“We’ve turned a corner in Canada and we’re getting good recognition throughout the world.”
Clean underthings aren’t the only items dancing from Dirty Laundry Vineyard’s clothing lines in the summer breeze. A show stopping five Gold Medals and two Silver has been added to the Summerland winery’s display of both national and international awards.
At the 2015 All Canadian Wine Championships, Dirty Laundry took home four Gold Medals plus a Double Gold for the top Pinot Noir under $25 in Canada. Only 300 cases of the award-winning 2013 Pinot Noir were produced, so you’ll want to stock up on this hot ticket wine before the cellar is cleared out. Gold winners included the 2013 Not so Knotty Chardonnay, 2013 Naughty Chardonnay, 2013 Syrah, and the recently released 2014 Woo Woo Vines Gewürztraminer. With quintuple Gold, Dirty Laundry Vineyard placed as the top Summerland/Bottleneck Drive winery.
An ocean and 7400 kilometres away, the winery also shone brightly on stage at the 2015 International Wine & Spirit Competition in London, England. Both the 2013 Say Yes Pinot Gris and 2013 Threadbare Vines Gewürztraminer were awarded Silver Medals, solidifying these wines as two of the world’s best vintages.
“We’ve turned a corner in Canada and we’re getting good recognition throughout the world,” says Mason Spink, Dirty Laundry’s winemaker. “It’s nice to see we’re winning international awards as well as national. It’s really positive and exciting.
“Awards are often reflected upon the winemaker but I would like to thank the team here because it’s a lot of hard work from a lot of different people,” adds Spink. “It’s made my job easier to have a great team behind me.”
To taste these award winners, you’ll want to plan a trip to Dirty Laundry’s tasting room and gift shop. Voted the area’s top wine destination by TripAdvisor, a visit to this stunning winery is an experience you don’t want to miss. The shaded patio is surrounded by views of Okanagan Lake and, if you’re lucky, you might just get a chance to see the Kettle Valley Railway’s steam engine roll on by. On weekends throughout July and August, live entertainment will jazz up the winery’s fun atmosphere even more.
Dirty Laundry Vineyards is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all summer long.
~ Laura Lushington