Results from the 2026 Nationals – Fruit Wine

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 Cider, Mead & Non-fruit, Fruit wine, Fortified, Maple wine, Icewine and Late Harvest 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!

Category Overview by Janet Dorozynski PhD, DipWSET

Fruit Wine

Go straight to the winners.

Still and Sparkling Fruit Wine: Creativity and Quality Beyond the Grape

The Fruit Wine category continues to showcase one of the most creative corners of Canadian beverage alcohol production. Unlike grape wine, fruit wine is not constrained by the same climatic limitations and can be produced in every province using locally available fruits. Over the years, I have judged non-grape wines made from everything from dandelion flowers to tomatoes and haskap berries and even pumpkin. This remarkable diversity of rare materials allows producers across Canada to create distinctive wines that reflect local agriculture and a spirit of experimentation.

This year’s fruit wine category consisted of still and sparkling fruit wines with fourteen entries, resulting in 1 Gold, 6 Silver, and 6 Bronze medals. While smaller than many grape wine categories, and with just 1% of all competition entries, there was nonetheless a strong level of quality across a diverse range of styles.

One of the most encouraging developments in recent years has been the evolution of fruit wine from traditionally sweet styles toward drier, table-wine-inspired expressions. Increasingly, producers are focusing on balance, freshness, acidity, cultivar character, and versatility at the table. Modern winemaking techniques commonly associated with grape wine are now being applied to fruit wines, resulting in wines that emphasize quality and craft rather than sweetness alone.

Geography continues to play an important role in the category’s success. British Columbia’s Fraser Valley is particularly well positioned thanks to its abundance of raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, strawberries, and other fruit crops. These provide winemakers with exceptional raw materials and the opportunity to craft regionally distinctive products that cannot be replicated elsewhere.

This year’s results were led by Maan Farms of British Columbia’s Fraser Valley standout whose 2024 Raspberry Table Wine captured the category’s sole gold medal. Already one of the most successful producers in the category, Maan Farms also earned multiple silver and bronze medals, further cementing its reputation as a leader in Canadian fruit wine. The winery’s strong showing reflects both the increasing sophistication of Canadian fruit wine production and the exceptional quality of fruit available in the Fraser Valley. More importantly, Maan Farms continues to demonstrate that fruit wines can achieve the balance, complexity and structure, more commonly associated with premium grape wines. Among its medal-winning entries, the Mad Pumpkin Sparkling Spice Wine once again stood out for me as a particularly distinctive example. Much as it did last year when it won gold, this sweet wine impressed with its originality and the wide range of potential food-pairing opportunities.

Perhaps the greatest challenge facing the category is visibility. Fruit wines deserve far more attention than they currently receive. While many are available through farm-gate sales and specialty retailers, they remain rare on restaurant wine lists. This is unfortunate, as many examples are highly food-friendly and capable of pairing successfully with a wide range of dishes and courses. The quality demonstrated by this year’s medal winners serves as a reminder that some of Canada’s most distinctive and innovative wines extend well beyond traditional grape varieties.

Congratulations to all this year’s winners for continuing to push boundaries and demonstrate the quality, creativity, and diversity of Canadian fruit wine.

And the winners are…