Results from the 2026 Nationals – Gamay

Announcing the Results from the 2026 National Wine Awards of Canada

The 2026 Nationals took place in Niagara, Ontario from June 12th to 18th. Today, we are pleased to announce the winners in the Gamay, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay categories. Category results will be rolling out throughout the rest of July, concluding with the Winery of the Year announcement on July 31st. We hope that you will stay tuned to follow the results!

Gamay

Category Overview by Janet Dorozynksi, PhD, DipWSET

Go straight to the winners.

Gamay: Canada’s Bright Red Star Keeps Rising the NWACs

Gamay has firmly established itself as one of Canada’s most exciting red wine categories, consistently delivering quality, freshness, and drinkability. I coined the hashtag #gogamaygo back in 2012 as a rallying cry, at a time when many in the industry were still bearish on the variety. I have always loved gamay’s complex simplicity, juiciness, and freshness, and believed it was exceptionally well suited to many regions across Canada.

Gamay is particularly well adapted to Canadian vineyards. It ripens early, is among the hardiest red vinifera varieties, and is remarkably suited to cool-climate growing conditions, all qualities that are becoming increasingly important in the face of climate volatility.

It is also an historically significant variety in the story of Canadian wine. Gamay was among the earliest vinifera grapes planted in Ontario and was the first varietal wine sold by Inniskillin to the LCBO after the winery received its licence in 1975.

As if that were not enough, gamay is also one of the most versatile and food-friendly red varieties around. It is capable of producing a wide range of styles, from bright, vibrant, easy-drinking wines to concentrated, complex, age-worthy expressions.

This year’s National Wine Awards of Canada attracted 43 gamay entries. Of those, six earned Gold medals, 18 received Silver, and 11 were awarded Bronze. In other words, more than 80% of all gamays entered received a medal, one of the highest success rates in the competition. While the category represented 2.5% of all entries, it accounted for 2.8% of all medals awarded, further evidence of the growing quality and consistency of Canadian gamay. The category continues to showcase a broad stylistic range, from serious single-vineyard bottlings to nouveau-styled wines.

This year’s Gold medal winners highlight both the depth and diversity of Canadian gamay, with top-performing wines coming almost equally from producers in Ontario and British Columbia. While interest in, and impressive examples of gamay have emerged throughout the Okanagan and Similkameen valleys over the past two decades, Niagara remains the spiritual home of Canadian gamay. Here, moderate temperatures and a relatively long growing season allow the variety to achieve full ripeness while retaining the vibrant acidity that makes it so compelling.

Notable trends among this year’s medal winners are the decreased use of oak and increased use of whole-cluster fermentation, particularly by top-performing producers such as Bachelder. These techniques can enhance floral aromatics, spice, and freshness while further emphasizing vineyard character and site expression.

If there is one takeaway from this year’s results, it is that gamay is no longer an emerging category, it has arrived. As I have said many times before, the future of Canadian gamay is bright and its momentum is undeniable. More than ever, I am convinced that the best chapters in Canada’s gamay story have yet to be written.

Cheers to and Go Gamay Go!

And the winners are…