2026 Saanich Sommeliers Competition Competition Results

2026 Saanich Sommeliers Competition Competition Results

CLASS RESULTS

A - Aperitif Sherry	B - Aperitif	C1 - Chardonnay	C2 - Aromatic White Vinifera
C4 - Other Dry White	C5 - Dry White Pinot	D - Rose	E1 - Dry Bordeaux Style Red
E2 - Dry Red Pinot	E3 - Non-Vinifera Red Grape	E4 - Dry Red Zinfandel	E5 - Rhone Style Dry Red
E6 - Other Dry Red	E7 - Dry Red Cabernet Sauvignon	F - Dessert	G - After Dinner
H - Sparkling	I - Social Wine	J1 - Country Table Wine

AWARDS

Winemaker of the Year

Best Vancouver Island White

Best Vancouver Island Red

A - Aperitif Sherry
Bronze
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	50% Palomino, Juice, Spain, 30% Moscatel, 20% Chardonnay	Best in Class

B - Aperitif
Gold
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Herbed Aperitif	Best in Class
Silver
Trevor Curtis	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	LemonCello Sweet, approx 20% abv Tart
Donna Neve	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Applejack 100% macintosh apple

C1 - Chardonnay
Gold
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Chardonnay, Lodi	Best in Class
Silver
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Chardonnay, Lodi
Ken Stepushyn	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100 percent Okanagan grapes
Bronze
Lothar Fabian	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	3 Sisters Chard
Brian McConnell	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	100% BC Chardonnay

C2 - Aromatic White Vinifera
Bronze
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	85% Ortega, Vancouver Island, 10% Riesling, 5% Siegerrebe	Best in Class

C4 - Other Dry White
Gold
Michael McInnis	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	65% Pinot Gris and 35% Schoenberg grapes grown on Vancouver Island	Best in Class
Silver
Stephen Small	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	70% Chenin Blanc, 30% Gewurztraminer - Lodi, CA
Bronze
Donny & Kathy Bryant	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	100% Grenache. Washington State. Less than 1 hr on skins.

C5 - Dry White Pinot
Silver
Marlon Martens	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Pinot Gris, California, Dry	Best in Class
Bronze
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Pinot Gris, Lodi

D - Rose
Silver
Donny & Kathy Bryant	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	SG Rose. 25% Grenache 75% Syrah. Washington State.	Best in Class
Brian McConnell	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	2024 WA grapes. 50% Grenache, 36% Syrah, 14% Mourvèdre. 13.5% ABV
Bronze
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	75% Foch, Vancouver Island, 20% Siegerrebe, 5% Viognier

E1 - Dry Bordeaux Style Red
Gold
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	85% Cabernet Franc, Lodi, 15% Merlot	Best in Class
David Wong	Vancouver Amateur Winemakers British Columbia	Merlot, Kitchak Vineyards California
Sandy Kirk	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	33% Cabernet Sauvignon,, 33% Carmenere Califoria and 33% 2018 Merlot from Walla Walla
Silver
Lothar Fabian	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Malbec
Brian McConnell	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	WA and BC grapes 35% BC Merlot 2023, 26% WA Carmenere 2023, 25% WA Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, 13% WA Cabernet Franc 2020. 12 months neutral barrel
Ron Ramsdale	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Petit Verdot. Walla Walla Grapes
John Read	Vancouver Amateur Winemakers British Columbia	57% Merlot Sheridan 37% Cabernet Sheridan 19% Petite Verdot BC Ph 3.65
Mike Leeper	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Cabernet Franc 50% Naramata; Merlot 45%; Malbec 5% WA
Bronze
Stephen Small	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	!00% Carmenere, Inland Desert, WA
Stephen Small	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	35% Merlot - BC, 30% Cab Sav -WA, 35% Carmenere - WA
Tony Diering	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	70% Cab Franc 2021. Okanagan, Three Sisters. 30% Cab Sauvignon 2022. Washington, Sheridan

E2 - Dry Red Pinot
Silver
Barry Edmonson	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Made with Okanagan grapes, 100 % Pinot Noir, European Oak Cubes, Brix 26.0,	Best in Class
Rick and Mary Homer	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Pinot Noir
Bronze
Marlon Martens	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Pinot Noir, California, Dry
Ron Ramsdale	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	95% Pinot Noir, 5% Petite Sirah

E3 - Non-Vinifera Red Grape
Silver
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	85% Foch, Vancouver Island, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Viognier	Best in Class
Bronze
Trevor Curtis	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Marechal Foch Duncan BC

E4 - Dry Red Zinfandel
Gold
Mike Leeper	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Amador County 85%; Petite Sirah 15% CA	Best in Class
Silver
Leanna Rathkelly	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Zinfandel grapes from California, blended with 10% Petite Sirah wine made in 2018. Dry.
William Huva	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	100% Jessie's Grove

