A British Columbia winery has won top honours as the world's best Pinot Noir in the under £15 category at the Decanter World Wine Awards in London, England.
Mission Hill Family Estate's 2011 Martin's Lane Pinot Noir won an International Trophy for World's Best Wine as well as a Regional Trophy for Best Wine at a black-tie event at the Royal Opera House.
"I was totally shocked when I learned that our Pinot Noir was named best in the world," said Mission Hill Proprietor Anthony von Mandl.
"I am still in awe that a wine from the still emerging Okanagan Valley could win against the best Pinot Noir in the world from Burgundy, Sonoma Country, Oregon, and New Zealand.
"This is a seminal moment for the entire Canadian wine industry."
This is not the first time the family winery, located in the Okanagan Valley, has won an worldwide wine competition. In 1994, Mission Hill won the Best Chardonnay in the World award at the International Wine & Spirit Competition, also in London.
This year's Decanter awards were presented by Steven Spurrier, chairman of the awards. Spurrier was the organizer of the Paris Wine Tasting of 1976, which was the subject of the 2008 film Bottle Shock.
The 1976 Paris event is said to have put Napa and California wines on the world map.
