likebyregina I am slowly recovering from all the wine that I consumed from few weeks ago at the 2020 Vancouver Wine Festival. Despite I am not a wine drinker, I enjoyed my time, and I think this year’s wine festival was a huge success. It was my first time going, and I didn’t know what to expect until I was there. Many of you also message me and asked if the Vancouver Wine Festival is worth every buck. So here I am to answer all your questions.
This year’s Vancouver Wine Festival hosted 163 wineries, with 16 countries showcasing 1,450 different wines. This year’s featured country, France, showcases 42 wineries alone. I attended three events this year including, the International Festival Tasting, C’est Ca Cool, and the PICA Kitchen Party. Each event is priced individually, which includes food, drinks, tax, and gratuity. So you don’t have to worry if there are any hidden costs. All event also has a commonality – you can enjoy unlimited wine as you wish, and this makes each event price worthy. This is absolutely a bonus for all wine lovers out there.
I am going to focus this blog post mostly on the Grand Tasting, an event that you don’t want to miss, especially for first timers. This year’s Grand Tasting was hosted in 4 sessions, and it is the best opportunity to explore and try different wines all in one setting. The wineries are arranged by country, and you can explore however you please. You can essentially find all kinds of wine here, from white, rose, sparkling, red, and even sake. Once you find your favourite region or winery, you can always go back for more!
The Grand Tasting also offered nibbles to snack on, including cured meat from ARC Iberico Imports, mini gelato scoops from D’oro Gelato e Caffe, tea from Rishi Tea & Botanicals and Italian snacks and cheese from La Grotto Del Formaggio, etc.
It is important to set a game plan, and for me, I focused on white, rose, and champagne, while some friends focused on red. This allows you to explore more of what you enjoy the most. Each session is 3 hour long, and I paced myself between snacks and wine.
I lose count on how much wine I drank in the two sessions I attended, but I have a favourite one. Overall, I enjoyed the German Riesling the most, as they are sweet and easy to drink – especially Weingut Nik Weis St. Urbans-Hof Bockstein Kabinett. And many is reasonably priced and can be found in BC Liquor Store.
Last but not least, what is better than closing my night with a cup of latte from Nespresso. I was a bit extra of adding a mini scoop of gelato from D’oro Gelato e Caffe and made an affogato on the spot.
Overall Impression
Vancouver Wine Festival has come to an end this year, and now to answer everyone’s question: is this event worth to go? 100% yes. This is the event that you can go to explore and learn about wine from different wineries around the world, as well as trying all the wines that you have never tried before. More importantly, some wine can be brought only at the onsite wine shop, which is not available in the BC Liquor Stores.
[…] addition to the Grand Tasting, I have also attended to two other events hosted by the Vancouver International Wine Festival, and […]