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Wine Label Awards Added to British Columbia Wine Awards

British Columbia Wine Label Competition Added to Expanded British Columbia Wine Awards in Celebrated Province-wide Contest

KELOWNA, BRITISH COLUMBIA - AUGUST 26, 2013: The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society and the Kelowna Museums Society are delighted to announce the first of its kind partnership that celebrates the infusion of art and wine. This year the British Columbia Wine Awards will also feature the British Columbia Wine Label Awards under the direction of the BC Wine Museum.  These awards honour wineries across the province for their excellence in creativity and ingenuity in wine labeling. The inaugural joint competition is being held in conjunction with the annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, which attracts over 10,000 visitors who enjoy over 150 events throughout the Valley.  

Lesley Moore the Executive Director of the Kelowna Museums Society stated, “The BC Wine Museum at Kelowna Museums is pleased to present its 14th BC Wine Label Awards competition. The awards celebrate the creativity, artistry, sophistication, and ingenuity of wineries across the province in their wine label design, packaging and marketing. The days of simple imagery are long gone as labels now are works of art in their own right."

BC Wine Label entries will be submitted online and will be judged by a panel of experts.  This competition explores the elements of presentation and marketing of wine and the influences affecting the consumer’s choice and buying decision. Judges will base their evaluations on originality, design, colour and text of the label on the bottle or package. In all categories, the judges will look for visually distinct label designs that best reflect the character of the category of wines.

The premier British Columbia wine competition, the British Columbia Wine Awards, is the province’s largest wine competition, which annually receives approximately 600 entries. The contest is open to all British Columbia wineries that use 100% fruit grown in the province. Judging is conducted by a panel of wine professionals from across North America, ranging from wine writers to restaurateurs and wine educators. The judging commences September 28, and takes place over three days at the Penticton Trade & Convention Center featuring the following acclaimed judges:

Ben MacPhee-Sigurdson – Winnipeg - Wine Writer for Winnipeg Free Press;

Brad Royale – Calgary - Sommelier & Wine Director, Canadian Rocky Mountain Resorts;

                Dan Berger - Sonoma County - Wine Writer & Critic;

                Jesse Willis – Calgary – Sommelier & Proprietor, Vine Arts Wine & Spirits;

                Samantha Rahn – Whistler - Wine Director for Araxi Restaurant;

                Sid Cross – Vancouver - Wine Critic;

                Simon Gaudreault – Montreal - Blogger and Writer for SAQ;

Tim Pawsey – Vancouver -  Wine and Food Writer North Shore News, Vancouver Courier;

Treve Ring – Victoria - DRINK Editor, EAT Magazine; BC Regional Editor, SIP Northwest; Wine Judge & Critic, Wine Align

"It's exciting times to be tasting BC wines. Many new producers have come on the scene in the past couple of years, and each awards season brings new surprises. This is also the first glimpse of the terrific 2012 vintage in the BC Wine Awards, so I'm looking forward to tasting a full lineup of entries from across the province,” said Treve Ring, Wine Judge, BC Wine Awards.

“With the top quality wine judges that the Okanagan Wine Festivals is attracting, winning a medal is very reputable and worth its weight in “gold” in the marketplace,“ commented Okanagan Wine Festival Society Member, Roland Kruger, General Manager, Wild Goose Vineyards and Winery.

The wine and labels honours will be handed out at the BC Wine Awards Reception and Tasting Thursday October 3, 2013, from 7-9 pm in Kelowna at the Laurel Heritage Packinghouse, where guests may mix and mingle with winery owners and winemakers and will be the first wine consumers to taste the award winning wines. Tickets are available at selectyourtickets.com or by calling 250-717-5304.  More details are available at: www.thewinefestivals.com.

About Okanagan Wine Festivals Society

The Okanagan Wine Festivals Society is responsible for the development of the wine tourism sector in the interior of British Columbia. It is well known for producing two annual valley Okanagan Wine Festivals in spring to celebrate the bud break and in fall to celebrate the grape harvest. Its Winter Okanagan Wine Festival is run in partnership with Sun Peaks Resort near Kamloops. It is also responsible for Signature Wine Events and two annual wine judging competitions. www.thewinefestivals.com

About the Kelowna Museums Society

The Kelowna Museums Society exists to promote a greater interest and awareness of the natural, cultural, and military heritages of the Okanagan region and of the tree fruit and wine producing development of British Columbia. To this end, the Society manages and maintains four diverse museums that serve as your Kelowna Museums. Located in the heart of Kelowna’s Cultural District, the Kelowna Museums offer a wide selection of exhibitions, public programs, and special events.  www.kelownamuseums.ca

For media inquiries, please contact:

Lori Pike-Raffan, Public Relations Director, Okanagan Wine Festivals Society

[email protected] / 604.808.6655

Lesley Moore, Executive Director, Kelowna Museums Society

[email protected] / 250-763-2417 ext. 23