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34th annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine
Festival
EVENT
34th annual Vancouver Playhouse
International Wine Festival; inaugural year was 1979. The Festival’s board chair
is Randal Kaardal. The Festival’s executive director is Harry
Hertscheg.
DATES
Feb 27 - Mar 4, 2012
SNAPSHOT
The wine world is here for Canada’s
premier wine show. The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is one
of the biggest and oldest wine events in the world, offering something for
every level of wine drinker, collector and trade professional. Winery
principals (winemaker, proprietor, senior executive) from selected wineries and
countries will be in attendance to pour and discuss their wines.
The heart of the festival is the International
Festival Tasting Room at the Vancouver Convention Centre, where wines are
available for sampling, with more being served at special events including a
gala auction, wine seminars, trade events, and food and wine pairing affairs
such as winery dinners, lunches and brunches at top Vancouver restaurants and
hotels. For 2012, the spotlight is on two areas – the regional theme Chile and the global
focus is Cabernet(s).
Since its
inception in 1979, the Festival has raised $7.5 million for the Playhouse
Theatre Company. See complete Festival details at www.playhousewinefest.com
or call 604-873-3311.
 
International Festival Tasting Room
NUMBERS
Previous records and the year set are shown in brackets.
- Wines: TBD wines: (1,650;
2011).
- International
Festival Tasting Room Wines: (760; 2011)
- Special
Event Wines: (;2011)
- Wineries: (176; 2011)
- Theme
Region Wineries: (tbd) wineries from Chile: (33 wineries from Spain; 2011)
- Theme
region wines:
(tbd) wines from Chile: (000 wines from Spain; 2011)
- Countries: (tbd): (15; 2011)
- Events: 63 over
seven days (63; 2011).
- Projected
attendance: 25,000
(25,000; 2011).
REGIONAL THEME 
PAST REGIONAL THEMES
2011 - Wines from Spain
2010 - Wines of Argentina & New Zealand Wine
2009 –
Celebrate British Columbia
2008 – Vino Italiano: Innovation by Tradition
2007 – Australian Wine: A World of Difference
2006 – Wine Regions of France
2005 – Taste the new South Africa
2004 – Discover the Wine Regions of California
2003 – Showcasing Wines of Chile
2002 – Germany & Portugal
2001 – Spain
2000 – Italy
1999 – Australia
1998 – California
1997 – Canada
1996 – Bordeaux
GLOBAL FOCUS Cabernet(s)
PAST GLOBAL FOCUSES 2011 - Fortified Wine
2010 - Rosé 2009 – Pinot(s)
2008 –
Sparkling Wine
2007 –
Riesling
2006 – Pinot
Noir
2005 –
Sauvignon Blanc
2004 –
Syrah/Shiraz
LOCATIONS
The Festival is headquartered at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, 1055 Canada Place.
The International Festival Tastings, most Trade Days events and public wine
seminars are held at VCC. Other events are held at Vancouver’s top restaurants and hotels. In
addition to the host venues, and restaurants, caterers and suppliers will participate
in the festival’s two signature brunches, Vintners Brunch and Flavours of the
Festival, taking place on Sunday, Mar 4.
TRADE DAYS CONFERENCE
There are 11 trade-only
events over three days, Wednesday to Friday, March 30 to April 1, 2011. The hub of Trade Days are the two afternoon
Trade Tastings in the International Festival Tasting Room on the Thursday and
Friday, which offers wines served at the public tastings in the evenings as
well as additional wines that are
unlisted and not yet available in this marketplace.
 The Trade Days special
events include a Symposium on February 29th which last year was on How Will You Sell Your Wines in the Future? The Chile focused opening Theme Plenary (March 1st), various seminars for buyers,
servers, sommeliers and chefs, as well as the must-attend Trade Days Lunch (March 1st ) and much-anticipated 8th Annual Awards Lunch (March 2nd). Trade
Days Conference are restricted to members of the hospitality and food and
beverage industry only and there is a registration process to ensure industry participation.
GALA AUCTION
Bacchanalia Gala Dinner and Auction is at The Fairmont Hotel Vancouver on Tuesday, February 28, 2011.
This is the centre piece of the festival and one of the most spectacular
events in the city. The evening provides an unparalleled opportunity to
enhance collectors’ wine cellars through auctions of rare, valuable and
unusual wines, donated by some of the world’s top winemakers and private
collectors. The auction also includes unique culinary experiences, excursions
and extravaganzas. Meanwhile, the dinner is the ultimate in wine and food
pairing, with a Champagne reception and five
sensational courses paired with ten outstanding wines.
EVENT PRICES
Event prices range from $29 to $450. Advance ticket rates end on (TBD) (Bacchanalia Gala; TBD). Ticket
prices are inclusive of HST and service charges (and gratuities for lunches
and dinners in restaurants).
TICKET SALES
Tickets to consumer events go on sale Tuesday, January 10th at 9:30 am. Tickets to Trade Days
events go on sale Tuesday, January 17 at 9:30 a.m. Most tickets are available online at www.playhousewinefest.com, through the
Playhouse Box Office at 604.873.3311 (Toll Free 1-877-321-3121) or in person
at 601 Hamilton Street, Vancouver. (Playhouse Theatre) Complete event information and
ticket purchasing information, will be
available online at www.playhousewinefest.com by Fall of 2011.
PURPOSE
The
Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival has three mandates. It
provides an informative,
educational and entertaining wine experience for consumers and trade; it
serves as a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry; and it is a
primary fundraiser for the Playhouse Theatre Company, Western
Canada’s largest theatre company dedicated exclusively to
producing works of the contemporary repertoire.
FUNDRAISING
Since inception in 1979, the Festival has raised $7.5 million for the
Playhouse, enabling the company to mount 232 theatrical productions and
create extensive educational and community outreach programs. The 2011 Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction raised $269,411.
2013 DATES
Announce soon.
Last updated: May 9, 2011
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