Record Number of Entries for Okanagan Festival Wine Competition

RECORD NUMBER OF ENTRIES AT THE OKANAGAN FALL WINE FESTIVAL JUDGING COMPETITION
(Directly from the Press Release.)
 
The 2008 Okanagan Fall Wine Judging Competition kicks off today with a record 425+ wines entered into B.C.’s foremost and oldest wine judging competition. The Okanagan Wine Judging is run by the Okanagan Wine Festivals Society and occurs during the annual Okanagan Fall Wine Festival –one of the Top 100 Events in North America. The Competition awards medals to Okanagan wines worthy of recognition and medals are awarded in the categories of Gold, Silver and Bronze. Wineries that consistently win awards elsewhere are expected to do well in their own region and the pressure is strong for the wineries to win medals.
 
Rhys Pender, Owner of Wine Plus+ and Judging Chair for the Okanagan Wine Festivals Judging Competitions is not surprised by the growth of entries into the Okanagan Fall Wine Judging. “With 87 member wineries vying for medals, this competition is recognized by our member wineries as a major benchmark to measure the quality of their wines as judged by eight of the most respected wine judges in North America. I wish all wineries well in their quest to show their best.”
 
The 2008 Okanagan Fall Wine Judging takes place at the Cove Lakeside Resort in Westbank Monday October 6 through Wednesday October 8 with the Gold, Silver and Bronze medals handed at on Friday October 10 at the 28th annual “Lunch with a Winemaker” held at the Penticton Trade and Convention Centre.
 
The backbone of any reputable Wine Judging is the quality of the judges and this year is no exception to the level of professionalism that the Competition has established over the years.  This year’s wine judges are:
 
Tim Pawsey from Vancouver, British Columbia - Tim is a Vancouver based food and wine journalist who aspires to make wine less intimidating to consumers. He has covered the resurgence of the British Columbia wine industry and growth of B.C.'s regional cuisine.  Well known to Vancouver Courier and North Shore News readers for his wide ranging food and wine columns and weekly wine picks, he also pens a monthly column for WHERE Vancouver and is a contributing editor to Northwest Palate magazine.
 
Barbara Philip from Vancouver, British Columbia - Barbara was the first Western Canadian to achieve the Master of Wine designation and is the only female Master of Wine in Canada.  Working from Vancouver, Barbara is Curriculum Department Head for the International Sommelier Guild and currently teaches in Las Vegas and San Diego.  Barbara is a guest instructor for the Wine and Spirit Education Trust Level. Other 2008 guest appearances include moderator for the Tête à tête Champagne tasting at the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival, presenter for the Vinho Verde Commission in Vancouver and Calgary, and panelist at VieVinum in Vienna. Barbara is also a judge for the Vancouver Magazine Awards and the Decanter World Wine Awards in London.
 
Park Heffelfinger from Vancouver, British Columbia – Park is well know to the BC wine industry having been a pioneer in retail wines and is co-founder of the Vancouver Wine Academy. Park continued his love of wine and food by founding the popular restaurant chain Memphis Blues and remains one of the strongest advocates for BC wines anywhere.
 
Coke Roth from Tri-Cities, Washington – Coke is one of the most famous American wine judges on the continent. When not practicing law in Washington State, he judges at every major wine judging competition in North America and returns this year with the belief that the wines of the Okanagan are certainly amongst the best in the world.
 
Sara d’Amato from Toronto, Ontario – Sara is Sommelier for Toronto’s only CAA/AAA Five Diamond restaurant – Truffles - at the Four Seasons Hotel. In addition to her work at the Four Seasons, d’Amato is an active participant in the Toronto wine community. She was the Grand Award Winner of the 2006 Renaissance Wine Tasting Challenge administered by Brock University. Recently, Ms. D’Amato starred in CBC’s Wine Confidential, part of the station’s Confidential TV series. She is currently a columnist to the national wine publication, Vines Magazine.

Tony Parsons from Vancouver, British Columbia – Tony is one of the most recognized television personalities in British Columbia as he has been the longest serving TV News Anchor – 32 years – for Global BC making the News Hour the most-watched, English-language newscast in Canada, and the second most-watched in North America. Tony has been the recipient of various awards including the Lifetime Achievement Award by the Jack Webster Foundation, the Queen's 50th annual award, Italian Man of the Year by the Brotherhood Interfaith Society, Broadcaster of the Year by the BCAB and has been given the prestigious RTNDA Presidents Award. Tony is an avid wine lover and ambassador of British Columbia wines.

Jay Drysdale from Oliver, British Columbia – Jay brings a wealth of industry knowledge with over 15 years of experience.  He completed his Sommelier degree in 2002 and as GM and Sommelier of the Toasted Oak Wine Bar and Grill he successfully put the local restaurant on the international wine map while at the same time launching the latest VQA Store in Oliver BC.  At the end of 2007 Jay put the restaurant life behind him and is now the VQA Liaison for the BC Wine Institute working with the 20 VQA stores in the province, focusing on sales and education.  Jay continues to be a wine judge, freelance writer and educator as he keeps his finger on the pulse of the BC wine industry.

Mark Filatow from Kelowna, British Columbia – Mark brings close to 20 years of industry experience to the culture of wine.  After graduating from the Dubrelle Culinary Institute, he worked at the Wickaninnish Inn, Bishops and Diva at the Met. Accepted into the International Sommelier Guild in 2001, Mark established himself in the interior of British Columbia as Sous Chef at Fresco Restaurant in Kelowna. He opened Waterfront Wines Urban Eats & Drinks in the fall of 2004 and has been recognized for innovation and quality with awards from Enroute Magazine as ‘One of Canada’s Best New Restaurants’, and by an Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator Magazine. Following the success of the restaurant, Mark’s latest endeavour, Seasons Catering, focuses on bringing his style and imagination to events, large and small, all over the Okanagan.

For more information on the 28th Okanagan Fall Wine Judging Competition or the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, please contact www.thewinefestivals or info@thewinefestivals.com or on your mobile at www.owfs.mobi or call 250-861-6654.