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Hello again!  Yes, I am back – twice in one week? What? Yes!  This time, I am talking red wine with the highlights of the Vancouver International Wine Festival‘s ’25 Wines Under $25’ wine mingler event benefitting the Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival.

I had such a phenomenal week celebrating Canada’s 150 birthday – British Columbia wines shone brightly and I sampled some delightful Ontario and Nova Scotian wines as well. Uruguay made its first appearance at the festival with Bodega Garzón and it was announced that Spain and Portugal will be the featured countries of the 2018 VIWF – olé!

The excitement was palpable as wine lovers lined up on Saturday evening – ticket in hand ready to find a few new favourites…

 

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The Wine World was here!  The talented Ann Sperling of Sperling Vineyards.

 

With 25 wines to swirl, sip and savour – highlights of the red wines include:

  • Bodega Garzón Colinas De Uruguay Tannat 2015 – juicy and great tasting, Uruguay’s rock star grape, Tannat, shines with vibrancy and freshness.  A definite wine to try if you haven’t already. $21.49
  • Sperling Vineyards Market Red 2015 – this is a fantastic wine from Kelowna, B.C. A blend of Marechal Foch and Pinot Noir that is sure to delight. $15.99
  • M. Chapoutier Les Vignes De Bila-Haut Rouge 2015 – yes, you have seen this wine on my lists before – for good reason.  Hand harvested, this is a fruity blend of Syrah, Grenache and Carignan – I continue to be a fan. $15.79
  • Carpineto Dogajolo Toscana Rosso IGT 2014 – where have you been hiding? A young Super-Tuscan blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon. Juicy, fruity and mouthwatering, this Italian wine is a bottle full of fantastic.  $17.29
  • Bodega Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2015 – here is a very good Malbec from Argentina. Full to the brim with notes of tobacco and plum, this is a crowd-pleasing wine indeed. $16.99 (On sale for $14.99 until March 4th at B.C.L.D.B. stores) Whoot!
  • Familia Castaño La Casona Monastrell 2014 – this is the one I was teasing you about on social media…Bright, juicy and easy to drink, this Spanish wine will forevermore be a part of your ‘go-to’ reds.  $8.99 ( Yes, you read that correctly!)

Whew – some fantastic gems on this list indeed.  If you haven’t attended the Vancouver International Wine Festival and would like to dip your toe into what the experience is like – I would strongly suggest this very popular wine mingler.  As I said, it is also a fundraiser for the Bard on The Beach Shakespeare Festival so you can pat yourself on the back while you taste some great wines at a great value.

Enjoy!

XO
C