Penticton & Wine Country Tourism to Host

The Wine Access 2012 Canadian Wine Awards will be held for the fourth time in Penticton, B.C., Aug. 13 through 16 at the Lakeside Resort, Conference Centre & Casino.

“Penticton & Wine Country is honoured to once again have been selected to host this group of world-class Canadian judges for the Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards,” says Jessie Campbell, CEO of Penticton & Wine Country Tourism. “We look forward to showcasing our growing wine region, in partnership with Penticton’s neighbouring winery associations, to this exceptional group.”

The Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards (CWA) program receives registrations from across the nation, all of which are 100 percent Canadian grown, fermented and bottled. Throughout the week a panel of judges, comprising top wine writers, journalists, sommeliers and buyers from across the country, determines the results of the CWAs, which are then revealed in the December/January issue of Wine Access magazine. The week is nothing less than eventful, complete with highly anticipated evening events throughout the Wine Country region.

“The 2012 Wine Access Canadian Wine Awards are delighted to be heading back to the Okanagan Valley and Penticton, British Columbia, with a record-breaking 1,200-plus entries,” says Anthony Gismondi, Wine Access magazine’s editor-in-chief. “It seems fitting, in a summer dominated by outstanding Olympic performances from Canadian athletes, that so many Canadian wineries have chosen to compete for the coveted Wine Access Canadian Winery of the Year award. Along the way there will be medals — Gold, Silver and Bronze — but just competing says more about your winery than you could imagine,” Gismondi says.

“For 2012, our tasting panel comes from across Canada — from Halifax to Victoria — and the results of their hard work have become an important measuring stick for Canadian winegrowers. At Wine Access, we have done everything we can to provide a national stage for the best wines in the country to excel and, like our subscribers, we can’t wait to see the results.”

For more information about the Wine Access 2012 Canadian Wine Awards, visit wineaccess.ca/cwa. Additional information about Penticton & Wine Country Tourism can be found at tourismpenticton.com.

Photo by Gord Wylie