The corks are popping at Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards in celebration.
After a blind tasting by the Wine Align panel of judges,the wineryÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s 2013 Fitz Brut has been awarded a gold medal at this yearÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s National Wine Awards of Canada.
As one of the founding families of the BC wine industry, the FitzpatrickÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s have spent more than 30 years putting the Okanagan Valley on the world wine map with 27 years developing KelownaÏ㽶ÊÓƵֱ²¥™s CedarCreek Estate Winery.
That winery, one of the first in the valley, has since been sold to owners of Mission Hill Winery in West Kelowna.
In 1994, the Fitzpatrick family bought the historic Greata Ranch property which has now been transformed into a boutique family winery offering wines, with a focus on traditional method sparkling wine.