The Vancouver International Wine Festival brings together enthusiasts, collectors, and industry professionals from around the world. With West Coast U.S. Wines taking centre stage this year, I got to try the flavours of the west coast, California, Oregon, and Washington.
At the festival, I learnt that grape growers from Oregon were providing grapes to wineries in California after the fires. One thing I learnt at Cornucopia Whistler 2024 was how the wine industry and its creators are on the forefront of battling climate change, and this was a reoccurring conversation that came up about how wine producers are doing their best as their landscape is rapidly shifting. Between joking about whether to change our travel plans from the US, we all came to an agreement on something: while there’s someone real dumb in office right now in the US, he does not speak for all the good people trying to come together and survive, like those who helped California wineries this year.
I was also very happy to attend the media launch at JOEY’s Burrard, which is always a fun time to see other foodies and wine enthusiasts. Everyone is so happy to be at this festival, I find, and are eager to try new things.
My favourite thing to do is to do a couple seminars. I like picking a value orientated one to have some White Elephant gifts in my arsenal, and one more luxurious one where I can try a few new wines. A few notable seminars were Value and Variety, West Coast Style and West Coast Wine Allstars. I also went to the tasting room and got to meet many different vendors. I’ve compiled my highlights below.
Top 5 value wines
Please note that this is based on my very particular taste, and I’m a newbie wine drinker!
A to Z Wineworks Chardonnay 2022 Oregon ($24.95)
The rich mid-palate seamlessly complements the lively, well-balanced character of this Chardonnay, showcasing notes of green apple, starfruit, and a hint of peppermint.
True Myth Chardonnay Edna Valley California ($23)
With inviting aromas of ripe pear, pineapple, tangerine, and caramel, this classic Edna Valley Chardonnay offers a rich, creamy texture brimming with tropical fruit flavors. Bright acidity keeps it vibrant through the finish, beautifully complemented by notes of vanilla bean and toasted oak.
Dixie & Bass Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Columbia Valley, WA ($23.99)
Aromas of dark plum and cherry lead the way in this medium-bodied Cabernet, which mirrors those flavors on the palate, complemented by subtle hints of oak and mushroom. Smooth and approachable.
Ivory & Burt Old Vine Zinfandel 2021 Lodi California ($29.99)
Bold and full-bodied, this wine bursts with aromas of blackberry, baked peach, cinnamon, potpourri, and freshly brewed coffee.
Chateau Ste Michelle – Indian Wells Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 Columbia Valley, WA ($31.99)
The Indian Wells Cabernet embodies a warm-climate, ripe, and jammy New World style, featuring a rich texture and intense flavors of blackberry and black cherry.
Top 5 wines overall
Please note that this is based on my very particular taste, and I’m a newbie wine drinker!
Aquilini Wines A56 Cabernet Sauvignon 2021 ($84.99)
Deep ruby in color, this wine offers aromas of plum, mocha, graphite, and herbs, with flavors of cocoa powder, cherry, and plum. Firm, dusty tannins provide structure throughout.
Justin Vineyards & Winery Isosceles ($139.99)
First crafted in 1987, this wine was inspired by the renowned First Growth producers of Bordeaux and made with the same meticulous care as the Grands Vins of legendary châteaux. Full-bodied and layered with ripe black fruit and complex baking spice, it is remarkably approachable now but also rewards patience, evolving beautifully with time in the cellar.
Orin Swift Cellars Papillion ($121.98)
Aromatics of boysenberry jam, violets, chocolate covered blueberry and hints of Cara Cara rind, graphite and brioche. The entry and mid-palate are bright throughout with considerable weight-tones of cassis and blackberry. Just a beautiful, vibrant red wine!
Signorello Estate S by Signorello Cabernet Sauvignon ($124.99)
This wine was so delicious! I could taste notes of blackberry jam, cassis, red fruit preserve, dark chocolate, cedar and my favourite finish: mocha and espresso. The tannins were soft and balanced with these notes.
Ridge Vineyards Estate Monte Bello Cabernet Sauvignon ($399.99)
It is hard to describe such an exquisite wine as I’m still discerning flavours in wines. Black cherry, dark plum, black olive, that was balanced with a tinge of saltiness and the wine felt like I was going through a journey in the woods. Perhaps from the notes of cedar, juniper berry, oak and mint. But if you’d like to impress someone, this is the wine.
Riley’s Fish + Steak
After one day of the festival, I stopped by Riley’s, which was the best decision ever. Their happy hour won’t break the bank, but you’ll be dining in luxury and having Michelin-rated bites! It’s right near the convention centre too. Their steamers, carpaccio and oysters are some of their top selling happy hour dishes, and they did not disappoint! My favourite is the steamers, though their carpaccio won me over, as I normally do not like eating this dish (anywhere that is!). The cheese ontop with the tenderness of the beef had me thinking about it days after!
I’m always quite happy to see this festival each year in Vancouver. It’s nice to catch up with folks or meet new ones, who all share a similar interest in wine and food as you. VanWineFest serves a greater purpose also! It provides an informative and entertaining experience, supports the wine industry through trade events, and raises funds for the Bard on the Beach Theatre Society, continuing a tradition of cultural and community support that has raised over $2.2 million in the past decade. So I’m more than happy to support the festival as it helps our community as well! I cannot wait to see what’s highlighted next year!
