Let the WineAlign Critics help you find the Right Wine
for the Right Price, Right Now!
Buyers’ Guide to VINTAGES August 17th: Getting Beyond Beef in Argentina
Getting Beyond Beef in Argentina By David Lawrason with notes from Michael Godel In the August 17 Argentina feature VINTAGES buyers got it right with an intriguing, diverse and quality group of wines. I have scored most 90 points or better. The selection, although always maddeningly skimpy, is a well focused snapshot of what’s new […] More
Femmes du Vin: Canada’s First Events to Empower and Inspire Women in Wine
By Janet Dorozynski, DipWSET, PhD When I first became seriously interested in wine in the mid-90s there were few women at tastings and wine shows, very few female sommeliers and only a smattering of women wine makers, writers or in positions of power in the wine business. Sure there were powerhouse women like Jancis Robinson, […] More
Announcing the 2019 Winery of the Year
Mission Hill Family Estate Winery Does It Again! By David Lawrason In convincing fashion Mission Hill Family Estate has claimed the title of Canada’s Winery of the Year at the 2019 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada. The Okanagan Valley winery took a whopping 18 medals, including two Platinums, six Golds, seven Silvers and three […] More
National Wine Awards of Canada
Discover Canada's best wines! In 2016, 22 judges tasted 1,535 wines from 230 wineries across the country to identify Canada's top wines.
View Award-Winning Wines
World Wine Awards of Canada
Seventeen judges tasted 1,000 wines in 21 categories in 2015 to find the world's best wines sold in Canada under $50.
View Award-Winning Wines
Meritage is pronounced Meh-rih-TIJ, rhyming with Heritage. This is a made-up word, registered as a US trademark, that wineries must pay to use on their wines. Back in 1989, wineries were all choosing names for their various blended wines, and it was getting hard to keep track of them all. An association was formed to try to define a "Bordeaux Blend" of grapes that was done on non-French soil. They had over 6,000 people submit choices for the name of this blend, and "Meritage" won. Just like Bordeaux, since they're made with the same grapes, Meritage wines tend to have a rich, full aroma. Depending on the particular blend, it can be blackberry, black cherry, spices, chocolate, and vanilla. Most Meritages have the Bordeaux signature flavours - cigar box, rich fruits, with a hefty feel. They're great with a steak, or with game meats - venison, pheasant etc.
