Winners announced for the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines

2011 BC Lieutenant Governor's Awards of Excellence winners, Tim Pawsey photo

VICTORIA – The winners have been chosen for the 2011 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines. This year 309 wines were submitted from 83 wineries across the province. The winners are:

• Howling Bluff Estate Winery 2009 Pinot Noir

• Laughing Stock Vineyards 2010 Pinot Gris

• Mt. Lehman Winery 2009 Viognier Reserve

• Quinta Ferreira Estate Winery 2008 Syrah

• Red Rooster Winery 2008 Meritage

• Sandhill Wines 2009 Small Lots Syrah

• St. Hubertus and Oak Bay Estate Winery 2009 Dry Riesling

• Stoneboat Vineyards 2009 Pinot Noir

• Sumac Ridge Estate Winery 2006 Steller’s Jay Brut

• Volcanic Hills Estate Winery 2010 Rosé

• Wild Goose Vineyards and Winery 2010 Mystic River Pinot Blanc

The Lieutenant Governor will visit the winning wineries at the end of July to present the Awards. Members of the Consular Corps of British Columbia will accompany him when he makes these presentations so they can gain knowledge of British Columbia’s renowned wine industry.

All wineries in British Columbia were invited to submit their wines for judging by a panel of wine industry professionals. Wines submitted had to be from 100% British Columbian grown grapes and produced in province to be eligible. For more information visit www.ltgov.bc.ca.

We’re traveling, so this is the Government House press release reprinted in its entirety. Overall, we think it’s a satisfying spread of wineries, along with some now familiar names and wines, such as Sandhill Small Lots Syrah, which is a perennial winner in so many competitions, and deservedly so, although the nature of the competition is not to single out any one particular winery / entry. It’s good to see the likes of Mount Lehman, St. Hubertus and Volcanic Hills in here as well.

Congratulations to all the award winners of what is—with this year over 300 entries just 11 awards—one of the toughest contests on the calendar.—TP

P.S. Get some insights into judging this and other competitions here.

About the Author: Tim Pawsey

Tim has been covering the food and wine revolution for about 20 kilos. Count 15 kg alone thanks to the blossoming cuisine and wine culture of British Columbia, Canada. His awards include: BC Restaurant Assn. Hall of Fame, Okanagan Wine Festivals Harry McWatters Founder's Award, BC Wine Growers Industry Recognition Award, Vancouver International Wine Festival Spirited Industry Professional award. Tim’s hallmark is seeking out and recommending value wines from BC and around the world that offer quality at every level. He also scopes out noteworthy restaurants that live up to their promises—and often over deliver. For several decades Tim wrote columns in the Vancouver Courier and North Shore News. He currently contributes to several magazines, including BCLS Taste, Vitis and others. Tim is a frequent judge for wine competitions and was a founding judge of The BC Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in Wine. He is frequently invited to judge at The BC Wine Awards, and others. Tim has traveled to taste in many of the world’s leading wine regions, across Europe, in North America, Argentina and Chile, Australia and New Zealand, and South Africa.