Make Your Mark at VIWF 2025 | |
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The 46th Vancouver International Wine Festival, Canada's premier trade and consumer wine show, takes place February 22-March 2, 2025. This is the pre-eminent opportunity to showcase and sample wines to British Columbia's sophisticated wine audience, including collectors, buyers, sommeliers, media, and influencers. Key trade attendees have come from across Canada, including representatives from provincial liquor boards and top private retailers in Western Canada.
New York's BizBash named the Vancouver International Wine Festival the #1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event in Canada for eight years running. In 2023, it was named one of the top 10 wine trade shows in the world by Wine International Association.
Information on how agents and unrepresented BC wineries can submit winery applications is below.
Wine organizations can scroll down to discover information on how to sponsor events or organize a Regional Tasting Station.
New to the Festival? Check out our top Reasons to Participate
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Winery Applications Now Open Until May 31 | |
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All selected wineries feature their products in the festival's Tasting Room, which hosts two trade-only tastings and four consumer International Festival Tastings over the course of three days. All wines exhibited in the Tasting Room are sold onsite at the BCLIQUOR wine shop; in 2024, onsite sales topped $487,000!
Participating wineries have added opportunities to present their wines at seminars, winery dinners, wine minglers, lunches and more.
We anticipate 140-160 wineries will be selected to participate in the 2025 festival. Canada's premier wine show once again aims to attract some of the biggest wine industry names from around the world.
Note that winery applications must be submitted by a registered and active BC wine agent on behalf of suppliers they represent in the BC market.
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The Tasting Room's six sessions are the heart of the festival, but there are many special events throughout the week, including a fundraising gala, seminars, minglers, lunches, and dinners, for which you can submit your wines.
Full details can be found in the Special Event Wine Submission Guidelines, but below is a breakdown of the planned 2024 special events (using working titles).
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NAPA VALLEY CABERNET MASTERCLASS
Trade Seminar, Wednesday, February 26
$350+GST
Napa Valley wineries only
CRUISING CALIFORNIA
WIne Mingler, Wednesday, February 26
$300+GST
California wineries only
USA THEME PLENARY
Trade Seminar, Thursday, February 27
$100+GST
US wineries only
USA BLOCKBUSTER SEMINAR
Wine seminar, Thursday, February 27
$100+GST
US wineries only
FESTIVAL TOAST
Wine Mingler, Thursday, February 27
No participation fee
US wineries only
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WEST SONOMA COAST MASTERCLASS
Trade seminar, Friday, February 28
$350+GST
West Sonoma Coast wineries only
21st ANNUAL AWARDS LUNCH
FEATURING U.S. WINES
Trade Lunch, Friday, February 28
$200+GST
US wineries only
COOL CLIMATE CALIFORNIA SEMINAR
Wine seminar, Friday, February 28
$350+GST
West Sonoma Coast wineries only
USA THEME CELEBRATION LUNCH
Grazing Lunch, Saturday, March 1
All US wineries required to participate; included with theme fee
CALIFORNIA REGIONAL BOOTH
Tasting Room, February 27-March 1
$300+GST
Lodi, Napa, Sonoma, Central Coast wineries
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Events with no participation fee
BACCHANALIA GALA DINNER + AUCTION
Fundraising Gala featuring 10 premium wines
Saturday, February 22
THE SHAPE OF WINE
Wine Seminar, Thursday, February 27
Riesling, oaked Chardonnay, Pinot Noir,
and Cabernet Sauvignon
DELTA AIR LINES TASTING LOUNGE
Wine & Food Grazing, Friday, February 28, Saturday, March 1
All countries
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Events with participation fees
CHARDONNAY MINGLER
Wine Mingler, Tuesday, February 25
$150+GST
Chardonnays only
THE GLOBAL CRU
Wine Seminar, Saturday, March 1
$100+GST
All countries - "cru" wines
8th ANNUAL PICA KITCHEN PARTY
Grazing Lunch, Sunday, March 2
$200+GST
Food-friendly wines from any country
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Attending Trade Days at VanWineFest. | |
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Wineries, agencies, and wine organizations also have the opportunity to propose their own event, based on the Sponsored Event Proposals Guidelines. Some of the suggested events include:
VINTAGE TASTING
Tuesday, February 25, Wednesday, February 26 or Thursday, February 27
Vintage Tastings are designed to capture the interest of wine collectors. The featured winery principal hosts these intimate tastings, which are often vertical tastings stretching back several decades.
GLOBAL VINE STAR SEMINAR
Thursday, February 27 or Friday, February 28
A wine seminar featuring an internationally-renowned wine producer/personality who has made a global impact on the wine industry and/or wine culture.
TRADE SEMINAR / MASTERCLASS
Wednesday, February 26 or Friday, February 28
An in-depth study and exploration of wines from a specific region, theme or topic, moderated by an expert in the area being explored.
WINE MINGLERS
An upbeat wine tasting where patrons browse from station to station in an informal and entertaining setting. Some food is served, but patrons are advised to eat ahead of time.
WINERY DINNERS
Monday, February 24, Tuesday, February 25, or Wednesday, February 26
These multi-course meals feature participating festival wineries working in partnership with some of Vancouver’s top restaurants.
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Regional Tasting Stations | |
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Wine organizations are encouraged to organize Regional Tasting Stations in the Tasting Room, offering an additional showcase for wines from participating wineries. The 2024 stations included Italy, Sparkling Wine, California, and New Zealand. Learn more here.
This year, we are also accepting applications directly from agencies/wineries for tasting stations. There are no participation fees for these stations.
CHARDONNAY TASTING STATION
A selection of different Chards from California to Chablis, Australia to the Okanagan are sought to allow festivalgoers to discover the diversity of Chardonnay, whether 100% varietal, blended, un-oaked, barrel fermented, lees contact, aged vintages, single vineyard, or even sparkling wine!
SPARKLING WINE TASTING STATION
Different expressions of sparkling wine, such as prosecco, champagne, cava, crémant, ancestral, pet-nat are sought to provide festivalgoers with the opportunity to compare and contrast different styles.
SUSTAINABLE WINES TASTING STATION
Natural wines; biodynamic and organic wines, certified or stated; wineries that utilize regenerative farming practices; social enterprise wines; indigenous wineries. We’re looking for wines that are making the world a better, more inclusive, and environmentally friendly place.
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May 1-31
Winery Applications Open
November 13
Advance Tickets On Sale
February 22
Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction
February 26-28
Trade Days
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Early October
Participating Wineries Announced
January 2025
All Events On Sale
February 24-March 2
Festival Week
February 27-March 1
Tasting Room Dates
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Vancouver International Wine Festival | |
Looking for festival highlights, wine suggestions and the latest festival news? Check out our Facebook page or follow us on Twitter and Instagram for festival articles, reviews, videos, and photos. Join the conversation at #VIWF. We keep you in the loop all year round.
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