Best of B.C. Wine Country Awards chosen by tourists, local residents

Winery visitors invited to vote for favourite experiences in 12 categories

These awards are not determined by snobby, sniffing and swirling professional wine judges.

They are the result of a crowdsourced, online survey of the people who actually tour, sip, eat and stay at Okanagan wineries.

The Best of B.C. Wine Country Awards are presented by the B.C. Wine Institute.

The institute invited members of the public to vote for their favourite wine experiences in a dozen categories this summer using the hashtags #BCWine, #ExploreBCWine and #BestofBC18 and the website WineBC.com/Bestof.

“It was about learning firsthand from winery-goers what keeps bringing them back, and the participation from both the public and wineries was outstanding,” said institute director of communications Maggie Anderson.

“In its second year, we received more than three times as many votes than last year. But what really impressed us was the engagement we saw on social media.”

Travel Best Bets author Claire Newell promoted the awards with social media blogging.

“Winners are voted on by tourists and locals, not wine experts, making this a truly consumer-based award,” she said.

“Here in B.C., they are essentially the people’s choice awards of wine.”

The institute hopes the awards act as insider information as more tourists and locals plan their wine buying and touring. The winners are: — Best white: Wild Goose Autumn Gold (Okanagan Falls)

— Best red: Black Hills Nota Bene (Oliver)

— Best rose: Quails’ Gate Lucy’s Block rose (West Kelowna)

— Best sparkling: Summerhill Pyramid Cipes Brut (Kelowna)

— Best wine trail: Naramata Bench

— Best winery accommodation: the suites at Burrowing Owl Winery (Oliver)

— Best winery pet: Ali the mastiff at Desert Hills Winery (Oliver)

— Best special events: David Foster, Sheryl Crow, Chris Issac and Gipsy Kings concerts this summer at West Kelowna’s Mission Hill Family Estate

— Best winery restaurant: Old Vines at Quails’ Gate (West Kelowna)

— Best winery tour: Mission Hill Family Estate (West Kelowna)

— Best winery tasting room: Silver Sage (Oliver)

— Best view: Mission Hill Family Estate (West Kelowna).