BCWI ReleaseMember Release

Geography: Lake Okanagan, at 144 kilometres long and 3.5 kilometres average width, is the source of much-needed water for irrigation for vines in the Okanagan Valley.

Fermentation: The natural process in which yeast converts sugar to alcohol.*

Varietal: When the grape variety in the wine is named on the label (Chardonnay, Merlot), the wine is a varietal.*

Brix: A measure of sugar in grapes: one degree Brix equals 10 grams of sugar per litre. Mature grapes are typically 21 to 25 Brix, equating to 11 to 13 percent alchohol after fermentation.*

Meritage: Rhymes with heritage. A term created in California to identify blends made with Bordeaux grape varieties.*

*Schreiner, John - British Columbia Wine Country, Whitecap Books Ltd., 2003

 
 
  March 9, 2007

BCWI gets nod from membership – BC’s wine industry is set to promote full steam ahead

Forty-five of the BC Wine Institute’s members gathered this week in Penticton to reflect on the past year’s successes and to discuss what’s needed in the years ahead to put BC’s wine industry front and centre with the media and the purchasing public. The BC Wine Institute membership voted swiftly to accept the proposed marketing plan and calendar of events to promote BC VQA wine at home and abroad.

The new calendar inks dates for the popular spring and fall VQA releases and gives support for participation in consumer events such as the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival with the BCWI Food & Wine Our Land Revealed Luncheon on Saturday, March 31st at O’Doul’s Restaurant. The BC Wine Institute will be offering the best and brightest from the current and past vintages, with tickets available at ticketmaster.

The BC Wine Institute membership also accepted and approved the operational budget for the upcoming 2007/2008 fiscal year – locking in the BCWI team into an exciting promotional year ahead for BC wine. The members voted to approve the $1.3 million budget, which will provide funding for the BCWI staff to carry on with its trade association mandate of advocacy and marketing BC’s wine and wine regions. To view the BCWI calendar, please visit www.winebc.com The BC Wine Institute has 57 winery members which represents 95% of total VQA production and 96% of total wine production for the province.

Based in Kelowna, the BCWI promotes the Wines of British Columbia (BC VQA) and the Wine Regions of British Columbia brands.


For further information:
Lindsay Anders, Communications Manager
tel (250) 762-9744 ext. 103 toll-free 1-800-661-2294
landers@winebc.com www.winebc.com

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