2023 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards

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(KELOWNA, BC) – April 18, 2023: On April 3 through 5, 2023, fifteen esteemed professional wine judges from Western Canada gathered in Penticton to participate on a blind tasting panel for the British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards competition to choose the best wines in our province.

The British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards was established in 2018 in partnership with the Office of the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia. The competition is a celebration of excellence in winemaking. The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society presents the BCLGWA in collaboration with sponsors ContainerWorld and TricorBraun. It is open to all licensed British Columbia wineries, including fruit wines and mead.

During three intense days of competition, over five hundred wines from over one hundred BC wine producers were blind-tasted and scored by the judges. Each wine was tasted and scored by a set criterion. Wines were presented to the judges in carefully determined flights by an enthusiastic assembly of the Okanagan’s top sommeliers.

Based on their final scores, wines were ranked in Silver, Gold and Platinum categories. The top class of Platinum wines is then tasted again by the judges, who determine the prestigious Wine of the Year.

“Judging at the BCLGWA is a special opportunity because it gives us a snapshot of the industry. What are the unexpected varieties and styles of wine that are emerging as high-quality examples? What are the new trends for our established varieties and styles? And the standard of quality keeps going up and up!”
Barbara Philip – Master of Wine and 2023 BCLGWA Judge

Of the five hundred wines submitted, 185 wines medaled in the prescribed categories demonstrating the stringent process of determining the best wines in the province.

On June 9, 2023, the platinum winners are invited to attend the awards reception to receive recognition in anticipation of the Wine of the Year announcement.

The 2023 British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards winners have much to celebrate. This year’s acclaimed judges were:

Barbara Philip MW – Vancouver Brad Royale – Calgary

DJ Kearney – Vancouver

Emily Walker – Summerland Iain Philip – Vancouver

Jenna Briscoe – Vancouver Johanne Audette – Vernon

Kurtis Kolt – Vancouver

Matthew Landry – Vancouver

Mia Papadopoulos – Kelowna

Rhys Pender MW – Kelowna

Rory Conroy – Vancouver

Sid Cross – Vancouver

Terry David Mulligan – Victoria

Tim Pawsey – Vancouver

ABOUT THE OKANAGAN WINE FESTIVALS SOCIETY

The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is responsible for the development of the wine tourism sector in the interior of British Columbia. It is well known for producing three seasonally inspired Okanagan Wine Festivals in Winter, Spring, and Fall. It is also responsible for Signature Wine Events including the Valley First Grand Tastings, and it produces and runs the province’s most prestigious and oldest wine competition, the British Columbia Lieutenant Governor’s Wine Awards. For more information visit, www.thewinefestivals.com.

Media Contact
Kimberly Hundertmark
General Manager
Okanagan Wine Festivals
kimberly@thewinefestivals.com
250.864.4139