Blind tasting pits Okanagan wine against the world’s best

SUMMERLAND, B.C. – B.C. wine critics believe the province’s wine is ready to confidently compete on the world stage.

Judgment of B.C., a blind tasting by 31 judges in Summerland Tuesday night, didn’t give B.C. wine the top prize, but they did very well against the best Rieslings and Pinot Noirs in the world.

Kelowna’s Cedar Creek Estate Winery, recently purchased by Mission Hill Family Estate proprietor Anthony von Mandl, took second place among 12 Rieslings with their Block 3 label.

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Among the Pinot Noirs, Summerland winery Haywire’s 2014 Canyonview was chosen fourth best behind wines from France, Oregon, and New Zealand.

In all, Canadian judges chose between 12 B.C. wines and 12 global benchmark wines.

“The results today prove we’re on the right track,” said wine critic Anthony Gismondi, who was also a judge, on comparing B.C. wine with the best in the world.

“We, of course, would undersell our ability worldwide because we’re young. But I think those days are gone.”

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“These kind of tastings are more useful for feedback to wineries saying ‘you’re in the game,'” Gismondi said. “Once you’re in the game then it’s up to you to raise your game and go for it.”

The blind tasting event is a precursor to the 16th annual Wine Align awards in the South Okanagan this week which will see the judges taste more than 1,500 Canadian wines.