Canadian Wine Awards Winners You Can Still Buy

wine continues to improve each year and that in any national showdown to determine who's making Canada's best wine, Okanagan producers have become a force.

What follows is a quick look at the top B.C. award winners as judged at the Canadian Wine Awards with a personal selection of six wines that will be the easiest to find this week in the VQA section of most government liquor stores.

The Winery of the Year is CedarCreek thanks to a strong showing of wines made by winemaker Tom DiBello. Top medals went to the 2000 Platinum Series Chardonnay, the 2000 Pinot Noir and the 1999 Cabernet Sauvignon.

More hardware was awarded the 2001 Riesling Dry, 2000 Pinot Noir Estate Select, 2000 Chardonnay Estate Select and the 2001 Pinot Gris. The wine to look for in government stores is the 2000 Estate Select Chardonnay with its fruity entry and lees/honey/citrus and green peach aromas and flavours.

The chardonnay fruit, which is fermented in new and used French oak barrels, comes off the home estate in Kelowna, Greata Vineyard south of Peachland and Mounz Vineyard at Osoyoos.

Last year's Winery of the Year Mission Hill came up with another strong performance receiving accolades for its 2000 Syrah, 2001 Pinot Grigio, 2001 Pinot Blanc, 2000 Oculus, 2000 Cabernet-Merlot, and 2000 Shiraz Reserve.

The wines to look for in stores include a 2000 Cabernet Merlot -- easily the best red wine value made in British Columbia. The John Simes' blend has a spicy, minty aroma with flavours of licorice, dates and leather and its great value.

Another winner from Simes is the 2001 Pinot Blanc. This is a delicious peach and tangerine scented white with a creamy, tart flavoured finish. A great apéritif style white that's perfect for holiday entertaining.

Burrowing Owl impressed the judges with its 2000 Pinot Noir, 2000 Syrah and 2001 Chardonnay all of which are sold out. For information on upcoming BOV wine releases just log on to the winery Web site at www.bovwine.com or look for them in better restaurants.

At Gray Monk owners George and Trudy Heiss specialize in aromatic Germanic grapes and they took home awards for their 2001 Gewurztraminer, 2001 Siegerrebe and 2000 Riesling.

Hawthorne Mountain winners of last year's best chardonnay with its Gold Label Series tied for a respectable fifth place in 2002 but it was the regular chardonnay and the 2000 Ehrenfelser Icewine Gold Label that grabbed the judges attention. The 2001 Chardonnay has a nutty, toasted oak nose with green pear fruit streaked with mint and spice. A real bargain.

If there was an award for an under-rated, under-marketed winery in B.C. it would be Inniskillin Okanagan. It could be its Ontario-based owners don't want to celebrate its success or wines but they should. Awards to its 2000 Merlot Bull Pine and 1999 Meritage Reserve are well deserved.

The 2000 Bull Pine Merlot celebrates the coming of age of Vincor's vineyards in the south Okanagan. Look for big colour, black cherry fruit and a tarry, smoky, vanilla and green olive finish.

Jackson Triggs won so many medals it's a hard to know where to start. For the record winemaker Bruce Nicholson took home major awards for his 2000 Shiraz Proprietor's Reserve, 2000 Red Meritage Proprietor's Reserve, 2001 Riesling Icewine Proprietor's Reserve, 2000 Riesling Icewine Grand Reserve, 2001 Riesling Icewine Grand Reserve and the 2000 Sparkling Riesling Icewine Grand Reserve.

The comeback of the year as far as the Canadian Wine Awards is concerned goes to Westbank-based Quails' Gate. The Stewart family captured the attention of the judges for its Family Reserve: 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2000 Pinot Noir and its Limited Release labels: 2001 Gewurztraminer, 2000 Cabernet Sauvignon and 2000 Pinot Noir.

The 2000 Limited Release Pinot Noir features attractive, smoky, spicy clove aromas with cherry, menthol and mint flavours. Perfect with duck comfit.

Sandhill the wine without a winery is owned by Cascadia Brands, the same company that owns Calona Vineyards. Sandhill is made by Howard Soon and was recognized for its excellent 2001 Chardonnay and 2001 Pinot Blanc available through private wine shops only. Soon also scored big with his 2001 Calona Pinot Blanc Artist Series a wine you can find in government liquor stores.

At Sumac Ridge the 2000 Pinot Blanc Icewine was a big winner as was the 1999 Merlot Black Sage (not yet released although you can pick up the highly rated 1998 Merlot still in stores) and the 2001 White Meritage.

2001 is the year of gewürztraminer with important silver medals going to 2001 efforts from Thornhaven, Tinhorn Creek and Wild Goose Vineyards.

Finally, last year's red wine of the year producer Tinhorn Creek took home an important medal for its 2001 Chardonnay. All in all, an impressive list of winners that you shouldn't wait too long to buy if you are a fan of tasty B.C. wine.

CANADIAN WINE AWARD WINNERS

Producer: CedarCreek 2000 Estate Select Chardonnay

Price: $19.95

UPC: 777819050044

Score: 14.5/20

Comments: Green peach honey and citrus.

Producer: Mission Hill 2000 Cabernet Merlot

Price: $14.95

UPC: 776545975508

Score: 15/20

Comments: Round, affordable and tasty.

Producer: Mission Hill 2001 Pinot Blanc

Price: $12.95

UPC: 776545005007

Score: 15/20

Comments: Bright peach and tangerine fruit.

Producer: Inniskillin Okanagan 2000 Merlot Bull Pine Vineyard

Price: $16.95

UPC: 620654990061

Score: 15.5/20

Comments: Full-bodied, dense dinner red.

Producer: Hawthorne 2001 Chardonnay

Price: $12.95

UPC: 624738186777

Score: 15.5/20

Comments: Fruity and oaky, but well balanced.

Producer: Quails' Gate 2000 Limited Reserve Pinot Noir

Price: $17.99

UPC: 778856202205

Score: 15.5/20

Comments: Bright cherry jam, smoke and vanilla.