Okanagan Fall Wine Fest: Shiny Happy Medals

If you traditionally go for the gold, you won't have a shortage of options to choose from Okanagan Fall Wine Festival. A stunning 38 wines were awarded the shiny yellow hardware, while dozens of others won silver and bronze.

And for the first time, the festival awarded three prestigious medals - best white wine, best red and best new winery. Those honours went to Lang Vineyards 2007 Farm Reserve Riesling (white); Sandhill Vineyards 2006 Phantom Creek Vineyards Small Lots Syrah (red); and Dunham and Froese (new winery).

Here's a list of the gold medal wines:

* Burrowing Owl Estate Winery Cabernet Sauvignon 2005
* CedarCreek Estate Winery Ehrenfelser 2007
* CedarCreek Estate Winery Estate Select Meritage 2006
* Church and State Wines Merlot Coyote Bowl Vineyard 2006
* Church and State Wines Syrah 2006
* Desert Hills Winery Gewürztraminer 2007
* Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery “Ogopogo’s Lair” Pinot Grigio 2007
* Ganton & Larson Prospect Winery “Census Count” Chardonnay 2007
* Gray Monk Estate Winery Gewürztraminer 2007
* Hester Creek Estate Winery Pinot Gris 2007
* Inniskillin Okanagan Malbec Discovery Series 2006
* Inniskillin Okanagan Dark Horse Vineyard Riesling Icewine 2007
* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve White Meritage 2007
* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Reserve Shiraz 2006
* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Shiraz 2006
* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Sparkling Riesling Icewine 2007
* Jackson-Triggs Okanagan Proprietors’ Grand Reserve Riesling Icewine 2007
* Lang Vineyards Riesling Farm Reserve 2007
* Nk’Mip Cellars Qwam Qwmt Riesling Icewine 2007
* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Pinot Noir 2006
* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Merlot 2006
* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Syrah 2006
* Peller Estates Winery Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon 2006
* Red Rooster Winery Reserve Merlot 2006
* Road 13 Vineyards Old Vines Chenin Blanc 2007
* Road 13 Vineyards Merlot 2006
* Road 13 Vineyards 5th Element Red 2006
* Sandhill Wines Small Lots Syrah Phantom Creek Vineyard 2006
* Sandhill Wines Cabernet Franc Sandhill Estate Vineyard 2006
* See Ya Later Ranch Chardonnay 2007
* See Ya Later Ranch Riesling 2007
* Soaring Eagle Gewürztraminer Icewine 2007
* Sumac Ridge Estate Winery Pinnacle 2005
* Summerhill Pyramid Winery Cipes Gabriel Blanc de Blanc NV
* Therapy Chardonnay 2007
* Tinhorn Creek Vineyards Cabernet Franc 2006
* Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Pinot Blanc 2007
* Wild Goose Vineyards Mystic River Gewürztraminer 2007

For a list of the silver and bronze recipients visit: http://www.owfs.com/festivals/Judging%20Awards.pdf