Coinciding with the Okanagan Fall Wine Festival, Kelowna International Airport (YLW) will showcase the 2012 Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines by having them on display in the airport’s Departure area.
“We are pleased to help celebrate B.C. wines,” said Jenelle Hynes, YLW spokesperson. “With our own VQA wine shop in Departures this was a great tie-in to bring in the Lieutenant Governor’s award-winning wines and display them at YLW. Now, as our guests fly from our airport they will have one more opportunity to view some of the best wines made in our region.”
As the representative of the Crown in British Columbia, the Lieutenant Governor is responsible for upholding the constitutional framework of the province, for celebrating, inspiring and connecting British Columbians and for profiling excellence and promoting the history, culture and achievements of the British Columbia and its people.
In 2003, the Lieutenant Governor’s Awards for Excellence in British Columbia Wines were established by then-Lieutenant Governor Iona Campagnolo to recognize and honour excellence in the province’s growing wine industry.
To be eligible for the competition, wines must be made from 100 per cent grapes grown and processed within British Columbia. Wineries may enter up to four wines in the competition. A tasting panel of distinguished wine judges and critics selects eight to 12 wines that, in their view, have achieved “excellence.”
As the competition has evolved, the judges have noted the growing overall quality of B.C. wines and the selection has become more difficult. The Lieutenant Governor visits the winning wineries and personally presents the awards each summer.
