Kelowna vineyard wins major national award

The family-owned CedarCreek Estate Winery has received a prestigious award.

The Kelowna vineyard, which has been producing wines in the area for over 40 years, was named winery of the year at the 2022 WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada, beating out 250 other wineries.

“Congratulations to the team at CedarCreek for this incredible achievement recognizing your hard work and skill in producing delicious wines,” said Agriculture and Food Minister, Lana Popham.

“Family-owned and operated wineries are at the heart of many B.C. communities, and I want to thank the B.C. wineries that participated in this national competition, showcasing B.C.wines and their well-earned reputation on a national stage.”

The winery that overlooks Okanagan Lake has shifted to regenerative farming and 100 per cent organic winemaking.

“Winning the WineAlign winery of the year title is a reflection of all our hard work and the changes we have made to maximize the potential of our vineyards,” said Taylor Whelan, winemaker at CedarCreek.

“As a result, we’ve seen dramatic increases in soil quality and corresponding improvements in vine health that are ultimately expressed in the quality of our wines that are the best we have ever produced at CedarCreek.”

This is the third time the Ecocert certified organic vineyard won the winery of the year award. CedarCreek’s previous wins came in 2005 and 2001.

Six other B.C. wineries, a majority of which were from the Okanagan, also raked in the top 10 at the awards.

Spearhead Winery of Kelowna was third, while also earning the award for Best-Performing Small Winery; Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in Kelowna placed fourth; La Frenz Estate Winery from Penticton was fifth; Black Hills Estate Winery of Oliver placed seventh; Fort Berens Estate Winery from Lillooet was eighth; and Bordertown Vineyards and Estate Winery of Osoyoos placed ninth.