Q&A with Harry Hertscheg, Executive Director of the Vancouver International Wine Festival
Year after year, the Vancouver International Wine Festival stands as a premier celebration of worldwide viticulture, drawing thousands to beautiful British Columbia to indulge in a vast selection of wines. Taking place within the coastal and multi-cultural city of Vancouver, the festival provides a fun and elegant atmosphere to learn about – and taste – some of the world’s best wines from renowned winemakers. This year’s theme is Italy, one of the most prominent modern and historical wine-producing countries.
The 2024 Vancouver International Wine Festival, which will take place from February 24 to March 3, is approaching quickly. To get the inside scoop on this year’s festival, we asked the festival’s executive director, Harry Hertscheg, some key questions for those interested in visiting Vancouver for the winter wine celebration.
Sip: For those unfamiliar with the Vancouver International Wine Festival, what makes the festival a fun and educational experience for people with all levels of wine knowledge?
Harry Hertscheg: This year’s Vancouver International Wine Festival is all about discovery. New wines, new regions and new favorites. Not only is Italy our theme country with 71 wineries in attendance, but festival-goers can also taste wines from 78 additional wineries representing 11 countries at our International Festival Tastings, the heart and hub of the festival. That includes 29 wineries from British Columbia’s diverse wine regions. Our Tasting Room is organized by country and provides the perfect opportunity for wine lovers to learn about different styles and regions while chatting with knowledgeable winemakers about their craft. Exclusive festival wines are available for purchase directly at the onsite BCLIQUOR wine shop. What’s more, all events during festival week have winery principals in attendance – from winery dinners to seminars, lunches to minglers – and are designed to be fun and educational experiences, with something to suit all levels of expertise and interest.
Sip: With roughly 1,150 wines from 149 wineries and a variety of events throughout the eight-day festival, what are a few ways attendees can strategize to have the best possible experience?
HH: We always suggest doing a bit of research before attending events to have a game plan for the best possible experience at the festival. We have a number of tools to help! You can learn more about the festival by browsing our online Festival Brochure. If you are new to the festival, our interactive Festival at a Glance on our website helps with planning which events to attend. We also share tasting tips and etiquette from industry professionals on how to best navigate our tastings on our social media platforms. Our searchable and sortable VanWineFest app is a great resource, listing all the wines to be poured at the festival. It is easy to browse and mark up what to taste beforehand, by region or style, as well as write notes during the tastings for future reference.
Sip: Why was Italy chosen for this year’s theme, and what makes Italy and the 13 regions that will be represented at the festival so compelling?
HH: Italy contributes some 20% of the world’s wine, yet for many, it remains a relative mystery. Festival-goers can discover the incredible range of grape varieties, wine styles and regions from the northern Alps to the southern islands. It is a perfect opportunity to learn more about Italy’s rich history, modern innovation and the renaissance of its classic wines and regions. The event also offers an excellent opportunity to compare Italian wines with the more familiar French varieties used around the world, including California and British Columbia. We’re thrilled to welcome wine journalist and educator, Filippo Bartolotta, as this year’s keynote speaker, who will share his expertise in, and enthusiasm for, Italian wine with us.
Sip: Besides the large varieties of Italian wine, what other aspects of Italian culture will be on display? Will there be opportunities to indulge in Italian cuisine as well?
HH: You can’t truly experience Italian wine without putting it into the context of its highly regional food culture. Our festival opens with a series of winery dinners that partner award-winning restaurants with famed wineries, including several top Italian restaurants. In total, there are 12 Italian-themed dinners over three nights showcasing the food and wines of Chianti, Piedmont, Puglia, Tuscany and Veneto. There is also an aperitivo hour walk-about on Tuesday evening featuring Pinot Grigio delle Venezie DOC wines, and a spectacular Saturday lunch featuring all 71 participating Italian wineries. In all, there are 22 Italian-themed events at this festival. It really is an incredible week to learn from Italian winemakers visiting Vancouver and to experience the legacy of Italian cuisine that is going strong in Vancouver’s vibrant dining scene.
For all your informational needs on tickets for the 2024 Vancouver International Wine Festival, browse the tickets and events page.
Sponsored by Vancouver International Wine Festival
