The 47th Vancouver International Wine Festival took palce on March 7-14, 2026, with a spotlight on France! They featured 112 wineries from 14 countries, and offered 33 events this week!

Here are some of our favourites from the heart of the festival, the International Festival Tasting at the Vancouver Convention Centre. We’ve tried to keep the list under $30, as we love recommending wines that don’t break the bank but are still a beautiful wine. We do have two $50-60 wines on the list if you want to find a great gift for a loved one!

Pfaff Yellow Tie Gewurztraminer

FRANCE: “With its very intense nose, this Gewurztraminer develops typical aromas such as spices, sultanas and marc. A couple of floral notes offer freshness and refined characteristics. Very expressive, this wine evokes spices with a couple of notes of honey. It offers good aromatic persistence and excellent freshness on the palate.”

CHATEAU RAYNE VIGNEAU

FRANCE: A dessert wine! “Thick and ample in the mouth, weighty and full of sweet orange peel, slightly wild honey, spiced lemon and pineapple, a real mixture of flavours and textures in the mouth. Doesn’t have the sugary density of some, this is more focussed and straight with a lightness of touch come the finish.”

FRONSAC – CHATEAU LA DAUPHINE 2021

FRANCE: “Beautifully lifted and aromatic nose, smells wonderful with such clarity. Juicy and succulent, lovely energy straight away, fruit is bright but not sour with a soft hint of both sweetness and cooling freshness. Layers of minerality and wet stones offset the fruit and the well integrated tannins give the structure. Not lean but not massy, a lovely balance for a finessed, delicate wine in 2021. Ends a touch light but give this time.”

Sauvignon Blanc 2024

USA: A bright attack of lemon and lime that rounds out as the wine evolves into the nicely weighted mid-palate of pink grapefruit and gooseberry. A beautiful texture evolves from there and takes the wine through the extended finish. A wonderfully balanced, complex Sauvignon Blanc. 

CHARDONNAY – UKO ESTATE

Argentina: “Bright yellow color with green shades and golden hints. Complex and intense aroma, where tropical fruits can be distinguished. In the mouth, fresh, soft, fruity and easy to drink. Balanced and silky acidity.”

We also enjoyed learning about wines and trying different food pairings in the tasting room.