The Top Award-Winning BC Wines You Have to Try
Ever wondered what it’s really like to sit on the other side of the judging table? At the 2025 WineAlign National Wine Awards, hosted in Penticton in early June, I had the privilege of serving as an Apprentice Judge alongside some of the best wine professionals from across Canada, the US and Great Britain.
The format was straightforward: themed flights based on a specific grape, style or (for the first time this year) age. Everything was blind tasted with the wines discussed based on a catalogue number. With the judges knew little to nothing about the origin, people, or vintage that shaped what was in their glasses. These were Canada’s best wines assembled in one room, and the sense of pride and responsibility was palpable.
After three days, over 250 wines tasted, and a lot of engaging discussion I flew back to Vancouver to anxiously await my results. After all, all that I knew was the point score that I had assigned to a wine with a catalogue number.
When those results finally arrived, there was no surprise that some of the country’s best wines came from BC wineries. This year, the addition of a ‘Library’ award category also gave judges the opportunity to assess wines based on their performance after years of careful cellaring.
The greatest takeaway here was how well BC wines were aging. Sparkling wines, Rieslings, Syrahs, Bordeaux blends – all were showing great development, and many could have aged longer still. All this is to say that those willing to commit their bottles to time will yield great results and those that have library offers through their wine club memberships can find exceptional rewards.
So, without further ado, here are some standout BC wines that I would seek out – from the cellar, for future enjoyment or to savour now.
Laughing Stock Vineyards 2020 Market Bubbles, Okanagan Valley
Gold Medallist
This rich sparkling wine from Laughing Stock Vineyards was a picture of opulence. Think freshly baked pastry on the nose, with a big flex of brioche and slight caramel note immediately on the palate. Red apple, lemon preserves and white peach make up the core of fruit flavours with a wonderfully balanced acidity that lasts through the finish. The standout feature here was the texture – beautifully rounded and luxurious, indicative of the large portion of this wine that was fermented in neutral oak.
Township 7 Vineyards & Winery 2017 Seven Stars Sirius, Fraser Valley
Gold Medallist
As a stellar display of how well sparkling wines can age, Township 7 Sirius has the brightness and acidity that I want when pairing with food, with a solid core of citrus and red apple flavour. A great balance between tart and ripe fruit that had gained some gorgeous development during its time in the cellar.
CedarCreek Estate Winery 2022 Aspect Collection Chardonnay, Okanagan Valley
Silver Medallist
At their best, CedarCreek truly makes world class wines. The 2022 Aspect Chardonnay was so wonderfully representative of one of my favourite recent vintages. Laden with chalky minerality, tart apple and ripe citrus fruit, and beautifully integrated oak that framed the wine rather than try to claim the loudest voice in the bottle. This is a wine that could gain more characters from a few years in a cellar, and also be enjoyed with local seafood next weekend.
Tightrope Winery 2012 Riesling, Naramata Bench, Okanagan Valley
Silver Medallist
Another incredible example from the vintage category and one that perfectly shows why you must try aged Riesling! This entry from Tightrope in Naramata was a tour-de-force of lemon, honeycomb, quince, and minerality that was still exploding out of the glass. The fruit was so fresh and tart, the length and acidity still so vibrant… if you needed an example of why you want to cellar wine, this is your masterclass!
Stag’s Hollow Winery 2022 Pinot Noir Shuttleworth Creek Vineyard, Okanagan Falls
Gold Medallist
Of course, I didn’t know where this wine was from at the time of judging but I wasn’t surprised to find out that I had scored it as one of my top wines a few weeks later. Kiera Lefranc has been making some truly incredible Pinot Noir at Stag’s Hollow and this wine from the Shuttleworth vineyard is exemplary. Showing a masterful balance between ripe and tart red fruit and the savoury leafiness and mushroom notes that the best Pinots strive for. A backbone of acidity and tannin will lend to age, but it’s drinking very well now (I am currently pouring it by-the-glass).
Corcelettes Estate Winery 2022 TALUS, Similkameen Valley
Gold Medallist
This was one of my top reds of the week and a perfect example of how incredible BC’s Bordeaux blends can be. Year after year, Corcelettes’ flagship wine employs all five of the major Bordeaux grapes with Merlot taking centre stage. In 2022 we got an absolutely stunning breadth of black plum, black cherry, and currants with hints of graphite and tobacco leaf that will only get better with time. The tannins and incredible length will reward those with patience but will satisfy those who crave boldness now.
Painted Rock Estate Winery 2017 Estate Grown Syrah, Skaha Bench
Gold Medallist
If I were stranded on an island with a bottle of red wine, let it be Syrah! Painted Rock’s library bottling from the 2017 vintage is a perfect example of why. When Syrah is given time to age you get magic. Think of savoury, sun baked, black plum and blueberry core alongside cracked black pepper, sun-dried olive, bacon fat, and a slight mocha finish. This is a wine that shows exactly how great wines become even better with age and transform into the ultimate addition to summer BBQs and fall roast dinners.
LaStella Winery 2017 Espressivo, Okanagan Valley
Silver Medallist
Another fantastic library wine from the 2017 vintage, but this time taking its inspiration from the famed Super-Tuscans of Bolgheri, Italy. Here Severine Pinte has employed Cabernet Franc as our star grape with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and the seldom seen-in-BC Sangiovese Grosso to complement. Espressivo has a ripe, rich, bramble and black fruit core with cocoa and currant while the Sangiovese inclusion contributes a touch of olive brine and dusty Tuscan herbs. The time spent in the cellar makes this wine ready to enjoy now (if you can find a bottle).
Visit these and other BC wineries to taste the latest award-winning wines!
Andrew Forsyth
Andrew Forsyth is the Head Sommelier at L’Abattoir in Vancouver’s historic Gastown neighbourhood. He has competed as a sommelier both at home and internationally, is the CAPS BC and Vancouver International Wine Festival Sommelier of the Year for 2025, and is a proud supporter of Wines of British Columbia and the people who make them.