Forbidden Fruit Winery in Cawston has become the first winery in the Pacific Northwest to win top medals in both the grape wine and the fruit wine categories in the same competition.
This unique distinction came about when Forbidden Fruit won two double platinum awards at the prestigious Winepress Northwest Platinum Judging held recently in Kenniwick, Wash. The first double platinum medal was awarded to Forbidden Fruit’s 2013 Caught – Apricot Mistelle, a soft apricot liqueur, the judges described as “dangerously delicious.” The second award was won by the winery’s 2011 Earth Series merlot, a classic French style merlot, described as full of raspberry, chocolate and exotic spices. The apricot wine was the only fruit wine honoured with the double platinum in the competition and the merlot was the only red grape wine from B.C. to receive a double platinum. The winery also received double gold medals for their 2013 Cherysh – Cherry Rose’ and the 2012 Impearfection – Asian Pear Late Harvest. Forbidden Fruit is no stranger to winning top awards having previously picked up Best Of British Columbia 2010 (NWWS), the Best Fruit Wine in Canada 2011 (CWA), double gold – Best of Class Sauvignon Blanc 2012 (ACWC), and a myriad of gold and double gold medals for both their grape and fruit wines, both nationally and internationally.
“We are so pleased and honored to bring these awards home to the Valley,” said owner and co-winemaker Steve Venables. “Our focus from day one has been to produce wines that deliver the utmost enjoyable drinking experience and we are thrilled to receive this recognition for our efforts.” Venables and his partner, Kim Brind’Amour have been farming organically on their pristine sloping hillside alongside the Similkameen River for nearly 40 years.
“Call it terroir, for sure the organics and our passion.” said Brind’Amour. “It’s all part of our winemaking style. But these awards don’t just highlight us, they go a long way in promoting the superb wine industry we have here in the Similkameen Valley.”
The Winepress Northwest Platinum Judging is an elite competition that selects only gold medal winning wines to enter and compete against each other. Of all the gold medal wines entered in this year’s competition only five per cent received double platinum awards.
The competition is also called The Best of the Best in the Pacific Northwest and includes wineries from Washington State, Oregon, Idaho and B.C.
Forbidden Fruit Winery is a family-owned and run boutique winery located at the very southern end of the Similkameen Valley. The winery is located on Ven’Amour Organic Farms, a certified organic tree fruit farm,
“We are very excited to celebrate our 10th anniversary when we open again this spring and what a better way to celebrate than by pouring our award winning wines for our visitors,” said Brind’Amour.
