Playhouse Winefest Vancouver

5.0 star rating
2 reviews

Category: Festivals  [Edit]

1055 Canada Pl
Vancouver, BC V6C
Neighbourhood: Downtown
(604) 872-6622
Good for Kids:
No
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2 reviews in English

  • Review from Evilyn T.

    Photo of Evilyn T.

    Vancouver, BC

    5.0 star rating
    3/5/2012

    What better way to warm up your weekend than a Friday night at the Wine Festival? I had previously bought three tickets for Christmas, one for me, one for the BF and one for my Mom (cuz who doesn't love the gift of wine?) so we could go booze/schmooze it up together. I'm sure its probably way less busy on the Thursday night, but who wants to drag their sorry ass into work hungover on a Friday? That is no way to start your weekend.

    There were almost 800 wines for sampling from 15 countries and 180 wineries - that's a lot to get through in 3 hours! There are also little snacks, so you can get some bread after your stomach is bloated and full of booze and you start to feel drunk, as well as olives, dolmathes, chocolates and a coffee station. But don't try and sneak a piece of bread if you didn't wait in line. I got my hand smacked by one of the ladies working in the booth with a snarky "can't you see there's a lineup?" To which I replied "yes" cuz that's what smartasses do. I did get in line, and I did fill up my plate with bread, since I was basically chugging each sample of wine I got. They do have spitting buckets at the tables for the real connoisseurs, but let's face it, we were just there to discover new wines and get drunk.

    I did discover some new wines and most of the retailers have small cards next to the wines so you can grab one and take it with you and remember what it was that you liked. I, on the other hand, thought I would be exceptionally sneaky and downloaded the BC Liquor Store app on my iphone so all I had to do was scan barcodes of wines I liked. The problem with that was some of the wines I scanned were not available in BC, so that didn't work. And the other problem was that I got so drunk I forgot to save the scans, so the app told me everything I wanted to know about the wine; cost, where to find it, what it was called, but I failed at actually saving it to my favourites. D'oh!

    Tickets for the wine fest are about $95, which may seem a bit steep but I highly reccomend you check it out. Its like being at an open bar for 3 hours! I would also like to point out that they encourage responsible drinking and there is a booth set up that will give you a bus transfer so you get home safely. I may be a lush, but I'm not a fucking idiot, I took a cab.

    Listed in: Best of the best

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  • Review from Kal B.

    Photo of Kal B.

    Burnaby, BC

    5.0 star rating
    4/26/2010

    for my #100 REVIEW (whoohoo!) I decided to go on a date.. 14 mini-dates to be exact!

    I went to this great event as part of the Playhouse Wine Festival in Vancouver called Meet your Match.. kinda like speed dating but with wine proprietors from around the world.  The event took place at the convention centre.. we spent about 6 minutes with each proprietor who brought along one of their renowned wines.  A tiny bell would ring and our small group would move on to the next table.  We were one of the first (if not the first) to be able to have this experience.. they are hoping that this is the direction wine tasting is going in.. and if it does, I'm on board!  Each winemaker would talk about their wine and their vineyards, talking to how the wine was made, the flavours and the inspiration for them.  They would also give some history behind their winery as well as let us pick their brains.  Had tons of fun and learned lots!

    Oh malbec, my malbec!  They featured 3 different malbecs at the event which were all great.. my fave was Enamore (meaning to fall in love.. and that I did!).  An article on the event said it was worth 10 times the price of admission and it was!  We sampled wines ranging from $30 something to $350 a bottle.

    Here's a list of the featured wines:

    WINERY / WINE
    Bonterra Bonterra McNab Ranch / Biodynamic
    Viña Dona Paula / Seleccion de Bodega
    Falesco / Falesco Montiano
    Weingut Gunderloch / Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spatlese
    Kendall-Jackson / Highland Estates Camelot Chardonnay
    Louis Latour / Mersault Chateau de Blagny
    Matua Valley / Paretai Sauvignon Blanc
    Mission Hill Family Estate / Compendium
    Perrin et Fils / Hommage à Jacques
    Bodegas y Viñedos Renacer SA / Enamore
    Rocca delle Macìe / Rocca delle Macìe Roccato
    Bodegas Trapiche / Manos Malbec
    Champagne de Venoge / Grand Vin des Princes de Venoge
    Bodegas Vistalba / Tomero Gran Reserva Malbec

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