Okanagan Wine Festivals Society announces 2016 Best of Varietals Wine Awards

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      There were 122 finalists this year at for this year's awards at the Spring Okanagan Wine Festival.

      Originally known as the Winemaker's Awards when it was founded in 1994, the 2016 British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards has grown into a huge event, attracting a record 567 entries this year.

      “There is so much to be learned about the relationship between varietal, vinification and terroir when you blind taste all the same region’s varietals against each other," said one of the 15 judges, Alistair Veen, in a news release.

      Veen is sommelier, chef, and co-owner of Surrey's Tap Restaurant, as well as the 2016 BC Sommelier of the Year.

      "To taste 60 of them side by side, with the ability to re-taste if necessary is a very special exercise," Veen added. "We really got to see who was pushing the envelope of winemaking in BC and tasted the full gambit of what was available stylistically.”

      Below, you can see which wines won in their respective categories and which were runners-up. 

      Cabernet Franc: Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2013

      Runners-up: Kraze Legz Winery SKAHA Vineyard Cabernet Franc 2013; Harper's Trail Cabernet Franc 2014

      Cabernet Sauvignon: Black Sage Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013

      Runners-up: Mission Hill Family Estate Mission Hill Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2013; Perseus Winery Cabernet Sauvignon Select Lots 2013

      Chardonnay: CedarCreek Estate Winery Estate Chardonnay 2014

      Runners-up: Fort Berens Estate Winery Fort Berens Chardonnay 2014; Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery Family Reserve Chardonnay 2013; Monster Vineyards Skinny Dip Chardonnay 2015; Intrigue Wins Chardonnay 2015; Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery Stony Knoll Chardonnay 2014; Gray Monk Estate Winery Chardonnay Unwooded 2015; Poplar Grove Winery Chardonnay 2015

      Dessert Style Wine: Golden Age Meadery Hearth and Fire Mead

      Runners-up: Bench 1775 Whistler Chardonnay Late Harvest 2014; Black Sage Vineyard Pipe 2008

      Gewürztraminer: Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Gewürztraminer 2015

      Runners-up: Ruby Blues Winery Commune Gewürztraminer 2015; Thornhaven Estates Winery Gewürztraminer 2015; Red Rooster Winery Red Rooster Gewürztraminer 2015

      Icewine: Inniskillin Okanagan Riesling Icewine 2014

      Runners-up: Nk'Mip Cellars Winery Qwam Qwmt Riesling Icewine 2014; Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Tempranillo Icewine

      Merlot: Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Tinhorn Creek Oldfield Series Merlot 2012

      Runners-up: Hugging Tree Winery Moonchild Merlot 2012; Culmina Family Estate Winery Merlot 2013; Bench 1775 Merlot 2013; Blasted Church Vineyards Merlot 2013; Arrowleaf Cellars Merlot 2013

      North American Hybrid: Monte Creek Ranch Winery 2015 Frontenac Gris

      Runners-up: Celista Estate Winery Oak Barrel Foch Reserve 2014; Summerhill Pyramid Winery 2013 Organic Marechal Foch

      Pinot Blanc: Evolve Cellars Pinot Blanc 2014

      Runners-up: Peller Estates Vineyards Estate Wines Family Series Pinot Blanc 2014; Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Pinot Blank 2015; Kraze Legz Winery SKAHA Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2015; Red Rooster Winery Red Rooster Pinot Blanc 2015

      Pinot Gris: Arrowleaf Cellars Pinot Gris 2015

      Runners-up: Dirty Laundry Vineyard Say Yes Pinot Gris 2014; Gray Monk Estate Winery Pinot Gris 2014; Therapy Vineyards Therapy Vineyards Pinot Gris 2015; Red Rooster Winery Red Rooster Reserve Pinot Gris 2015; Peller Estates Vineyards Estate Wines Family Series Pinot Gris 2015; Kitsch Wines Pinot Gris 2015; Harper's Trail Harper's Trail 2013 Pinot Gris

      Pinot Noir: Ciao Bella Winery Ciao Bella Pinot Nero 2014

      Runners-up: Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery Pinot Noir 2013; La Frenz Winery Pinot Noir Reserve 2014; Privato Vineyard and Winery Fedele Pinot Noir 2013; 50th Parallel Estate 50th Parallel Estate 2013 Pinot Noir; SpierHead Winery SpierHead Pinot Noir GFV Saddle Back 2014; Arrowleaf Cellars Pinot Noir 2014; Lake Breeze Vineyards Lake Breeze Pinot Noir–Home Estate Vineyard 2012

