The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society announced the results of the 2013 Best of Varietal Wine Awards tonight to mark the launch of the 19th Spring Okanagan Wine Festival. This wine competition features 23 different wine varietal categories. The Best of Varietal Wine Awards are sponsored by Farm Credit Canada, Grant Thornton, ContainerWorld, and TricorBraun. A record 430 wines were entered into this year’s competition and the wines were judged by 15 wine judges including Canada’s noted wine judges John Schreiner and Rhys Pender. Within each of the 23 categories, the judges determined those wines that clearly are the best in the varietal category with one overall clear winner being declared THE BEST in each category. Martin Lewis, Chair of Wine Judging for the Okanagan Wine Festival and General Manager for the Kettle Valley Station Pub in Penticton was impressed by the breadth of the wineries represented across the Best of Varietals. He stated “Between the wineries that won THE BEST wine in each varietal category and the wineries who are awarded as being amongst the Best of Varietal in each category we have 50 wineries represented. This is a wonderful surprise and demonstrates the depth of viticulture being developed in our region.”
The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is pleased to announce the winners as follows:
The Best Chardonnay
Cassini Cellars Reserve Chardonnay 2009
The Best Unoaked Chardonnay
Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery Dry Rock Vineyards Unoaked Chardonnay 2011
The Best Cabernet Franc
Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery Cabernet Franc 2009
The Best Cabernet Sauvignon
Silkscarf Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2009
The Best Fortified/Late Harvest/Dessert
Hester Creek Estate Winery Late Harvest Pinot Blanc 2012
The Best Fruit Wine
Elephant Island Orchard Wines Framboise 2012
The Best Gewurztraminer
Wild Goose Vineyards Gewurztraminer 2012
The Best Icewine
Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Reserve Riesling Icewine 2011
The Best Merlot
Nk'Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Merlot 2009
The Best Pinot Blanc
Clos du Soleil Winery Pinot Blanc Grower's Series Chegwin & Baessler 2012
The Best Pinot Gris
Gray Monk Estate Winery Pinot Gris 2012
The Best Pinot Noir
La Frenz Winery Reserve Pinot Noir 2011
The Best Other Single Red Varieties
Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery Malbec 2009
The Best Other Single White Varieties
Gray Monk Estate Winery Ehrenfelser Gray Monk Vineyard 2012
The Best Red Meritage Blend
Cedar Creek Estate Winery Cabernet Merlot 2010
The Best Red Blend - Other
Painted Rock Estate Winery Red Icon Estate Grown 2009
The Best Riesling
Mission Hill Family Estate Reserve Riesling 2011
The Best Rose/Blush
Clos du Soleil Winery Rose 2012
The Best Sauvignon Blanc
La Frenz Winery Sauvignon Blanc Rattlesnake Vineyard 2012
The Best Sparkling
Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Steller's Jay Brut 2007
The Best Syrah/Shiraz
Cassini Cellars Syrah 2009
The Best White Blend
Wild Goose Vineyards Autumn Gold 2012
The Best Viognier
Elephant Island Orchard Wines Unconventional Wisdom Viognier 2012
For more information on the 19th Spring Okanagan Wine Festival presented by Valley First, please contact www.thewinefestivals.com or Blair Baldwin, General Manager at blair@thewinefestivals.com or call 250.861.6654.
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