The Wine World Is Coming

175 Wineries | 763 Wines | 15 Countries

Theme Region: California  | Global Focus: Chardonnay

It's that time again.
The 35th annual Vancouver International Wine Fest hits the ground running on Monday, February 25th.

This is your opportunity to take in decadent dinners (all dinners are now closed), wine seminars to educate and inspire or the more casual wine minglers. 
If you want, delve into a Saturday Lunch and close the week off with Flavours of the Festival Brunch on Sunday, March 3.
The most popular event by far is the International Festival Tasting, which takes place from 7-10pm on Thursday, Friday & Saturday nights. This is where you'll have the chance to travel through 15 countries, meet dozens of winemakers and principle attendees and taste from an assortment of 763 wines.

International Festival Tasting

You need a plan. Read this: 10 Tasting Room Tips

Here are some suggestions on how to work to the room.

Choose a region (for example, California) first.
You could choose to taste bubble first, then white, then red... but I find that a bit difficult to return to a table after I've passed it once. It's up to you. 
Continue to refer to the 10 Tasting Room Tips when you're maneuvering around the room and the tables.
Make sure you take some notes on the wines you like (even a star beside the ones you like, or a photo with your iphone works).

Here are some of my suggestions on what wineries to visit. 

These are based on my previous experiences with the wines, the winemakers or a visit I have made to the winery.
I feel these are worth your time and attention.

California

Blackbird Vineyards
Bridlewood Estate Winery 
Chateau St. Jean 
Clos Du Val
Duckhorn Wine Company
Etude
Gloria Ferrer
Hess Collection
Joseph Phelps Winery
Kendall~Jackson
MacRostie Vineyards

Miner Family Winery
Paul Hobbs Winery
Ridge Vineyards
Robert Mondavi Winery
Rodney Strong Wine Estates
Schug Carneros Estate
Seghesio Family Vineyards
Signorello Estate Winery
Silver Oak Cellars
Stag's Leap Wine Cellars
Stags' Leap Winery
Wagner Family of Wine

Argentina (more here)

Bodega Catena Zapata
Domaine Jean Bousquet
Bodega Vistalba

Australia (more here)

Gemtree Vineyards
Hill-Smith Family Vineyards
Jacob's Creek
Josef Chromy
Peter Lehmann
Tyrrell's Wines
Wakefield Wines
Wirra Wirra Vineyards
Wolf Blass
Yalumba

British Columbia

Averill Creek Vineyard
Black Hills Estate Winery
Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars
CedarCreek Estate Winery
Meyer Family Vineyards
Mission Hill Family Estate
Painted Rock Estate Winery
Poplar Grove Winery
Quails' Gate Winery
Road 13
Sandhill
Stoneboat
Tinhorn Creek
Township 7

Chile (more here)

Concha Y Toro
Vina Koyle Family Vineyards
Vina Undurraga

France

Chateau de la Gardine
Les Halos de Jupiter
Lanson
Louis Latour
Famille Perrin
Champagne Pol Roger

Germany

Gunderloch
St. Urbans~Hof

Italy

Estates of Antinori
Planeta
Rocca della Macie
Ruffino

New Zealand (more here)

Akarua
Astrolabe
Marisco Vineyards
Stoneleigh Vineyards

Portugal (more here)

Jose Maria de Fonseca
Taylor Fladgate

South Africa (more here)

Boekenhoutskloof Winery
Glen Carlou

Spain

Freixenet
Bodegas Jorge Ordonez
Miguel Torres
Nathalie Bonhomme
Bodegas Oliveras

Oregon/Washington

King Estate
Charles Smith Wines
Long Shadows
 

Want specifics? A list of wines to print off, to taste in the International Tasting Room? See the wines and read the reviews here...

 ~List compiled by Daenna Van Mulligen


Want to know how WineDiva reviews wine? Read all about it here!