Three Niagara wines were selected as official wines of the Legislative Assembly last week as part of an annual tradition that sees provincial MPPs vote on their favourite Ontario VQA wines. The vote took place in late October, and the winning wines were featured at Speaker Donna Skelly’s wine tasting event on Dec. 11. The event was jointly held by Skelly and the Grape Growers of Ontario.
The vote saw a 2023 Sparking Riesling, vintnered by Harbour Estates Winery, selected as the official sparkling wine of the Legislative Assembly. As well, the 2021 Barrel 81, vintnered by Riverview Cellars was selected as the official red wine, while the 2024 Vidal Icewine, vintnered by Between the Lines Family Estate Winery, was selected as the official icewine.
Niagara West MPP Sam Oosterhoff praised the inclusion of Niagara wines as winners once again this year, pointing to the region’s strength as the home of Ontario winemaking.
“Representing a riding with the most independent wineries in the province and a riding that once again boasts an official wine of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario confirms the world-class status of our local growers and winemakers,” said Oosterhoff.
Harbour Estates Winery is based in Oosterhoff’s riding of Niagara West in Jordan Station. Riverview Cellars Winery and Between the Lines Family Estate Winery are based in Niagara-on-the-Lake, part of the Niagara Falls riding represented by MPP Wayne Gates.
Fraser Mowat, General Manager of Harbour Estates Winery, issued a statement after his 2023 Sparking Riesling won the award.
“It is a great honour to have our 2023 Sparking Riesling chosen as the official sparking wine of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario,” said Mowat. “This is confirmation that – after over twenty years – we are still producing wines of great quality that stand out and are recognized.”
Official wines of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario are served at formal functions at Queen’s Park throughout the year following their selection and are also eligible for purchase at the Legislative Assembly of Ontario’s Gift Shop.
Debbie Zimmerman, Chief Executive Office of Grape Growers of Ontario, also celebrated the occasion with a statement.
“The wines showcased at this event reflect the connection between 100 percent Ontario-grown grapes and the winemakers who craft them,” said Zimmerman. “We congratulate all of Ontario’s wineries on producing top-quality VQA wines and thank the six wineries who participated in this year’s tasting,” she concluded.
Jay Goldberg is the Canadian Affairs Manager at the Consumer Choice Center. He previously served as the Ontario Director at the Canadian Taxpayers Federation and a policy fellow at the Munk School of Public Policy and Global Affairs. Jay holds a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Toronto.
