What better way to beat the winter blahs (and I know we haven’t had much of a winter this year, but bear with me) than with more than 230 wine varietals to sample, along with some light gourmet eats?
Winefest has all of that under one roof this weekend at the Big Four building on Stampede Park.
Wineries from 15 countries are represented, including usual suspects Italy, Chile and the U.S. But be on the lookout for products from Moldova, Georgia and the Netherlands as well.
Winefest is an all-inclusive event, which means no fumbling for tickets while you’re balancing a glass, potential food pairing and the all-important notebook.
Yes. Notebook.
This isn’t just a booze-a-thon. Although it is a nice event to indulge, these big shows, along with Co-Op’s Grape Escape and the Rocky Mountain Wine & Food Festival, offer a chance to learn about the industry and to discover new favourites.
So, while I am by no means a wine expert — the purpose of this blog is to inform myself as much as it is to inform the lot of you — I do have a couple of suggestions:
1. Talk to the vendors, and ask questions. There are a lot of different wineries pouring a lot of different wines. The more info you can get, the better. Not so you become some big vino know-it-all, but for your own enjoyment. But, if you see you’re at a popular booth, don’t monopolize anyone’s time. Move along. Find something new to try.
2. Step out of your comfort zone. I’m happy to see that some of my favourite Canadian wineries aren’t on the the list for the event. It’s easy to want to head straight for your favourites. But don’t. Explore.
While the event runs Friday and Saturday, the two evening sessions are already sold out. These events are popular.
If you want a chance to sample the goods, your last opportunity is for Saturday afternoon from 2-5 p.m. Tickets are $75, though groups of 10 or more can get a discount. All the info you need is right here.
Tags: Big Four, Canada, France, Italy, Spain, Stampede Park, Wine, winefest