By Jamie Drummond
Best In Show, Best Overall White, and Best Aromatic White:
2009 Hillebrand “Trius” Sauvignon Blanc Niagara Peninsula VQA $14.25
It really was good to see this wine win top honours at this year’s Royal Agricultural Winter Fair Wine Competition. It’s the first year that Hillebrand have bottled Sauvignon Blanc under their Trius label and I have no doubt that this wine’s success in blind evaluation has everything to do with the winemaking genius (and amazing storyteller) that is Darryl Brooker. Darryl is now Winemaker at Okanagan’s Cedar Creek winery, but this wine stands as a legacy to his talents… but not for long, as it is ALMOST all gone!!! Grab it while you can. It’s crisp and fresh and insanely and pungently aromatic. Goodness knows how Darryl got such an accomplished nose on a wine at this pricepoint. The palate shows some great texture, another thing missing from so many Sauvignon Blancs. Head and shoulders above the rest of the competition.
Edinburgh-born/Toronto-based Sommelier, consultant, writer, judge and educator Jamie Drummond is the Director of Programs/Editor of Good Food Revolution… and a huge thank you to all of the wineries who participated in the RAWF Wine Competition this year.
