Thornhaven Winery earns awards
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Updated: August 27, 2009 9:53 AM
by Mike Simmons
A Summerland winery is raking in the gold medals.
Thornhaven Estates Winery brought home several awards recently from the All Canadian Wine Championship in Ontario.
A double gold went to the 2008 Sauvignon Blanc / Chardonnay for best white blend in Canada.
Another double gold went to the 2008 Gewürztraminer for best Gewürztraminer in Canada.
A gold medal also went to the 2007 Barrel Reserve Pinot Noir, and a bronze medal to the 2008 Nectar del Sol.
Wine shop manager Danny Evanishen said the winery opened in 2001, and Thornhaven varieties have been entered in quite a few competitions every year since then.
“Some we were quite surprised to win,” he added.
The winery’s rosé was selected in international competition as one of the best 108 wines in the world last year.
Evanishen said it was a competition that the winery entered without really expecting to win.
He chalks up Thornhaven’s successes to high-calibre staff who respect each other’s expertise.
“We have an excellent cellar master and a really, really good wine consultant,” he said.
Evanishen noted that Thornhaven wines have achieved many domestic and international awards since the winery’s inception, but prices for the wines have remained largely inexpensive.
“It’s really exciting to be involved with a winery that’s this good.”
There are many reasons for a winery to enter its varieties in competition.
Evanishen said Thornhaven placed their wines up against others on the international stage partly to prove the winery could be taken seriously.
He noted that varieties winning awards can also boost sales.
Evanishen pointed out that at one point, the Vancouver Sun selected Thornhaven’s Gewürztraminer as their Wine of the Week, and in four days the winery had sold completely out of the wine.
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