E5 - Rhone Style Dry Red
Gold
Rick and Mary Homer	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	GSM blend	Best in Class
Larry McIntyre	Vancouver Amateur Winemakers British Columbia	Sheridan (100%)
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	72% Syrah, Lodi, 15% Mourvedre, 13% Grenache
Ken Stepushyn	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100 percent Walla Walla grapes
Silver
Lothar Fabian	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	GSM
William Huva	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	100% Meek Syrah
Stephen Small	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	70% Grenache, 30% Syrah - Inland Desert Vyds, WA
Tony Diering	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	GSM 2024. 40% Grenache, 30% Shiraz, 30% Mourvèdre, Washington State.
Lothar Fabian	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Sheridan Syrah
Brian McConnell	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	WA grapes 67% Grenache, 32% Syrah, 1% Mourvedre. 12 months neutral barrel.
Ron Ramsdale	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Petite Sirah
Bronze
William Huva	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, 10% Mourvedre, all WA
David Winstanley	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	97% Grenache, Washington State (Jim Canil). 3% Merlot, Naramata B.C. (3 Sisters) - DRY

E6 - Other Dry Red
Gold
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Tempranillo, Spain Juice	Best in Class
Silver
Mike Leeper	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Sangiovese 80% CA; Cabernet Sauvignon 20%
Brian McConnell	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	40% CA Zinfandel 2021, 35% WA Cabernet Sauvignon 2022, 10% BC Petit Verdot 2019, 9% BC/WA Merlot/ Carmenere 2023, 6% WA Syrah 2024. 12 months neutral barrel.
Gordon O'Connor	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	75% Cab Franc (Okanagan grapes sourced through Dave Burt) 10% Zinfanel (Lodi Valley, sourced through Flying Fish) 15% Zinfanedl second press
Leanna Rathkelly	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Blend of 40% Petite Sirah, 55% Merlot, 5% Cab Franc, all grapes from California, Dry
John Read	Vancouver Amateur Winemakers British Columbia	75% Sheridan Syrah 25% Merlot Ph 3.65
Bronze
Trevor Curtis	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	non-vintage Red Blend
Gordon O'Connor	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	34% second press Zinfandel (Lodi Valley grapes sourced through Flying Fish) 66% Carmemere Wine Kit
Leanna Rathkelly	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Sangiovese grapes from California, second run blended with 12% Syrah from BC and 7% Petit Verdot from CA, Dry
William Huva	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Tempranillo, WA
Donna Neve	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Leon Millot 100% Local grapes

E7 - Dry Red Cabernet Sauvignon
Silver
John Read	Vancouver Amateur Winemakers British Columbia	100% Cabernet Sheridan Washington State Ph 3.70	Best in Class
Bronze
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	75% Cabernet Sauvignon, Lodi, 25% Cabernet Sauvignon, North Coast, CA
Mike Leeper	Vinovan Wine Club British Columbia	Sheridan WA 100%

F - Dessert
Silver
Rick and Mary Homer	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Ice wine - Vidal	Best in Class

G - After Dinner
Gold
Sandy Kirk	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Zinfandel Port, barrel blend . Date is year of bottling	Best in Class
Rick and Mary Homer	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Port
Silver
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	100% Foch,Vancouver Island
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	35% Cabernet Sauvginon, 30% Other red blend, 25% Blueberry
Bronze
Trevor Curtis	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Fortified Wine, Marechal Foch, approx 22% abv

H - Sparkling
Bronze
Ron Ramsdale	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Vancouver Island Pinot Noir. 12 Hours Skin Contact	Best in Class
Ron Ramsdale	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Blend of 60% Chardonnay, 20% Chenin Blanc, 20% Gewurztraminer.

I - Social Wine
Silver
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	50% Muscato, 30% Sauvignon Blanc, 20% Semillon, Napa Juice	Best in Class
Bronze
Shawn Qian	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	45% Siegerrebe, Vancouver Island, 25% Riesling, 15% Viognier, 15% Chardonnay

J1 - Country Table Wine
Silver
Donna Neve	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	Blackberry 92%; black currant 8%	Best in Class
Michael McInnis	Saanich Sommeliers British Columbia	!00% wild Blackberries collected from Vancouver Island

Best Dry Red (Tie)
Shawn Qian	Saanich
Rick and Mary Homer	Saanich

Best Dry White (Tie)
Shawn Qian	Saanich
Michael McInnis	Saanich

Winemaker of the Year
Shawn Qian	Saanich

Best Vancouver Island White
Michael McInnis	Saanich

Best Vancouver Island Red
Shawn Qian	Saanich