Congratulations to 2009 LG wine award winners

July 30, 2009 Mike Klassen

Lt. Governor's entourage visit Wild Goose Winery

We were visiting Wild Goose in Okanagan Falls on Monday when Winemaker Hagen Krueger mentioned that they were getting another BC Lieutenant Governor's award for their wine (2008 Pinot Gris). Each year we visit the Okanagan we seem to have a brush with "the LG" and his entourage.

The annual awards for excellence in BC wine were begun by BC's previous LG, the Honourable Iona Campagnolo. Her Italian-Canadian heritage played a part no doubt in the award's creation. Both she and now Lt. Governor Stephen L. Point have reputations of being extremely down to earth despite their high office.

Today we were visiting Stoneboat Winery on the Black Sage Bench and saw the preparations for the arrival of the LG and a party of 30, mainly consular dignitaries bussed in from Vancouver. Stoneboat gave their usual friendly counter service during our pours despite the butterflies and last-minute preps required for this big day.

We've got to know many of the award winners over the years, and we salute them all for their success. Here is the LG's 2009 list of awards:

2009

Bounty Cellars
2007 Pinot Blanc

Cedar Creek Estate Winery
2006 Platinum Reserve

Church & State Wines
2006 Syrah

Howling Bluff Estate Wines
2006 Pinot Noir

JoieFarm Wines
2007 Reserve Chardonnay
2008 Riesling

Peller Estates Winery
2007 Private Reserve Pinot Noir

Road 13 Vineyards
2006 Fifth Element Red Blend

Sandhill Wines
2007 Small Lots Syrah

See Ya Later Ranch
2008 Gewurztraminer

Stoneboat Vineyards
2007 Pinotage

Wild Goose Vineyards
2008 Pinot Gris

Author

Mike Klassen

Mike is a communications and public affairs professional in addition to being a BC wine industry booster. He and his wife Stacey launched the BC Wine Lover brand in 2007 to share stories about their experiences with people, places and wines on their BC wine country travels. In 2015, Mike was hired as Executive Director of the BC Wine Appellation Task Group, and undertook a comprehensive industry-wide consultation involving hundreds of stakeholders to reform regulations governing wine-making in B.C. The resulting recommendations were overwhelmingly endorsed through a plebiscite, and are leading to the creation of new sub-appellations in the province. In addition to his blog, Mike’s articles on BC wine have been featured in Huffington Post, Vancity Buzz (now Daily Hive), and Vancouver Sun. Mike now works for BC Care Providers Association as Vice President, Communications and Stakeholder Relations, and continues to be engaged on the future of Canada’s wine industry.