence in British Columbia wines is like no other competition because the panel of judges is asked to choose only their top or preferred wines in each flight. No gold, no silver, no bronze; simply the best wines on the day or, in this case, the two days.

The awards were conceived in 2003 when then-lieutenant-governor Iona Campagnolo consulted with B.C. wine industry professionals to establish awards that would "recognize and honour excellence in wines made from 100 per cent British Columbian grown and produced wine."

The annual competition, supported and primarily administered under the Government House Foundation, doesn't require a fee to enter. The only restrictions for entering the competition are: wines have to be 100 per cent British Columbian grown and produced, and each winery is limited to four entries.

Upon release of the list, Guichon said: "The outstanding quality of wines in British Columbia impresses our wine judges each year and makes the selection increasingly difficult, this year's winners represent the best of the exceptional wines from our province."

The 12 wines selected are: Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2010 ($33); Calona Vineyards Artist Series Pinot Noir 2011 ($14); Church & State Wines Coyote Bowl Syrah 2010 ($34); Eau Vivre Winery Pinot Noir 2010 ($18); Hester Creek Estate Winery Block 3 Reserve Cabernet Franc 2010 ($31); Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards Winery Riesling Icewine 2011 ($35 - 200 mL); Red Rooster Winery Reserve Viog-nier 2012 ($22); Red Rooster Winery Reserve Syrah 2010 ($30); Stag's Hollow Winery Cachet No. 03 Limited Edition 2010 ($50); Stoneboat Vineyards Pinot Noir 2010 ($25); Synchromesh Wines Storm Haven Vineyard Riesling 2011 ($32); Wild Goose Vineyards and Winery Mystic River Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2012 ($19).

Many of these wines are not yet released. I promise more followup when I get to taste the wine and you can buy them.

With Canada Day just around the corner, any of the above would be a suitable table wine for dinner if you can get your hands on them. For those of you with tighter budgets and bigger crowds to serve, I thought I would select six wines that will get you through the long weekend and satisfy a wide variety of palates. Many represent some of the best-value bottles in the market, at least of what I have tasted since January.

Penfolds Koonunga Hill Chardonnay 2011, South Australia, Australia

Price: $16 | Score: 88/100

UPC: 012354071339

This is a classic example of the trickle-down effect at Penfolds, where Chardonnay has been on a 15-year-long journey. KH is fresh, light, bright and clean. While it can please with its green apple skin, pear, honey and butter aromas and flavours, it is the light lees, brioche and complexity that is most welcomed here. optional cut Koonunga Hill is still sourced from multiple districts with significant contributions from South Australia GIs Clare and Padthaway. Some 46 per cent is matured in stainless steel the rest in new and seasoned oaked barrels. Impressive for the price. end optional cut complexity that is most welcomed here.

Cono Sur Organic Sauvignon Blanc 2012, Valle de San Antonio, Region de Aconcagua, Chile

Price: $14.15 | Score: 88/100

UPC: 007804320348063

Look for attractive passion fruit, lime, light jalapeno, gooseberry and grassy, chalky aromas. Fresh, juicy, elegant palate with sweetness. Ripe passion fruit, guava, gooseberry, grapefruit and jalapeno flavours. Lots of intensity in this fine valued offering.

Deinhard Green Label Riesling 2011, Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Price: $14 | Score: 86/100

UPC: 4003310654914

Fresh, juicy, somewhat sweet but delicate white with honey, baked apple, lime, grapefruit, slate and peach flavours. Off-dry on the palate but with fine fruit and a juicy, drink-me, low-alcohol character. Good summer sipper and fine value. Try with spicy Thai, Indian and Chinese takeout.

Boekenhoutskloof The Wolftrap 2012, Western Cape, South Africa

Price: $15 | Score: 88/100

UPC: 746925000564

Always solid, the 2012 is as rich as we can remember but still with a wild, smoky, meaty side. The blend is Syrah, Mourvèdre and Viognier and it offers up spicy, blueberry licorice flavours. Soft and ready to drink. Good value here in a versatile red for grilled meats.

Santa Julia Reserva Malbec 2011, Mendoza, Argentina

Price: $15 | Score: 88/100

UPC: 7791728000566

This red will have a lot of curbside appeal with its rich, soft styling and peppery, red-fruit nose and flavours. It spends just less than a year in French oak giving its plummy fruit a spicy, smoky finish and light tannin. Good value here: you can pour liberally around the barbecue.

Santa Rita Cabernet Sauvignon Reserva 2010, Valle del Maipo, Chile

Price: $15 | Score: 87/100

UPC: 089419007152

Open, rich, sappy, cassis/menthol/bay leaf with earthy, chocolate aromas. The attack is dry and fresh; the tannins light with blackcurrant, tobacco, dill, cedar, coffee smoky notes. A solid weekend red for a variety of grilled items on the barbecue.