For the first time
since the award was introduced in 1956, the "Grape
King" for Ontario will be from
outside Niagara. Sal D'Angelo, a major grape grower and also
the owner of D'Angelo Estate Winery in Amherstburg, was installed
as a last Grape King of the century on Wednesday, September 22,
1999.
The grape king is selected for having the top quality vineyard in the province. Judging is by research and viticultural specialists from the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs and Dr. Helen Fisher reports that D'Angelo beat out "very tough competition from three other vineyards."
"The final four were all superb," she said. "But for this year there is no doubt that the D'Angelo vineyard just had to win, fair and square. It is simply excellent, by international standards."
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Sal D'Angelo at the Grape King installation ceremony held September 22, 1999, at the D'Angelo vineyard. The Grape King is selected for having the top quality vineyard in the province. Both the current reigning Grape King, Albrecht Seeger from Niagara-on-the-Lake, and John Neufeld, who chairs Ontario's 530 grape growers were present. |
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Sal D'Angelo bought his first farm in 1983, and planted his vineyards in the spring of the following year. His winery opened in 1989, making this his tenth vintage. He specializes in producing grapes for premium table wines and currently has 50 acres of Vitis vinifera's such as Cabernet, Merlot, Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, and French hybrids.
The D'Angelo 1996 Foch was ranked in the top 100 wines in the world.