The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, March 23 to 29, 2009, is a must for any wine (and food) lover. It’s been going for 31 years and is among the top three wine festivals in North America. Part of what makes it special is that a winery principal must be in the Festival Tasting Room at all times pouring their wines. So you’ll see Rafael Boscaini pouring Masi wines, winemaker John Simes from Mission Hill Family Estates, port maker Cristiano van Zeller, Cathy Seghesio from Seghesio, Kristy Skrabic from Caymus, and many more. Many of these are repeat visitors. Why? They love Vancouver consumers who they consider among the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable anywhere.

They’ll be pouring 1700 wines from 133 wineries in 15 countries at 61 events over the course of seven days. It may sound boggling but it is fascinating, delicious fun packed with food and learning if that’s your bent. There are some high level tastings like verticals of Beringer Private Reserve, Note Bene and Osoyoos Larose, and seminars that demonstrate how proper glassware elevates the taste of wine. Or perhaps you’d like to taste blindfolded at Blind-Blind.

There are a dozen wine-soaked gourmet winemaker dinners, as many decadent lunches and brunches, plus grazing events that run the gamut from a Great Big Kitchen Party featuring BC wines, Ga-Ga for Gewurz, and Fetzer’s Appetiser Challenge. If you’re into night life, then the California Wine Rush and Blasted Church Winery’s Midnight Gospel Service complete with wine and BBQ is right up your alley.

Tickets sell quickly but one way in at this late date is to buy a Gold Pass which offers access to all the Festival tastings including the two industry-only buyers’ afternoons, the Gold Pass Lounge, and a VIP reception.

Where to stay? How about where many of the visiting winery principles stay? In addition to the Festival’s partner hotels, three hot newcomers include:

• Moda
• The St. Regis
• The Loden

If you don’t make it this time around, check the Festival website in December 2009 for next year’s dates and events. It will be in April after the 2010 Olympics and will move into the new waterfront Convention and Exhibition Centre.

And I can’t wait.

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By Judith Lane.
Judith Lane is a Vancouver-based wine, food, and travel writer who contributes regularly to an array of North America-wide publications, and will go almost anywhere for a good story and a glass of wine.