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Trade Super Pass early bird event details
Call 604-873-3311 to order
There are 53 events at the 2007 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, including eight Trade Days events only for members of the hospitality, food and beverage industry. This Trade Super Pass offers the industry professional two days of wine, food, information and networking. Trade identification may be required to purchase trade events. The early bird program is in effect from November 14 to January 31. Tickets to all other events go on sale January 22. See the separate document outlining early bird events/passes available to the public.
TRADE SUPER PASS - $275
It would cost $435 to buy all nine events in this pass at full price. Save $20 off the regular pass rate to January 31; the pass increases to $295 on February 1. The price includes service charges. Most events are at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (VCEC), 999 Canada Place. The pass includes:
Australian Wine: Beyond Boundaries
Opening Trade Plenary
Thursday March 29
9:15 - 11:15 a.m.
VCEC
Australian wines have an international reputation for being generous, approachable and easy to drink. Apart from these shared qualities, however, Australian wines are incredibly diverse. Over 100 grape varieties are grown on the continent, and each variety has its own distinctive characteristics. Australians continue to relentlessly pursue better viticulture methods, better winemaking techniques and superior wines. With determination and a desire to push the boundaries of the winemaking craft, Australia makes wines that are unique in the world. This tasting will take you on a journey through the diversity, quality and breadth of styles that may be found among Australian wines – beyond boundaries and most certainly beyond your expectations. Join Michael Hill Smith, MW, and sample the results of innovative work by wineries such as Angove’s, Coldstream Hills, Cumulus Wines, De Bortoli Wines, Hardy Wine Company, Nugan Estate, Shaw and Smith, Vasse Felix, Wolf Blass, Yalumba and Yering Station.
Host Michael Hill Smith is the first Australian to pass the rigorous Master of Wine examinations in London. He is winemaker at Shaw and Smith, regional chair of the Decanter Wine Awards and a contributor to other international wine publications.
Thursday, March 29
11:30 a.m. - 1:30 p.m.
VCEC
Welcome to an Aussie-style kick-off of the wine industry power lunch of the year. The Australians have ‘bracketed’ the Trade Days Reception and Lunch with an incomparable Aussie fizz reception featuring Jacob’s Creek Sparkling Chardonnay Pinot Noir and the quintessential Aussie classic dessert wine, De Bortoli Noble One Botrytis Semillon.
Each table includes one or more of the 180 international winery personalities at the festival; each representative will present their wines at their respective tables. Rub elbows with the media, wine personalities and festival speakers and take advantage of this rare opportunity to share a meal with the who's who of the wine world. The master of ceremonies is Richard Carras, the dean of Vancouver wine agents, and the meal is created by VCEC executive chef Blair Rasmussen.
Old Gems: Aussie Wines of Age and Distinction
Friday, March 30
10:15 – 11:45 a.m.
VCEC
Unmatched, inimitable, outstanding Australia. Sample and savour some rare and coveted vintages of Australian wines, specially selected and shipped from Down Under for this seminar. An all-star panel of winemakers lead a tasting of some of the most exceptional Aussie wines, including Riesling, Semillon, Cabernet Sauvignon, Shiraz and blended wines. The wines chosen will demonstrate Australian wines’ ability to age gracefully. Get your restaurant cellar ready, as this seminar will inspire you to stock it with Aussie wines for your future enjoyment. Profiled vintages are from d’Arenberg Wines, De Bortoli Wines, Grant Burge, Jim Barry Wines, Katnook Estate, Penfolds, Rosemount Estate, Tyrrells, Peter Lehmann and Yalumba.
Ravenous for Riesling
Friday, March 30
10:15 – 11:45 a.m.
Miele Showroom
69 Smithe Street
Who really decides the wine and food pairings in the restaurant – the chef or the sommelier? Join wine educator DJ Kearney and four acclaimed chefs for this kitchen-versus-cellar showdown. With imagination and flair, the chefs will work with Riesling as a muse to create incredible dishes to pair impeccably with a variety of styles from Alsace, Mosel, British Columbia and Australia. Will the wine complement the food, or will the food complement the wine? The chefs are Philadelphia’s Tony Lawrence from ‘A Chef For You,’ Glenys Morgan from the Miele Showroom, Dana Reinhardt from Cru Restaurant and Vikram Vij from Vij’s. They will reveal the versatility and excitement that Riesling can bring to a meal.
Maximize the Extreme – Riedel in the Restaurant
Friday, March 30
10:15 – 11:45 a.m.
VCEC
Maximilian Riedel's family has been making fine crystal in Austria for generations. Join him at a constructive and instructive presentation of their Extreme Restaurant Series, an innovative line-up of stemware developed for sole use by restaurants and hotels. Designed to dramatically enhance the dining experience, this tasting will demonstrate how Riedel can emphasize the enjoyment of popular restaurant selections including Napa Valley Chardonnay, New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, Australian Pinot Noir and a classic Australian Cabernet Merlot blend. A four-glass wine tasting set of Riedel's Extreme Restaurant Series, a $40 value, is yours to take home at no additional charge.
