Okanagan Wine Festivals Society has announced this year's winners for the British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards. The competition featured 26 different varietal categories, with over 550 wines entered. Fourteen respected judges narrowed the selection down to 141 finalists with one overall clear winner being declared the best in each category. New this year, wines were separated into price categories; with an Under $19 and Over $19 category for white varietals and an Under $25 and Over $25 category for red varietals where there was a minimum of 10 entries per price category within each varietal.

“The Best of Varietal Wine Awards is the first major Provincial Wine Competition of the year and really signals the start of the wine touring season in the Okanagan and Similkameen Valleys,” said Luke Whittall, Board Member, and Judging Chair, The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society. “It was an honor to have such a talented, knowledgeable, and diverse group of judges participate in this year’s competition. We are very fortunate to have this high level of talent selecting the stand-out wines for this year’s Best of Varietal, especially with the spectacular run of vintages, the competition to be the best could not have been any tougher.” The British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards are open to all licensed British Columbia wineries that use 100% fruit grown in the province

The winner of British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards coveted Wine of the Year went to Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery – Mystic River Gewürztraminer, 2016

Here are all the award winners for the 2017 British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards:

Best Cabernet Franc

Bench 1775 Winery – Cabernet Franc 2013

Best Cabernet Sauvignon

Nk’Mip Cellars Winery – Qwam Qwmt Cabernet Sauvignon 2014

Best Chardonnay $19 and Over

50th Parallel Estate – Chardonnay 2015

Best Chardonnay Under $19

Nk’Mip Cellars Winery – Chardonnay 2015

Best Dessert Style Wine

Northern Lights Estate Winery – Seduction 2016

Best Gewürztraminer

Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery – Mystic River Gewürztraminer 2016

Best Icewine

Volcanic Hills Estate Winery – Riesling Icewine 2014

Best Merlot

Cassini Cellars – Nobilus 2013

Best Pinot Blanc

Kraze Legz Vineyard & Winery – Skaha Vineyard Pinot Blanc 2016

Best Pinot Gris $19 and Over

Hillside Winery – Unoaked Pinot Gris 2016

Best Pinot Gris Under $19

Arrowleaf Cellars – Pinot Gris 2016

Best Pinot Noir $25 and Over

Privato Vineyard and Winery – Grandé Reserve Pinot Noir 2012

Best Pinot Noir Under $25

Arrowleaf Cellars – Pinot Noir 2015

Best Red Blend Other - $25 and Over

Cassini Cellars – Quattro Collector’s Series 2012

Best Red Blend Other - Under $25

Monte Creek Ranch Winery – Hands Up Red 2015

Best Meritage Blend $25 and Over

Sandhill Vineyards Estate Wines – Small Lots Two 2014

Best Meritage Blend Under $25

Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery – Red Horizon 2014

Best Riesling $19 and Over

Kitsch Wines – Riesling 2015

Best Riesling Under $19

Arrowleaf Cellars – Riesling 2016

Best Rosé $19 and Over

Tinhorn Creek Vineyards – Oldfield Reserve Rosé 2016

Best Rosé Under $19

Arrowleaf Cellars – Rosé 2016

Best Sauvignon Blanc

Gehringer Brothers Estate Winery – Dry Rock Vineyards Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Best Single Red Varietal Other - $25 and over

Blasted Church Vineyards – Holy Moly 2014

Best Single Red Varietal Other - Under $25

Thornhaven Estates Winery – Pinot Meunier 2014

Best Single White Varietal Other - $19 and Over

Wild Goose Vineyards & Winery – Morio & Friends Muscat 2016

Best Single White Varietal Other - Under $19

Inniskillin Okanagan – Chenin Blanc 2016

Best Sparkling

Noble Ridge Vineyard and Winery – The One 2012

Read More at source: Kelowna now