download pdf - BC Liquor Stores

y Kasey Wilson
THE 2011 GLobAL FoCuS iS on ForTiFiED WinES, inCLuDinG SHErry FroM SPAin, PorT AnD
MADEirA FroM PorTuGAL AnD ForTiFiED WinES FroM FrAnCE, AuSTrALiA AnD CALiForniA.
You don’t have to book a flight
to sip a sensuous red or white
from Spain’s wine frontiers.
For seven days beginning March 28 th ,
ambitious winemakers and the finest
wines from Spain will attract aficionados
to the Vancouver Playhouse International
Wine Festival. As the country with the
world’s largest vineyard acreage, Spain
has emerged internationally as a producer
of an extraordinary range of wines of
quality and character and has been chosen
as this year’s festival Theme Region.
Fourteen other countries, including
Australia, Argentina, Chile, France, Italy,
South Africa, Portugal and of course
Canada, also showcase their wines.
The 2011 Global Focus is on
fortified wines, including sherry from
Spain, port and Madeira from Portugal
and fortified wines from France,
Australia and California. Under the
guidance of sommeliers, guests can
sample 42 different fortified wines from
around the world in the International
Tasting Room. There’s also a spotlight
on Grenache, the low-profile grape
which may be the world’s most
widely planted and at the same time
underestimated, varietal.
First held in 1979, the Festival bills
itself as “one of the biggest and oldest
wine festival events in the world” and
attracts some of the most knowledgeable
consumers. It’s produced by the
Vancouver Playhouse International
Wine Society. Since its inception, the
informative and entertaining festival
has donated more than $7.2 million to
the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre. This
year, the Festival will draw more than
25,000 attendees to tastings, seminars,
exclusive private dinners, luncheons
and brunches where they will meet
local celebrity chefs and world wine
luminaries including Miguel Torres and
Telmo Rodriguez.
After spending a year traveling to
festivals in the United States, Spain,
Portugal, Chile and New Zealand,
Harry Hertscheg, the peripatetic
executive director of the Society, is
more than ready for the event. As
Hertscheg states, “30,000 bottles of
1,650 selected wines by 176 wineries
from 15 countries in 62 events at 33
venues over seven days with the support
of 400 volunteers, 70 sponsors/partners,
45 wine agencies and 14 consulates. In
short,” says Hertscheg, “I feel like I’m
organizing 62 weddings at once.”
For Hertscheg, the Vancouver
Playhouse International Wine Festival
and each year’s theme region have to
become dance partners. They both have
to tango to make it work. Last year
Argentina was one of the theme regions.
The 2010 “theme region dance” began
in Fall 2007, when the Argentine Trade
Commissioner enquired about theme
participation. Hertscheg responded with
the festival terms of engagement and
an invitation to be a 2010 theme region
along with New Zealand. (Italy was the
theme in 2008 and British Columbia
was honoured with that position in
2009). Argentina paired well with the
proposed global focus and received a
nod from the Planning and Winery
Selection Committees. The Trade
Commissioner confirmed Argentina’s
intent to participate in the spring of
2008. The Festival’s Board of Directors
then formally approved the choice.
The Wines of Argentina organization
approved the major marketing initiative
and plans and budgets were finalized in
early 2009. “And then,” says Hertscheg,
“We spend the next year dancing the
organizing tango.”
It’s the same process for all regions
and countries. Regardless of theme,
wineries must submit an application.
Last year over 270 wineries applied for
the 2010 Festival, of which only 197
were selected. That’s all there was room
for. Most wine shows in the world sell
booths and allow the agency, distributor
or winery to bring in any wines they
like. However, all the wineries and
wines at the Playhouse Wine Festival
compete for the available space and are
chosen based on stated criteria. The
wineries and the Tasting Room wines
are approved by the Winery Selection
Committee, chaired by John Schreiner,
Canada’s most prolific author of wine
books. Special event wines are selected
by a combination of the appointed
Event Chairs and the Festival Winery
Selection Committee.
The events range in price from $40
for the low-key, but always entertaining
(and usually sold-out) “25 Wines Under
TASTE 9
2011
VPIWF