Peller Estates Awarded "Canadian Winery of the Year" at the 2014 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada

GRIMSBY, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - July 30, 2014) - Peller Estates was awarded the prestigious honour of "Canadian Winery of the Year" at the 2014 WineAlign National Wine Awards held in Penticton, B.C. in late June.

This year marks the 14^th national competition judged by an extensive panel of the most respected wine writers, wine critics, retail buyers, Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wines in Canada. With 1,335 wines being reviewed from 189 wineries across Canada, the Canadian Winery of the Year is the highest distinction in the Canadian wine industry.

Co-Head Judge and principal at WineAlign Anthony Gismondi stated, "The people who most respect the 'Canadian Winery of the Year' award are the judges. In this case, 19 from across the country, along with first time international judge, acclaimed blogger/taster/thinker Jamie Goode from England. There is no doubt Peller Estates' accomplishment as 'Canadian Winery of the Year' will shine an important light on Peller Estates, Niagara and Canadian wine for years to come."

Established in 1991, Peller Estates is part of Andrew Peller Limited, the largest Canadian-owned winery in the country that has been producing high quality award winning wines for over 50 years.

"I haven't felt this good since the Leafs won the Stanley Cup! Everyone in our Peller family is thrilled that our winemakers at Peller Estates have been recognized for their relentless pursuit of quality and commitment to making great tasting wines," said John Peller, Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Peller Limited.

"I really wish my grandpa could be here to celebrate this award with everyone… he would be so proud. Congratulations to our winemaker Katie Dickieson and her team at Peller Estates who continue to aspire to this dream and consistently produce award winning wines that rank with the best in the world," he added.

National Senior Winemaker at Andrew Peller Limited, Craig McDonald, is equally thrilled with the award. "Katie's focus on taking Peller Estates wines to new heights through a disciplined and 'hands-on' approach in our vineyards has hit the target. Her drive and dedication for success is second to none and we are all extremely proud of this award for her, the incredible team of growers, and the entire winemaking team."

The top five of the 13 medals awarded to Peller Estates this year include:

Platinum- Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-lake 2012 Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc

Gold- Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-lake 2012 Private Reserve Gamay Noir Carlton Vineyard

Gold- Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-lake 2013 Private Reserve Rosé

Gold- Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-lake 2011 Signature Series Merlot

Gold- Peller Estates Niagara-on-the-lake 2012 Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon

Gismondi added, "The WineAlign 2014 National Wine Awards of Canada is the Holy Grail for Canadian producers. We will announce the complete results of the awards next week and release a list of the Top 25 Canadian Wineries over the coming months."

The WineAlign 2014 National Wine Awards of Canada has a comprehensive and high quality judging process. The following video provides a behind the scenes glimpse of Canada's largest wine awards. http://www.winealign.com/blog/2014/07/15/behind-the-scenes-at-that-winealign-national-wine-awards-of-canada-2014/.

More details about the Winery Of The Year can be found here: http://www.winealign.com/blog/2014/07/29/national-wine-awards-of-canada-2014-winery-of-the-year/.

About Peller Estates

Peller Estates was founded by Hungarian immigrant and entrepreneur Andrew Peller who had a passionate belief that premium winemaking could thrive in Canada. The family legacy was carried on by his son, Dr. Joseph A. Peller, and lives on through his grandson John who is President and CEO. The Pellers' vision is to produce Ontario and British Columbia VQA wines worthy of competing on the world stage - ultra-premium to everyday wines. Peller Estates is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pellerestates and on Twitter @PellerVQA.

About WineAlign

WineAlign is Canada's largest wine site and is a free, community-based service for reviewing, sharing and discovering wine. WineAlign works with top wine critics to provide a resource for consumers to find the best wines at the LCBO, BCVQA and BCLBD stores. WineAlign also recently expanded into Quebec under the Chacun Son Vin brand. WineAlign, which is growing rapidly with over to 1.5M unique annual visitors, answers the question: What wine do I buy? It combines reviews from top critics and community members to create an objective resource to help users find great wine. WineAlign runs two major wine awards annually, the National Wine Awards of Canada and the World Wine Awards of Canada. WineAlign is on Facebook at www.facebook.com/WineAlign and on Twitter @WineAlign.