CANADA. The winemaker at Inniskillin Okanagan has been awarded a coveted Citadelles Trophy and the Canadian Special Prize at Les Citadelles du Vin wine competition in Bordeaux, France. The winning wine was Inniskillin Okanagan’s Dark Horse Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2002.
This year 1,353 wines from over 20 countries entered Les Citadelles du Vin. Some 64 trophies and 16 special country prizes were awarded at a ceremony held at Vinexpo Bordeaux on 18 June 2005.
“Having won Vinexpo’s coveted Grand Prix d’Honneur award back in 1991 and the Best Sweet Wine award in Vinexpo’s Découvertes competition in 2003 for our Icewine, this is a great accomplishment for the table wines of the Okanagan Valley, which were created by our winemaker, Sandor Mayer,” said Inniskillin Co-Founder Donald Ziraldo.
Earlier this spring the winery also won a Great Gold medal at the Concours Mondial de Bruxelles competition for its Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards Bear Cub Zinfandel 2003, and two gold medals at the Austrian Wine Challenge in Vienna.
Sandor Mayer, General Manager and Winemaker at Inniskillin Okanagan Estate, said: “I am extremely delighted to receive this prize from this prestigious competition. The grapes were grown on our estate in the Dark Horse Vineyard and this trophy proves the potential of the site and the ability of the Okanagan Valley to produce world class wines.”
About Inniskillin Wines
Inniskillin is one of the best-known success stories in Canada. Co-founded in 1975 by Karl Kaiser and Donald Ziraldo, the winery pioneered the production of premium quality VQA wines and is also recognised for its internationally acclaimed Icewine. Inniskillin has estate wineries in both the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia and in the Niagara Peninsula in Ontario, where it produces distinctive estate wines that rank among the world’s finest. For details, visit www.inniskillin.com
MORE STORIES ON INNISKILLIN
Inniskillin supremo scoops prestigious wine award – 09/02/05
Sweet victory for Inniskillin Vidal Icewine at London’s International Wine Challenge – 06/09/2004
