Vancouver, BC, Canada (November 14, 2006) – Keen wine fans are forewarned that selected events at the 2007 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival are on sale at early bird rates now through January 31. Tickets to all other events go on sale January 22.

 

Veteran wine festival fans know that many events at the Playhouse Winefest, which celebrates its 29^th anniversary from March 26 to April 1, sell out well before the festival starts. Early bird savings range from $10 off the regular price for the immensely popular International Festival Tastings, the hub of the festival, to $46 off the Discover Australia Pack, which includes an evening of Aussie Fabulous Fizz, the legendary Aussie Barbie lunch and one evening in the International Festival Tasting room. To buy early bird tickets, call Playhouse Audience Services at 604-873-3311. Details are at www.playhousewinefest.com. International Festival Tasting early bird tickets (but not the other early bird events and packs) also are available through Ticketmaster at 604-280-3311 and http://www.ticketmaster.ca/artist/893891.

 

The theme for the Playhouse Winefest, widely regarded as one of the world’s top wine events, is Australian Wine: A World of Difference and the global focus is on Riesling. The festival plans to pour a record 1,480 wines (717 at the International Festival Tastings, 763 at other events) from 180 wineries representing 17 countries at a record 53 events.

 

“Playhouse Winefest tickets make a terrific gift for the wine lover on your holiday list. The Riedel Generations tasting is particularly good value – for $125 you get to taste the right wine in the right glass and you’ll take home $190 worth of Riedel glassware,” says festival director Harry Hertscheg. “And by buying early, festival-goers not only save money, they guarantee themselves a spot at the festival. All but three of the 52 events at the 2006 fest sold out, and we had to turn many people away. Even the big tasting room sold out a week in advance.”

 

Events at the weeklong festival include its crown jewel, the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner and Auction, plus winery dinners, lunches, brunches, grazing events, trade events, wine seminars and informal tastings. The festival is headquartered at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre, and the International Festival Tastings, most trade events and wine seminars take place there. Other events are held at top Vancouver restaurants and hotels.

 

Complete details of the early bird program are attached. A summary follows:

 

·         INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL TASTING - $60

Thursday, Friday and Saturday, March 29, 30 and 31, 7-10 p.m., VCEC

Save $10 off the regular rate until January 31. Price increases to $70 as of February 1. Prices are per evening. Service charge extra.

The tasting room features 180 wineries pouring 717 wines from 17 countries. The spotlight this year shines on Australia and the fest’s regional theme is Australian Wine: A World of Difference. Your Aussie walkabout takes you to 54 wineries from Down Under, organized alphabetically within regions, pouring some 215 wines in the special Discover Australia section in the tasting room.

The global focus is on Riesling and you’ll find more than 90 Rieslings throughout the room. You can do comparative tastings at the Riesling Tasting Station, guided by experts from Wine Access magazine and the International Sommelier Guild.

BC Liquor Stores brings back its very popular on-site Festival Wine Shop, featuring free bottle check and free delivery to your nearest BC Liquor Store. See complete details online.

 

·         DISCOVER AUSTRALIA PACK - $159

Save $46 off the full price; not available as a pack after January 31. Service charges are included. Priced individually, these events total $205. The pack includes:

o        Aussie Fabulous Fizz (Tuesday, March 27, 7-9 p.m., Buschlen Mowatt Gallery; $49 regular price)

o        Aussie Barbie (Saturday, March 31, noon-2:30 p.m., Stanley Park Pavilion; $75 regular)

o        Choice of International Festival Tasting (March 29, 30 or 31, 7-10 p.m., VCEC; $70 regular)

 

·         RIEDEL GENERATIONS - $125

(Saturday, March 31, 5-6:30 p.m., VCEC)

Makes a great gift! Price includes $190 of Riedel glassware to take home

Special guest Maximilian Riedel, an 11th generation member of the glassmaking family, demonstrates how brilliantly crafted wines from California’s Beringer Vineyards, Wolf Blass Winery of Australia and New Zealand’s Matua Valley are heightened and better expressed in three generations of well designed vessels. Ticket buyers take home a Riedel 3 Generation Tasting Set worth $190, which includes Sommelier Grand Cru Burgundy, Vinum Bordeaux and “O” New World Chardonnay.

 

·         GOLD PASS - $275

Save $20 off the regular pass rate until January 31. Pass price increases to $295 on February 1. Service charge included. It would cost $390 to buy all events in the pass at full price. The pass includes:

o        Three nights of International Festival Tasting (March 29, 30, 31, 7-10 p.m., VCEC)

o        Two afternoons of Trade Tasting with Buyers Hour (March 29 and 30, 1:30-5 p.m., VCEC)

o        Curtain Raiser VIP reception (March 29, 5:30-7 p.m., Pan Pacific Hotel)

o        Gold Pass Tasting Lounge, (March 30, 5:30-9 p.m., VCEC)

o        Priority entry to the tasting room (bypass the line-ups!)

o        Advance copy of the Festival Program

 

·         TRADE SUPER PASS - $275

Save $20 off the regular pass rate to January 31. Pass increases to $295 on February 1. Price includes service charges. It would cost $435 to buy all events in this pass at full price. Note: this pass is available only to hospitality and food and beverage professionals; proof of trade employment may be required. The pass includes:

§         Australian Wine: Beyond Boundaries opening trade plenary (Thursday, March 29, 9:15-11:15 a.m., VCEC)

§         Trade Days Reception and Lunch (Thursday, March 29, 11:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., VCEC)

§         Choice of (on Friday, March 30, 10:15-11:45 a.m.):

o        Old Gems: Aussie Wines of Age and Distinction (VCEC)

o        Ravenous for Riesling (Miele Showroom)

o        Maximize the Extreme – Riedel in the Restaurant (VCEC)

§         Partners in Wine Lunch: South Australia Fusion – Cuisine, Culture and Wine (Friday, March 30, 12-1:30 p.m., VCEC)

§         Two afternoons of Trade Tasting with Buyers Hour (March 29 and 30, 1:30-5 p.m., VCEC)

§         Gold Pass Tasting Lounge (March 30, 5:30-9 p.m., VCEC)

§         Two nights of International Festival Tasting (March 29 and 30, 7-10 p.m., VCEC)

§         Priority entry to the tasting room (bypass the line-ups!)

§         Advance copy of the Festival Program

 

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival has three mandates. It provides an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for consumers and trade; it serves as a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry; and it is a primary fundraiser for the Playhouse Theatre Company. Since inception in 1979, the festival has raised $5.2 million for the Playhouse, enabling the company to mount 197 theatrical productions and create extensive educational and community outreach programs. The festival is sponsored by Chubb Insurance Company of Canada.