So much wine, so little time.
It is that time of year again for thousands to overtake Vancouver and sip their way around the world via wine. From February 25th to March 3rd, the 35th annual Vancouver International Wine Festival will bring delight to wine lovers with tastings from 15 different wineries, various events, exclusive dining experiences and educational seminars.
Gathering 55 events and an expected 25,000 admissions, this festival of wine is hailed as one of the industry’s largest in North America. With the International Wine Tasting event pouring wine from around the globe to education seminars, silent auctions and food pairings, the festival provides something for anyone who loves wine. Although the deadline to get reservations for the winery dinners has passed, many opportunities are still open. But tickets are going fast! So it is recommended buying yours early through the festival’s website or box office.
This year, the festival’s featured region is California, and what not a better way to celebrate the Golden State than with the crispness of a Chardonnay as the featured wine.
The International Wine Tasting is the festival’s most widely anticipated event. This year’s festival-goers can taste as many as 763 different wines in the Vancouver Convention Center West’s 53,000-square-foot ballroom, from 7:00—10:00 pm, Thursday February 28th to March 2nd. For a more intimate tasting experience, the Thursday event is guaranteed to have at least a quarter less of the crowd the weekend will bring. Tickets for this event are $95 per person, with group rates available through the festival’s box office.
But the true spectacle of the festival is promised to be the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner and Auction. A five-course meal accompanied with nine different wines all while gunning for the coveted auction items, ranging from a variety of culinary excursions with some of the west coast’s top chefs. Holing up at Vancouver’s Fairmont Hotel, the event is $395 and will take place 5:45—11:00 pm, Tuesday, February 26.
Since the festival’s uncorking in 1979, which featured Robert Mondavi, it has served as a fundraiser for Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. Since the company closed last March, this year’s proceeds will go to support Bards on the Beach, one of Canada’s largest nonprofit Shakespeare festivals.
Vancouver International Wine Festival || Times vary || February 25th to March 3rd || playhousewifefest.com