      Red Blend: Bordertown Vineyard & Estate Winery Ltd. Living Desert Red 2013

      Runners-up: Montakarn Angel Share 2013; Perseus Winery Eclipse Select Lots 2013; Tightrope Winery 2014 Vertigo; Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate SunRock Vineyard Illumina 2012

      Red Meritage Blend, Cabernet-Dominated: Cassini Cellars Maximus Collector's Series

      Runners-up: Hidden Chapel Winery Trilogy 2011; Blasted Church Vineyards Cabernet Merlot 2013; Vinperdu Cellars Compass 2014; Moon Curser Vineyards Border Vines 2013

      Red Meritage Blend, Merlot-Dominated: Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery Obra Prima 2010

      Runners-up: C.C. Jentsch Cellars Cab/Merlot 2014; Serendipity Winery Serenata 2011; Kismet Estate Winery Mantra 2013; River Stone Estate Winery Cornerstone 2012

      Riesling: St Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery St Hubertus Vineyard Riesling 2013

      Runners-up: Moraine Estate Winery Riesling 2015; Gray Monk Estate Winery Riesling 2013; Dirty Laundry Vineyard Riesling 2014; 50th Parallel Estate Riesling 2015; CedarCreek Estate Winery Estate Riesling 2014

      Rose/Blush: Perseus Winery Pinot Noir Rose 2015

      Runners-up: Baillie Grohman Estate Winery Blanc de Noirs Rosé 2015; Poplar Grove Winery Blanc de Noirs 2015; The View Winery and Vineyard Voulez View Rose 2015; The View Winery and Vineyard Silver Lining Estate Rosé; The Hatch Screaming Frenzy Pink Elephant 2015; Serendipity Winery Rose 2015

      Sauvignon Blanc: Therapy Vineyards Therapy Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2015

      Runners-up: La Frenz Winery Sauvignon Blanc Rattlesnake Vineyard 2014; Sandhill Vineyards Estate Wines Sandhill Sauvignon Blanc Hidden Terrace Vineyard 2015

      Single Red Varietal: Sandhill Vineyards Estate Wines Sandhill Small Lots Barbera Sandhill Estate Vineyard 2013

      Runners-up: Sandhill Vineyards Estate Wines Sandhill Gamay Noir Sandhill Estate Vineyard 2014; Blasted Church Vineyards Holy Moly 2013; Moon Curser Vineyards Tannat 2012; Sandhill Vineyards Estate Wines Sandhill Small Lots Petit Verdot Phantom Creek Vineyard 2013; The View Winery and Vineyard Pinotage Reserve 2014; Inniskillin Okanagan Discovery Series Tempranillo 2013

      Single White Varietal: Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Township 7 Vineyards & Winery Muscat 2015

      Runners-up: La Frenz Winery Alexandria—Rattlesnake Vineyard 2015; Gray Monk Estate Winery Ehrenfelser 2015; Gray Monk Estate Winery Kerner 2014

      Sparkling: Gray Monk Estate Winery Odyssey Rose Brut 2012

      Runners-up: Maverick Estate Winery Ella 2013; Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Blanc de Noirs 2008; Haywire Winery at Okanagan Crush Pad Haywire The Bub 2014

      Syrah: Bench 1775 Syrah 2013

      Runners-up: Nighthawk Vineyards Syrah 2012; See Ya Later Ranch Rover—Shiraz/Viognier 2014; Red Rooster Red Rooster Reserve Syrah 2013; Black Hills Estate Winery Black Hills Estate Winery 2013

      Syrah-Based Blend: CedarCreek Estate Winery Senator's Red 2013

      Runners-up: Thornhaven Estates Winery XV 2014; Ruby Blues Winery Black Stiletto 2014; Cassini Cellars Quattro 2012

      Viognier: Black Hills Estate Winery Black Hills Estate Winery 2014

      Runners-up: C.C. Jentsch Cellars Viognier 2013; Sandhill Vineyards Estate Wines Sandhill Viognier Osprey Ridge Vineyard 2015; Bench 1775 Viognier 2015

      White Blend: Arrowleaf Cellars Snow Tropics 2015

      Runners-up: Montakarn Tippy Joe Oaked 2013; Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery Gewürztraminer-Schonburger 2014; Wild Goose Vineyards Autumn Gold 2015; Wane Gretzky Okanagan Wayne Gretzky No.99 The Great White 2014; The View Winery and Vineyard Silver Lining White 2015; Nk'Mip Cellars Winery Winemaker's Dreamcatcher 2014; Cassini Cellars Rousanne/Marsanne 2013

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