Over 800 of B.C.’s finest wines from more than 120 B.C. wineries were judged by a panel of 15 judges at the 2021 B.C. Lieutenant Governor Wine Awards.  The results were released earlier this month.

The top honour went to the Tantalus Vineyards’ 2018 Old Vines Riesling. The wine was produced from Riesling grape vines first planted in 1978. The vineyards and winery are situated on the eastern shores of Lake Okanagan overlooking the lake and the City of Kelowna.

Below I have listed the Platinum and gold winners from this year’s completion.  The complete list of winners can be found at http://www.thewinefestivals.com/awards/results/8/1/

Platinum Award Winners

• Inniskillin Okanagan Estate Winery, 2018 Estate Riesling Icewine
• Burrowing Owl Estate Winery, 2019 Syrah
• Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery, 2018 Reserve Syrah
• Mt. Boucherie Estate Winery, 2020 Original Vines Sémillon
• Silkscarf winery, 2017 Syrah-Viognier
• Three Sisters Winery, 2019 Rebecca
• Tantalus Vineyards, 2018 Chardonnay
• Enrico Winery, 2020 Shining Armour Pinot Gris
• Maan Farms Estate Winery, 2020 Raspberry Table Wine
• Arrowleaf, 2019 Riesling
• Silhouette Estate Winery, Boyd Classic Cuvée
• SpearHead Winery, 2019 Pinot Noir Saddle Block
• SpearHead Winery, 2019 Pinot Noir Golden Retreat
• SpearHead Winery, 2019 Pinot Noir Cuvée
• Chain Reaction Winery, 2019 Tailwind Pinot Gris
• Liquidity Wines, 2020 Rosé
• Kismet Estate Winery, 2018 Cabernet Franc Reserve
• Mission Hill Family Estate,  2019 Perpetua
• Mission Hill Family Estate, 2019 Terroir Collection Vista’s Edge Cabernet Franc
• CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2020 Platinum Home Block Rosé

Gold Award Winners

• Moon Curser Vineyards, 2020 Arneis
• Moon Curser Vineyards, 2017 Tannat
• Moon Curser Vineyards, 2019 Touriga Nacional
• Lakeside Cellars, 2017 Provenir
• Lakeside Cellars, 2020 Portage White
• 50th Parallel Estate Winery, 2020 Pinot Noir Rosé
• 50th Parallel Estate Winery, 2019 Pinot Noir
• 50th Parallel Estate Winery, 2019 Unparalleled Pinot Noir
• 50th Parallel Estate Winery, 2018 Blanc De Noir
• La Frenz Estate Winery, 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir
• Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Winery, 2018 Reserve Riesling Icewine
• Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Estate Winery, 2018 Grand Reserve Merlot
• Wild Goose Vineyards, 2019 Pinot Noir Sumac Slope
• Wild Goose Vineyards, 2020 Pinot Gris
• Inniskillin Okanagan Estate Winery, 2019 Discovery Series Chenin Blanc
• Black Sage Vineyards, 2018 Cabernet Franc
• St Hubertus & Oak Bay Estate Winery, 2019 St Hubertus Vineyard Riesling
• Stag’s Hollow Winery, 2018 Renaissance Merlot
• Stag’s Hollow Winery, 2018 Syrah
• Tightrope Winery, 2019 Riesling
• Tightrope Winery, 2020 Pinot Gris
• Tightrope Winery, 2019 Chardonnay
• Wayne Gretzky Estates Okanagan, 2020 Rosé
• Four Shadows Winery, 2019 Merlot Reserve
• Four Shadows Winery, 2020 Riesling Dry
• Four Shadows Winery, 2020 Riesling Classic
• Nk’Mip Cellars, 2019 Qwam Qwmt Syrah
• Nk’Mip Cellars, 2020 Winemaker’s Pinot Blanc
• Bordertown Vineyard & Estate Winery, 2017 Living Desert Red
• Rust Wine Co., 2018 GMB Syrah
• Blasted Church Vineyards, 2019 Cabernet Franc
• Blasted Church Vineyards, 2016 OMG
• Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, 2015 Seven Stars Sirius
• Township 7 Vineyards & Winery, 2018 NBO
• Three Sisters Winery, 2019 Tempranillo
• Bonamici Cellars, 2019 Reserve Merlot
• Moraine Estate Winery, 2019 Syrah
• Black Hills, 2020 Alibi
• Gray Monk, 2018 Odyssey Cabernet Sauvignon
• Upper Bench Estate Winery, 2019 Chardonnay
• Upper Bench Estate Winery, 2019 Estate Chardonnay
• Baillie-Grohman Estate Winery, 2019 Pinot Noir Terraces
• Fort Berens Estate Winery, 2019 Cabernet Franc
• Deep Roots, 2019 Parentage Red
• Blue Grouse Estate Winery, 2019 Estate Pinot Noir
• Blue Grouse Estate Winery, 2020 Estate Pinot Gris
• Enrico Winery, 2020 Rosé Red Dragon
• Hester Creek Estate Winery, 2020 Sémillon
• Monte Creek Winery, 2020 Living Land Sparkling Rosé
• Clos du Soleil Winery, 2020 Winemaker’s Series Pinot Blanc
• Arrowleaf, 2020 Summerstorm
• Silhouette Estate Winery, 2018 Boyd Blanc De Blanc
• SpearHead Winery, 2019 Riesling
• Chaberton Estate Winery, 2018 Reserve Cabernet Franc
• Frind Estate Winery, 2019 Riesling
• Lake Breeze Vineyards, 2019 Pinot Blanc
• Lake Breeze Vineyards, 2019 Cellar Series Alize (Roussanne)
• Lake Breeze Vineyards, 2017 Cellar Series Mistral (Syrah)
• Liquidity Wines, Brut Reserve
• Liquidity Wines, 2019 Reserve Pinot Noir
• Peak Cellars, 2020 Skin Kissed Pinot Gris
• Time Family of Wines, 2018 TIME Syrah
• Kismet Estate Winery, 2017 Malbec Reserve
• Meadow Vista Honey Wines, 2021 Bliss Sparkling Blueberry Haskap Mead
• Ex Nihilo Vineyards, 2019 Merlot
• Mission Hill Family Estate, 2020 Terroir Collection Border Vista Rosé
• Mission Hill Family Estate, 2019 Terroir Collection Jagged Rock Vineyard Syrah
• Mission Hill Family Estate, 2020 Reserve Rosé
• Mission Hill Family Estate, 2018 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon
• Mission Hill Family Estate, 2020 Reserve Riesling
• Plot Wines, 2018 Neighbour
• Plot Wines, 2019 Merlot
• CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2019 Estate Syrah
• CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2019 Estate Chardonnay
• CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2020 Estate Riesling
• CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2019 Platinum Block 3 Riesling
• CedarCreek Estate Winery, 2019 Platinum Cabernet Franc
• Church & State Wines, 2019 Marsanne
• Church & State Wines, 2019 Trebella

Unfortunately from what I can tell, none of this year’s winners are presently available outside of British Columbia.  I have indicated in green those wineries that do have products that are occasionally found east of the Rockies. Even though the winners may never travel beyond B.C., other wines from these vineyards would be well worth trying.

Sláinte mhaith