723 wines • 183 wineries • 15 countries
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is widely regarded as the best consumer wine show on the continent, and the International Festival Tasting Room is the heart of it.
The Wine World is Here.
British Columbia: Our Land, Revealed
It’s easy to find wine regions that are bigger, older, or more famous. However, it is not easy to find a region that is newer, more diverse or more exciting. From the Cowichan Valley to Keremeos, from Auxerrois and Barbera to Tempranillo and Zinfandel, British Columbia is full of surprises. As the theme region for the 2009 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, British Columbia will be represented by 58 wineries – a concept that would have been inconceivable only a decade ago. Be sure to visit the British Columbia region in the Tasting Room – it’s a unique opportunity to taste what the province has to offer and to meet the personalities behind the wine.
Sponsored by Wines of British Columbia
Pinot(s) Tasting Station
With this year’s Global Focus on Pinot(s), you can expect many foodfriendly wine discoveries from Burgundy, Oregon, California, New Zealand and British Columbia’s Okanagan Valley. Guests will find 160 different Pinots in the Tasting Room, including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Pinot Blanc and many more. For a comprehensive comparative tasting of Pinots from around the world, head directly to the Pinot(s) Tasting Station, where experts from the International Sommelier Guild and Wine Access magazine will be your guides.
Sponsored by Wine Access
Regional Tasting Stations
This year, the Tasting Room will play host to four Regional Tasting Stations, providing guided tours to four of the world’s most exciting, thriving wine regions. Wine Australia, Wines of Germany, Alsace Wines and the Vinho Verde Commission will be present to offer a unique viticultural experience. At the Alsace station, you can pair Alsatian wines with spicy Asian foods in a match made on two continents. Each Regional Tasting Station will pour a selection of exciting and expressive wines emblematic of their terroir, giving you a chance to visit entire wine regions at a single table
Sponsored by Wine Australia, Wines of Germany, Alsace Wines, Vinho Verde Commission
Riedel Tasting Booth
Puddifoot presents a unique opportunity for discerning tasters. Although all glassware in the Tasting Room is now Riedel, each varietal requires a different shape of glass to bring out its full potential. At the Riedel Tasting Booth, you can try a wine out of the festival glass you were handed at the door, and then try the same wine out of the correct varietal Riedel glass. Is there a difference? You be the judge.
Festival Wine ShopFree bottle check and wine delivery
Tasting room wines may be bought at BC Liquor Stores’ onsite Festival Wine Shop. When you find a wine you like, we suggest you set it aside in the free bottle check. Don’t wait until the end of the evening as some wines sell out early. Repeat as necessary. For added convenience, single bottles and case lots can be shipped free of charge to your local BC Liquor Store. Just ask at the Festival Wine Shop when you make your purchase
Get Home Safe
Plan ahead. Do not drink and drive. We suggest that you leave the car at home, assign a designated driver or take a taxi or transit home. Or consider staying at one of our partner hotels - make a night or a weekend of the festival. If you opt for transit, BC Liquor Stores offers festival-goers a free transit ticket - pick yours up at the Get Home Safe booth in the concourse as you exit the festival.
Tasting room sponsors and suppliers
Arla FoodsBalderson CheeseFreybe Gourmet FoodsLa Maison Alexis de PortneufTillen FarmsCaffè UmbriaTerra BreadsTerra International Foods
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