Partners in Wine Lunch: South Australia Fusion – Cuisine, Culture and Wine
Friday, March 30
12 – 1:30 p.m.
VCEC
This buffet trade luncheon features the diverse wineries of South Australia. Examine the contrast of this diverse region’s wines paired with BC and Australian cuisine created by a visiting South Australian chef and VCEC executive chef Blair Rasmussen. This fusion of rich cultures and tastes offers participants a great chance to explore and experiment. Enjoy wines from Andrew Peace Wines, Angove’s, Bleasdale Vineyards, Clarence Hill, Grant Burge, Hardy Wine Company, Nepenthe, Penfolds, Peter Lehmann Wines, Shingleback (Davey Family Wines), St Hallett, Wirra Wirra Vineyards, Wolf Blass, Wynns Coonawarra, and Yalumba.
Celebrating Excellence
Five coveted industry awards will be presented at the Partners in Wine Lunch.
Trade Tasting with Buyers Hour
Thursday, March 29 and Friday, March 30
1:30-5 p.m.
VCEC
Explore the International Festival Tasting room with your food and beverage industry peers at this unparalleled opportunity to meet winery personalities from around the world, taste rare wines and boost your knowledge. Note that Trade Tastings offer 158 wines in addition to the 717 served at the public tastings in the evening; these additional wines are unlisted and not yet available in this marketplace.
The first hour in the room each day (1:30-2:30 p.m.) is reserved for trade buyers, executive chefs and pass holders only, providing the time and freedom to taste wines, find out what’s hot and connect with wine industry personalities.
Also see the International Festival Tastings description below.
Please note that this is a wine tasting, not a food event. We strongly recommend that you have a meal before tackling the room. There is, of course, plenty of plain bread for cleansing the palate and some food samples are served.
Gold Pass Tasting Lounge
Friday, March 30
5:30-9 p.m.
VCEC
The Gold Pass Tasting Lounge is the perfect place to expand your wine festival experience with VIP treatment. Sample some of the festival’s premium bottles, served in a Riedel Overture glass (yours to keep) and enjoy a light buffet before heading to the International Festival Tasting room, which opens at 7 p.m. Sommeliers will be on hand to guide you through themed flights and pour special selections which can’t be found in the tasting room. Return to the lounge whenever you need a break from the tasting room crowds.
International Festival Tasting
Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre (VCEC)
(Trade Super Pass includes Thursday and Friday, March 29 and 30, 7–10 p.m.)
717 wines • 180 wineries • 17 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 big room is home to 180 wineries from 17 countries serving 717 different wines. Taste rare bottles and discover new pleasures as you visit with renowned winery principals (winemaker, proprietor or senior executive) from around the globe. Wineries are organized alphabetically; they are all listed in the free Festival Program that you’ll receive at the door to help you keep track of the wines you like.
The spotlight this year shines on Australia and the fest’s regional theme is Australian Wine: A World of Difference. You’ll find 54 wineries from Down Under, organized alphabetically within regions, pouring some 215 wines in the special Discover Australia section in the tasting room. Your Aussie walkabout takes you on a journey through South Australia’s wine growing regions including Barossa, McLaren Vale, Clare and Coonawarra. Also experience Victoria’s Yarra Valley, New South Wales’ Hunter Valley and premium wineries from Western Australia.
The global focus is on Riesling, the world’s most renowned white grape. It produces some of the most expressive wines in existence. Riesling devotees will find over 90 examples of this wonderful grape throughout the tasting room. For comparative tastings of selected Rieslings, head to the Riesling Tasting Station, where experts from Wine Access magazine and the International Sommelier Guild will be your guides.
§ Thursday night’s capacity is guaranteed to be 30 percent lower than the other two evenings, attracting wine collectors and trade professionals who appreciate more room to interact with the winery principals.
§ Friday is great for groups and the after-work crowd looking to kick off the weekend in style.
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 just outside the Festival Wine Shop exit.
Festival Wine Shop
Free bottle check and wine delivery
Tasting room wines may be bought at BC Liquor Store’s 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. Pay for your checked bottles when you leave. And if you don’t want to carry your bottles home at the end of the evening, BC Liquor Stores will ship them free to your nearest outlet and call you when they are ready to be picked up.
Please note that this is a wine tasting, not a dinner event. We strongly recommend that you have dinner before tackling the room. Some food samples are served, there is plenty of plain bread for cleansing the palate, and Bistro Bites onsite offers a variety of wine-friendly small plates priced from $2 to $6.