The fun thing about The Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in B.C. Wine is that its demanding format often produces some under-the-radar winners.
This year’s contest (in which we whittled 486 entries down to just 12 wines) proved to be no exception.
There’s a fun backstory as to how the awards came into being.
Former Lt.-Gov. Iona Campagnolo discovered that Ottawa’s Rideau Hall was on a serious B.C. shopping spree, stocking the cellar with the best of B.C. (and Ontario) bottles. At the time, around 2003, only French wines were served to visiting dignitaries. Campagnolo was dining at Sooke Harbour House (renowned for its B.C. cellar) when she discovered that several of the best wines had been scooped up. Right away she went to work with industry and media to create a unique competition with considerable cachet.
Newer wineries that popped up on this year’s list of winners include Castoro de Oro, Maverick, The Hatch and Kitsch. Here’s the full list:
- Burrowing Owl Cabernet Franc 2014
- Cassini Cellars, The Aristocrat Cabernet Sauvignon 2013
- Cassini Cellars Nobilus Merlot 2013
- Castoro de Oro Crimson Rhapsody 2014
- Gray Monk Odyssey White Brut 2014
- The Hatch Crown + Thieves Broken Barrel Syrah 2013
- Howling Bluff Century Block Pinot Noir 2013
- Kitsch Wines Riesling 2015
- Maverick Estate Bush Vine Syrah 2014
- Noble Ridge “The One” Sparkling 2012
- Perseus Invictus 2013, Upper Bench Chardonnay 2015
That (for the most part) more full-bodied reds dominate come as no surprise. Given the ideal circumstances of the last few vintages, B.C.’s red wines are coming into their own like never before. Pinot Noir was also impressive. Syrah continues to gain ground, but now often with more elegance than power. Cabernet Franc has also firmly arrived as a B.C. stalwart.
However, not to be overlooked is the choice of two excellent sparkling wines, reminders of the potential that exists in this category. It was good to see such a superb Riesling come through, while the Chardonnay pulled ahead in a fairly strong group.
In the press release announcing the winners, current Lt.-Gov. Judith Guichon said: “2017’s winning wines represent the best from our province. The hundreds of exceptional wines entered each year make it a challenge to select just 12 winners.” Indeed, the awards are unique among wine competitions, where bragging rights come with considerable cachet.
Tim Pawsey writes about wine for numerous publications and online as the Hired Belly at hiredbelly.com. [email protected]
