Prunings
total of 230 wineries—the most yet—took part in this year’s 16th annual Wine Align National Wine Awards, with judges taste-testing more than 1,500 wines from all over the country in Penticton this summer. Although the top winery award went to Tawse Winery of Ontario for the fourth time, little Lake Breeze Vineyards in Naramata took the award as Canada’s 2016 Best Performing Small Winery of the Year and also Best Winery in B.C. Although it has prospered under four different owners since it was founded 20 years ago, each vintage has been made by the same winemaker, president Garron Elmes. Current owners are Barbara and Drew MacIntyre of Calgary, who have owned it for the past 15 years. Selected third in the list of top Canadian wineries, based on the number of medals they won in the annual national awards, was Road 13 Vineyards of Oliver, while fifth was Meyer Family Vineyards of Okanagan Falls, sixth was SpierHead Winery of Kelowna and ninth was The Hatch in West Kelowna. Back to the Naramata Bench for the national 11th place winner, La Frenz, followed by Moon Curser Vineyards of Osoyoos in 12th place, then Church and State Wines of Oliver in 14th place and Kelowna’s CedarCreek Estate Winery in 17th place. Burrowing Owl Estate Winery of Oliver placed 19th, Gray Monk Estate Wineryof Lake Country was 20th, Blasted Church of Okanagan Falls was 22nd, and Quails’ Gate Estate Winery of West Kelowna placed
24th.This year a record number of awards were presented, with 16 Platinum, 103 Gold, 454 Silver and 190 Bronze... At this year’s AGM of the New Variety Development Council, elected for the coming year were: Raj Bagha, Steve Brown, Bruce Currie, Linda Edwards, Tom Kinvig, Tahir Raza, Julie Sardinha and Bob Thompson.Wilf Mennell was appointed as the Ambrosia Variety Owner representative and Jim Campbell has been engaged as part- time administrator for the council. Ambrosia growers voted earlier this year to approve continuing to pay a levy based on production to go towards promotion of the brand...
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The B.C. Wine Institute board held annual elections this summer too. Elected were David Wilson from Mission Hill Family Estate Winery, Leo Gebert from St. Hubertus and Oak Bay
British Columbia FRUIT GROWER • Fall 2014 19
Estate Winery, Robert Heiss from Gray Monk Estate Winery and Anthony Holler from Poplar Grove Winery. Outgoing directors Christina Ferreira of Squeezed Wines, Duncan McCowan of Hillside Winery, Charlie Baessler of the B.C. Grapegrowers’ Association and Douglas Friend were thanked for their contributions to the board, along with outgoing director and chair Shaun Everest, an independent. Christa-Lee McWatters Bond is the new board chair. Continuing their terms on the board are Greg Berti of Andrew Peller, Ezra Cipes of Summerhill Pyramid Winery, Erik Fisher of Monte Creek Ranch Winery, Josie Tyabji of Constellation Brands and Bond of Evolve Cellars. The 2016BCWI Industry Recognition Award was presented to John Schreiner, B.C.’s most prolific wine writer and an authority on the province’s wines, for his huge contribution to the industry over many years. Tony Stewart, CEO of Quails’ Gate Winery, was presented with the 2016BCWI Award of Distinction for outstanding leadership, commitment and passion for the advancement of the province’s wine industry. As chair of the Canadian Vintners Association, Stewart then presented the 2016 CVA Award of Distinction to Donald Triggs, owner of Culmina Estate Winery in Oliver, for his years of contribution to the industry nationally. The industry champion award went to Shirley-Ann George, founder and president of the Alliance of Canadian Wine Consumers and the FreeMyGrapes initiative... After 50 years working for the B.C. Tree Fruits Co-op, Isabel Roseen of Winfield was recognized this summer by CEO Alan Tyabji and her colleagues at the Kelowna packinghouse, with a celebratory cake during their lunch break. She began in the industry picking
fruit, but went on to work in the packing side of the industry for the Vernon Fruit Union, which later amalgamated with other co-ops in the valley to form BCTFC. In those days, Tyabji recalled, there would have been about 30 such plants throughout the Okanagan Valley that all sold their fruit to B.C. Tree Fruits, the marketing agency, which is now part of the co-op. He talked about teamwork and family and said, “Now we’re all part of one strong community.” He thanked her for her many years of service and commented such long service for one company is rare today. Roseen admitted she’s seen a lot of changes in the industry over five decades, including a gradual automation of many aspects of the packing side of the business, and many ups and downs in the orchard industry. She remembers stamping boxes by hand and the importance of knowing what all the stamps meant so the fruit headed for the right destination; and doing all the sorting by hand instead of machines and lasers doing much of it. She plans to retire this fall...
Best-selling author Julie van Rosendaal has published a book in conjunction with the B.C. Tree Fruits’ Co-operative, which is a collection of tried and true recipes for fresh fruit from the Okanagan. Called Out of the Orchard, it includes recipes for breakfast; muffins and quick breads; appetizers; soups, salads and sides; mains; pies, galettes and tarts; cakes; cookies, crisps and desserts; and preserves. Reading the list of recipes is enough to make you drool with anticipation: Cider-roasted Salmon; Apricot Cherry Slump; Apple Bourbon Sticky Buns; Peach, Plum and Cherry Crumble; Cranberry Pear Ginger Preserves; or Oatmeal Plum Muffins. It’s available at local bookstores or online...
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