South Okanagan family wins wine industry recognition award

Wine growers from across the nation gathered in the Okanagan for the industry’s annual recognition awards on Tuesday night.

Among the winners at the event held in Penticton, B.C., was the Wyse family, owner/operators of Burrowing Owl Estate Winery in Oliver.

The family won the Canadian wine industry’s Award of Distinction for their many years of work.

According to the organizers, the award “is regarded as the highest form of peer recognition in the Canadian wine industry.”

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“The Wyse family’s unwavering focus on premium quality wines, along with their pioneering commitment to the environment, has made an enduring mark on the BC wine industry,” said Wine Growers Canada president and CEO Dan Paszkowski.

“The dedication of three generations of their family to an innovative, energy-efficient winery, a culinary and wine tourism destination and to the conservation of the burrowing owl, their winery namesake, leaves a huge legacy on the wider wine industry in British Columbia and across Canada.”

Family member Chris Wyse told Global News that the award is “really a testament to my parents who started the business in in the 1990s with a dream to bring to the Okanagan, a hospitality concept, and ultra-premium wines.

“I think it’s recognition of their success and their achievements.”

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The other award winners were:

• Canadian Wine industry champion award: author Natalie MacLean
• The Karl Kaiser Canadian winemaker award: Gina Haverstock of Nova Scotia
• Wine Growers British Columbia leadership excellence award: Severine Pinte of Enotecca Wineries and Resorts.
• Wine Growers British Columbia ultimate B.C. wine ambassador award: Bram Bolwijn of Iconic Wineries of BC
• Wine Growers British Columbia master marketer award: Kayla Bordignon of UncorkBC
• The awards were hosted by Wine Growers of Canada and Wine Growers British Columbia.

“People are the foundation of the wine industry,” said Wine Growers BC president and CEO Miles Prodan, “and we are honoured to be able to bring the wine community together to celebrate our collective accomplishments and raise a glass to those who have gone above and beyond to amplify our industry.”