BCWI ReleaseMember Release

History: In 1931, Calona Vineyards opened as the first commercial winery in the Okanagan.

Varietals: 49% of British Columbia’s wines are white. 51% are red. In the last acreage survey conducted, 97.1% of the yield was from vinifera grapes and 2.9% from hybrids.

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

Botrytis: A fungus that attacks grape skins. In favourable conditions, it dehydrates grapes, allowing the production of intense dessert wines.*

Awards: In 1994, Mission Hill Grand Reserve Chardonnay 1992 won the Avery Trophy for “Best Chardonnay Worldwide” at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London—the first major award win of the new era of BC winemaking.

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

 
 
  October 2, 2009

Olympic Wine Pairing Highlighted at 2009 Cornucopia

BC Wine Institute Media Release

October 2, 2009 - FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Olympic Wine Pairing Highlighted at 2009 Cornucopia


Cornucopia 2009, Whistler’s Food & Wine Celebration, will showcase BC VQA Wines like never before in preparation for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games.

In 2010, it is not just Vancouver and Whistler that have the opportunity to showcase themselves to the world, but all of British Columbia. Not only can we showcase our natural beauty and cultural diversity, but also our local food, and our local wine. Amongst the 97 participants to be showcased at Cornucopia, are 23 participating BC Wineries.

To highlight the Wines of BC, the BC Wine Institute (BCWI) has planned an important event for restaurant trade in the Whistler area. The Olympic Bootcamp for BC VQA Wines will be held Friday, November 13th - 10:00 am to 11:30 am at the Whistler Conference Centre. The BCWI will be sponsoring this educational seminar to reach out to frontline staff from restaurants, hotels and pubs in Whistler to help them prepare for tourists wishing to eat and drink local. Hosted by renowned wine authority David Scholefield, this seminar will focus on the versatility of BC VQA wines for wine lists and food pairings. Tickets ($25) for this trade-only event can be purchased by calling a whistler.com agent at 1-800-WHISTLER.


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About the BC Wine Institute (BCWI)
The province’s lead wine industry trade association since 1990, the BCWI has played a pivotal role in taking BC’s wine industry from a vision to an internationally-recognized niche region producing premium wines and providing quality wine tourism experiences.

The BCWI markets the Wines of British Columbia (BC VQA) brand and BC’s wine regions; delivers quality trade, media and consumer tastings; and acts as the voice of BC’s wine industry by advocating to government on behalf of its members.

Please visit www.winebc.com for more information.


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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