GIVE YOUR VALENTINE SWEETHEART THE GIFT OF FINE WINE
(Printable PDF Version)

(February 10, 2009 Vancouver, BC.) Tickets for the 2009 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival are now on sale. After two weeks of sales, seventeen events are already sold out, but there are still some sweet deals available for Valentine’s Day.

Get Uncorked!, Monday, March 23, 5:00-7:00pm, $65/$55 groups of 8+
Kick off the Playhouse Wine Festival in style with this celebration of the pioneering partnership between Earls and Inniskillin Okanagan Vineyards. Inniskillin’s Discovery Series was developed by Winemaker Sandor Mayer to showcase rare varietals in the Okanagan, such as Grenache, Mourvedre, and Counoise. Sample these small-lot, premium wines paired with a stunning array of appetizers created exclusively by Earls Head Chef Reuben Major for this evening. Expect some twists and turns, and maybe even a lake monster or two.

Diva(s) at the Met, Tuesday, March 24, 6:00-9:00pm, $85
A unique two-for-one deal at this year’s Playhouse Wine Festival: first, discover fascinating insights about the wine world from the women behind the wine. Host Daenna Van Mulligen, aka Wine Diva, will lead a sit-down tasting with an international panel of female winemakers, proprietors and international sales agents, who will share the secrets of their wines and their careers. The tasting will be followed by an opportunity to meet these celebrated wine women
one-on-one at individual stations around the room, with tasty nibbles by Diva at the Met chef and Sommelier Dino Renaerts created specifically to pair with each wine.

Fetzer presents Great Beginnings – Best New Flavours of the City, Wednesday, March 25,
5:30-7:30pm, $69/$60 groups of 8+
Come see what defines British Columbia as Canada’s trend-setting culinary arts province. Chefs from the hippest establishments square off to win gold, as they create a unique appetizer to pair with a wine from the extensive Fetzer range. You be the judge – who will be Vancouver’s top chef in this food and wine pairing competition? This is a great way to sample some of the most exciting new local food and wine wonders while relaxing after work.

Riedel in the Home: The Glory of the Glass, Thursday, March 26, 5:15-6:45pm, $170
Meet the man behind the glasses. Georg Riedel, the 10th generation patriarch of varietal specific glassware will introduce Vancouver wine-lovers to his Vitis series. A fusion of functionality and artistic statement, Vitis is the pinnacle of modern stemmed glass technology. Participants will experience for themselves how the shape of a glass can enhance the characteristics of different wines, and as an added bonus will take home their own set of Vitis glasses, valued at $170.

Blind-Blind, Saturday, March 28, 3:00-4:45pm, $40
Blind tastings are a popular way for wine tasters to test their knowledge by identifying a wine through the use of their senses alone. But what if one of those senses was taken away? Experts claim that tasting in the dark heightens your ability to smell and taste wine. See for yourself how impartial judgment affects your opinions of different varietals, as wine educator and sommelier Mireille Sauvé leads blindfolded participants through a “double-blind” tasting of a flight of wines.

Gaga for Gewürz!, Saturday, March 28, 3:00-4:45pm, $49
Explore the many facets of Gewürztraminer in this wine mingler showcasing 24 different Gewürz’s from 10 different wine regions. Eight different tasting stations will be set up – Spicy, Smoky, Sweet, Cheesy, Rich, Earthy, Salty, and Meaty – to help you discover your favourite style and region, as well as the ideal food pairing for each wine. Gewürz enthusiasts Tim Pawsey and Chef Dana Reinhardt will be on hand to guide your journey into the wonders of this opulently
aromatic grape.

The 2009 Wine Festival takes place March 23-29 and will feature 183 wineries from 15 countries serving more than 1700 wines at 61 events across the city. Approximately 25,000 consumers and trade professionals are expected to attend the festival, which will highlight the wines of British Columbia as the theme region and Pinot(s) as the global focus. All tickets are now on sale through the Playhouse Box Office, 604.873.3311. For more information, visit
www.playhousewinefest.com.

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival is a fundraiser for the Playhouse Theatre Company and is generously sponsored by The Shore Club.