Vancouver International Wine Festival 2013 Trade Award Winners

VIWFawards

Vancouver, BC, March 1, 2013 — The Vancouver International Wine Festival, presented by The Vancouver Sun, announced this year’s trade competition winners at Celebrating Excellence: The 10th Annual Awards Lunch, presented by ContainerWorld Forwarding Services Inc., on Friday, March 1, 2013. The awards, which are sponsored by W. H. Puddifoot Ltd., honoured those professionals who contribute to our region’s exceptional wine and food culture. Guests enjoyed lunch prepared by Vancouver Convention Centre executive chef Blair Rasmussen and toasted winners with wines from California, this year’s festival theme region.

SPIRITED INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL (SIP) AWARD

The Spirited Industry Professional Award honours an individual who makes significant contributions to the sales, service or promotion of wine in British Columbia. The eighth annual SIP Award goes to industry legend Sid Cross. Sid travels the globe as a wine and food writer and educator and volunteers his time to numerous culinary causes. Sid is honorary president of the International Wine & Food Society and judges competitions like the Canadian Wine Awards and Canadian Culinary Championships. He is internationally recognized for his exceptional palate: he is an officer of France’s Ordre du Merite Agricole; a wines committee chair of the International Wine and Food Society in London, England; and the only Canadian to be honoured as a Membre d’Honneur of the L’Academie du vin de Bordeaux.

SOMMELIER OF THE YEAR AWARD

The 13th annual Sommelier of the Year Award recognizes outstanding wine knowledge and wine service. The Sommelier of the Year is awarded based on votes by key members of the industry and is included in the May Restaurant Awards issue of Vancouver Magazine. This year’s award goes to sommelier Samantha Rahn. Samantha was trained at the Wine and Spirit Education Trust and previously worked at Banff’s Maple Leaf Grill & Lounge, where she earned the restaurant prestigious accolades such as Wine Spectator’s “Best of” Award of Excellence. Now wine director at Whistler’s famed Araxi, Samantha is passionate about wine, using her knowledge and years of experience to craft the restaurant’s acclaimed wine list.

WINE LIST AWARDS

Celebrating the best food and wine pairings in the business, restaurants throughout British Columbia and Alberta have been recognized for creating wine lists that complement their establishment’s unique menu and concept. Candidates submitted their wine and menu lists, and were then visited by judges who reviewed their programs. The top restaurants were awarded Platinum, Gold, Silver, and Bronze, or commended with an Honourable Mention. The Wine List Awards are sponsored by Vancouver Magazine.

 

METRO VANCOUVER

Platinum

Blue Water Cafe

Cioppino’s Mediterranean Grill

Wine Room at Joey Bentall One

Gold

Brix Restaurant & Wine Bar

Chambar

CinCin

Hawksworth Restaurant

Joe Fortes Seafood & Chop House

MARKET by Jean-Georges

Nicli Antica Pizzeria

Salt Tasting Room

Tableau Bar Bistro

West

YEW restaurant + bar

Silver

Bao Bei

Cibo Trattoria and Uva Wine Bar

Edible Canada at the Market

Provence: The Wine Bar

The Observatory

Zest

Bronze

Le Gavroche

Lift Bar Grill View

The Beach House

Honourable Mention

Fable Kitchen

Gramercy Grill

Raincity Grill

The Fish House in Stanley Park

WHET

 

WHISTLER

Gold

Alta Bistro

Araxi Restaurant

Rimrock Café

Silver

The Grill Room at Fairmont Chateau Whistler

 

VICTORIA AND VANCOUVER ISLAND

Gold

Vis à Vis wine + charcuterie bar

Silver

Hotel Grand Pacific

Nautical Nellies

Stage Wine Bar

Bronze

Il Terrazzo Ristorante

Veneto Tapa Lounge

Honourable Mention

The Grand Hotel Nanaimo

 

OTHER BC

Gold

The Restaurant at Painted Boat (Madeira Park)

Silver

Emerald Lake Lodge (Field)

La Bussola (Kelowna)

Local Lounge & Grille (Summerland)

 

CALGARY & OTHER ALBERTA

Platinum

Cilantro

Divino Wine & Cheese Bistro

Vin Room Mission

Gold

The Ranche Restaurant

Vin Room West

Silver

Buffalo Mountain Lodge

Rush

Honourable Mention

Bar C

 

BLIND TASTING CHALLENGE

On Wednesday February 27, 2013, wine trade and service professionals, culinarians, and non-professional connoisseurs alike competed in the Blind Tasting Challenge. They blind tasted seven wines and identified them using the Wine and Spirit Education Trust’s Systematic Approach to Tasting. This year the Blind Tasting Challenge winners were Wendy Spicknell (consumer) Murray Bancroft (culinarian) and Chris Turyk (trade).

 

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