Special to the Record

The Wine Cottage has brought home a trio of medals from the world鈥檚 largest consumer-made wine competition, winning gold, silver and bronze at the 2014 Wine Maker International Amateur Wine Competition.

鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly proud of our accomplishments,鈥� says Lyle Brodie, who owns the Courtenay business with his wife Pamela. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had success at past competitions, but this is our highest medal count to date. It really speaks to the quality of the wine that anyone can produce here in the store.鈥�

The gold medal was awarded for a Winexpert Eclipse barolo, a full-bodied Italian red that topped this year鈥檚 class of 271 entries in the Red Vinifera Varietals category.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a dry wine with a heavy oak flavour from the Piedmont region of Italy,鈥� Brodie said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 bursting with notes of strawberries and floral aromas and goes great with hearty pastas and grilled red meat.鈥�

Though in past years Brodie鈥檚 team has added its own creative flourishes to wines submitted for judging, this year鈥檚 submissions were all made according to Winexpert鈥檚 standard instructions.

鈥淎nyone can make this award-winning wine, either at home or right here on the premises,鈥� he said.

鈥淚t boggles my mind how many people still buy full-priced commercial wine when they can make one that鈥檚 every bit as good, or even better, for a fraction of the price. The barolo kit costs $163 and makes 23 litres, or about 30 bottles.鈥�

The Wine Cottage earned a silver medal for its Mosel Valley gew眉rztraminer and a bronze for its Lodi Ranch 11 cabernet sauvignon.

Both 23-litre kits are available at the store for $153 and $163 respectively.

The three newest medals join three others won in recent years at the Wine Maker competition, which this year attracted more than 3,000 entries from around the world.

To make your own award-winning wine, visit The Wine Cottage at 312-130 Centennial Dr. or call 250-338-2686.

For more information, visit www.thewinecottage.ca.