Okanagan Life is proud to announce the winners of the Valley’s newest wine competition, the 2015 Okanagan Life Best of BC Wine Awards.
The inaugural event, held March 8 at the heritage landmark Laurel Packinghouse, Kelowna’s signature venue for wine events, was organized and chaired by our own High Sprits columnist, sommelier and wine authority, Michael Botner. Entries from 41 BC wineries showcased 170 wines made entirely from BC grown fruit. Winners were selected by an assembly of independent, experienced wine judges from every sector of the wine industry including media, education, hospitality and winemaking. A total of 92 medals—27 gold, 32 silver and 33 bronze—were awarded to a wide range of winners.
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Standout winners
Four wineries deserve special mention for their multiple wins: Sunnybrae Vineyard & Winery (Tappen) and Thornhaven Estates (Summerland), each with three gold and one bronze. Adega on 45th Estate Winery (Osoyoos) took one gold, three silver and one bronze medal, while St. Hubertus & Oak Bay Family Estate Winery (Kelowna) clinched one gold, three silver and a bronze.
Best of show
The highest scoring wines in the competition took home special honours. Oliver’s Church and State won Best of Show (White) with its 2013 Coyote Bowl Chardonnay, while Kelowna’s Spierhead 2013 Pinot Noir Cuvée was judged Best of Show (Red).
Consumer guide
The Okanagan Life Best of BC Wine Awards provides a snapshot of a wide range of BC’s top wines from small to medium-sized wineries and from all corners of the BC Interior. These wines are currently available to consumers at BC Liquor stores, private liquor (LRS) stores, VQA stores and/or winery boutiques.
