Results are in for 2018 BC Best of Varietal Wine Awards
[Okanagan, BC] ENCORE Vineyards is proud to share that Summerland’s Evolve Cellars’ Riesling 2016 ($19) has won BC Wine of the Year at this year’s British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards, presented by Okanagan Wine Festival.
A classic Riesling that is well-balanced with stone fruit, floral notes and a touch of honey, this fruit-forward and approachable Riesling 2016 stood out as The Best in a vigorous competition with 571 other BC wines that were entered for judging.
This year’s competition saw a record number of 572 wines entered into the competition that featured 34 varietal categories. A well-respected panel of 18 judges narrowed the selection down to 141 finalists with one winner titled as The Best in each category.
While Evolve Cellars’ Riesling 2016 won the overall most prestigious title in this year’s competition, other wines from Evolve Cellars and Penticton’s TIME Winery also took home Gold and Silver medals.
Winning results for ENCORE Vineyards:
- BC Wine of the Year- Evolve Cellars Riesling 2016 ($19)
- Riesling $19 & Under (Best in Category)– Evolve Cellars Riesling 2016 ($19)
- Riesling Over $19 (Gold Medal)– TIME Winery Riesling 2017 ($23)
- Sparkling (Silver Medals)– Evolve Cellars Frizzante 2017 ($20) and Evolve Cellars Pink Effervesence N/V ($20)
- White Blend Over $19 (Best in Category)– TIME Winery White Meritage 2017 ($25)
Full results for 2018 British Columbia Best of Varietal Wine Awards available online.
“With the talent in our BC wine industry, the quality of BC wines continue to increase. This makes us especially thrilled to have won Wine of the Year in addition to other awards for both TIME Winery and Evolve Cellars. We thank the judges and our BC wine community for your support. Let us raise a glass to you!” –Christa-Lee McWatters, marketing director, ENCORE Vineyards.
ABOUT ENCORE VINEYARDS:
ENCORE Vineyards Ltd. is a progressive Okanagan-based wine company that owns and manages TIME Winery, Evolve Cellars, and the McWatters Collection. The experience of the ENCORE Vineyards team is unmatched in the Canadian wine industry landscape.
TIME winery is a fully operational winery, tasting bar, and guest experience centre located in the heart of wine country in downtown Penticton. The McWatters Collection is a small, exclusive offering of wines; a legacy label that celebrates the McWatters family and its role in forming the BC wine industry, and Evolve Cellars offers approachable, bright, delicious and affordable wines at a welcoming guest experience at its stunning, lakefront Summerland location.
The team is led by president and CEO Harry McWatters, a 50-vintage veteran of the BC wine industry. Christa-Lee McWatters (daughter) is the director of sales and marketing while Darren McWatters (son) oversees company logistics.
