Vote for your Best of BC Wine Country Awards with Wines of British Columbia!

 

 

The British Columbia Wine Institute officially launches its inaugural Best of BC Wine Country Awards 2017 on July 26, inviting the public to vote on their favourite BC wine experiences through an online survey and find the Best of BC Wine Country this wine touring season.

 

The Best of BC Wine Country is a crowd-sourced online survey that will generate authentic recommendations from the public on a variety of “Best of” categories relating to BC Wine & Culinary Tourism: Best BC VQA Wine; Best Culinary; Best Experience; Best Atmosphere.

 

“We are excited to launch the Best of BC Wine Country Awards to highlight the many ways to enjoy our diverse wine region, and encourage visitors to vote on their favourite experiences while touring BC wineries this summer,” notes Kim Barnes marketing director of the BC Wine Institute. “Whether it’s for the wine experience, the local culinary, culture, art, the people or the scenic views, there are so many reasons to visit BC Wine Country. We want to know first hand from winery-goers what keeps bringing them back.”

 

From the coastal regions of Vancouver Island, the Gulf Islands and Fraser Valley, to regions with desert-like conditions including the Okanagan Valley and Similkameen Valley, have your say on what makes BC an award-winning touring destination with The Best of BC Wine Country Awards 2017. The best things to taste, the best places to visit, the best moments to savour, the best places to take someone from out-of-town…vote for your top picks from the wineries of British Columbia from July 26 through August 15, 2017.

 

The word is out there, BC is producing world-class wine and its wine regions are making top destination lists among national and international travel experts, as most recently featured on USA Today‘s Ten Best Wine Regions of the World.

BC wineries are expanding their wine touring experiences to include everything from on-site restaurants, shops and accommodation, seasonal locally-sourced food pairings, art and yoga classes in the vineyards, cooking classes, vineyard tours, concerts, aboriginal cultural experiences, festivals and more.

“We are already prepping for our annual tailgate party on September 9, with distinctive wines from 28 renowned wineries, local talented chefs’ cuisine and live music.” says Tina Baird of the Naramata Bench Wineries Association. “This year we salute Canada’s 150th and invite guests to kick up their heels in their most colourful gumboots to strut the “back to our roots” theme to celebrate Naramata wine culture and the coming of harvest.”

Each Tuesday until the end of September the wineries of the Westside Wine Trail will pour a different featured wine for #TuesdaySips. “It is an excellent way for visitors to discover a new wine, break out of their comfort zone and explore the different wine-making styles and varieties that are available in the Okanagan.” says Salina Curtis of the Westside Wine Trail in Kelowna.

With 276 BC wineries open to the public, 43 winery restaurants throughout the province and award-winning wines available in your backyard, now’s your time to tell the world which are your favourites.

Awards are presented for the Okanagan Valley, Similkameen Valley, Fraser Valley, Vancouver Island, Gulf Islands and Emerging Regions. Winners will be published on WineBC.com on September 6, 2017.

Vote for your Best of BC Wine Country here: Best of BC Wine Country 2017

Plan your next trip to BC Wine Country here: Explore.winebc.com

 

About The British Columbia Wine Institute: 

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 exceptional wine tourism experiences. The BCWI markets the wine and regions of BC; delivers quality trade, media and consumer tastings; and acts as the voice of BC’s wine industry by advocating to government on behalf of industry that contributes $2.8 billion in provincial economic growth annually.

The BCWI represents all wineries in British Columbia to grow the premium market share for the Wines of British Columbia, while driving awareness of our world-class wines and tourism product – currently drawing 1,000,000 visitors with $600 million in tourism and tourism employment related economic impact every year. For more information about BC Wine Institute’s programs and services, please visit: WineBC.com.

For details on BC VQA and the Wines of British Columbia, go to WineBC.com or WineBC.org, like the Wines of British Columbia Facebook page and follow @WineBCdotcom on Twitter and Instagram.