Explore West Coast U.S. Wines at VanWineFest 2025 Featuring 122 Wineries from 15 Countries

Explore West Coast U.S. Wines at VanWineFest 2025
Featuring 122 Wineries from 15 Countries

The Vancouver International Wine Festival is proud to welcome 122 wineries representing 15 countries to the 46^th annual festival, which takes place February 22-March 2, 2025. This end-of-winter celebration of the grape features the Wines of USA, with an exciting West Coast showing from our American friends, complemented by BC wineries and global brands.

Participating wineries will be pouring ~1,000 wines at 44 events over eight days; highlights include themed winery dinners at top Vancouver restaurants, seminars, lunches, minglers, and the International Festival Tastings at the West building of the Vancouver Convention Centre.

View the winery list here.

WINES OF USA
In 2025, the festival is turning the spotlight on the United States, with 50 wineries from California, Oregon, and Washington travelling north to share their wines and their stories. From Sonoma to Santa Barbara, Walla Walla to Willamette, West Coast U.S. wines reflect the terroir and climate of each distinct region, from sun-drenched valleys to the cooler coast. American winemakers are at the cutting edge of sustainable winemaking practices, from biodynamic and organic practices to regenerative and socially equitable agriculture, demonstrating a strong stewardship for the land and commitment to continuing family farming legacies.

All U.S. wineries will be showcased in a special section of the Tasting Room, as well as at the spectacular Saturday lunch, Taste of America. Festival week will feature more than 20 U.S.-themed events, including seminars, winery dinners, and the Cruising Californiawine party.

THE WINE WORLD IS COMING
VanWineFest 2025 will welcome 122 different producers from 15 countries, more than 30% of them attending the festival for the first time.

“We’re thrilled to direct our attention south of the border, as we host 50 wineries from California, Oregon, and Washington at the festival this year,” says A. Mark Taylor, co-chair of the VIWF Winery Selection Committee. “We are also pleased to welcome wineries from 14 other countries, with a strong contingent from British Columbia to complete the West Coast swing. Croatia, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, Portugal, and Spain are representing Europe. We have wineries travelling from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Chile, and New Zealand in the Southern Hemisphere, as well as sake brewers from Japan and the United States. In all, the Tasting Room will feature nearly 700 wines, many of them festival exclusives. All the wines poured at winery tables are available at the onsite BCLIQUOR store, so if you’re looking to start or build your cellar, the festival offers a one-stop global shopping opportunity.”

The festival is headquartered in the West building at the Vancouver Convention Centre (VCC); in addition, top restaurants and venues around the city will host carefully curated winery dinners, lunches, seminars and wine minglers. The sumptuous Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, presented by National Bank Private Banking 1859, and benefiting Bard on the Beach Shakespeare Festival, will take place on Saturday, February 22 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The heart of the festival is the Tasting Room at VCC West in downtown Vancouver, where all 122 wineries and their principals will gather for four International Festival Tastings and two Trade Tastings on Thursday, February 27, Friday, February 28, and Saturday, March 1. Advance tickets for the International Festival Tastings go on sale Wednesday, November 13 at 9:30 a.m. Festivalgoers can get a free ticket if they book a downtown hotel via StayVancouverHotels.com and then take in more festival events and enjoy award-winning dining in Vancouver. The offer is available November 13 to February 13, while supplies last.

VINE STARS
What makes VanWineFest unique is the presence of global “vine stars” – winemakers, proprietors, senior executives – who come to Vancouver every year to pour and discuss their wines with festivalgoers. Each winery will be represented at events by a principal, a senior representative from the winery. Seek out the royal blue lanyards at tastings and special events to meet our vine stars face-to-face.

TRADE DAYS
Trade Days, which run February 26-28, will feature 12 events, including two Trade Tastings, presented by ContainerWorld, seminars and masterclasses, and three trade lunches: Principals Welcome Lunch, presented by HillebrandGori; and the Celebrating Excellence: 21^st Annual Awards Lunch Featuring U.S. Wines, presented by ContainerWorld and a Pinot Grigio delle Venezie pairing lunch. The Trade Days Pass, which includes a selection of events on the Thursday and Friday of Trade Days, goes on sale December 11, while individual trade events go on sale January 23.

SAVE THE DATES

Advance Tasting Room tickets and passes and StayVancouverHotels ticket offer go on sale Wednesday, November 13 at 9:30 a.m.
Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction goes on sale Wednesday, November 20 at 9:30 a.m.
Trade Days Passes go on sale Wednesday, December 11 at 9:30 a.m.
Winery dinners go on sale Wednesday, January 8 at 9:30 a.m.
All remaining public events go on sale Wednesday, January 15 at 9:30 a.m.
All trade events go on sale Wednesday, January 22 at 9:30 a.m.

STAY IN TOUCH
For more information about the Vancouver International Wine Festival go to VanWineFest.ca and read our Quick Facts.

X: Follow @VanWineFest for announcements, including e-news, festival updates & media releases. Join the conversation at #VIWF.
Facebook / Instagram: @VanWineFest

LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/vancouver-international-wine-festival

ABOUT VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL WINE FESTIVAL
Canada’s premier wine show will mark its 46^th edition of pairing wine, food and the performing arts from February 22-March 2, 2025. The festival will showcase 122 wineries from 15 countries, featured in 44 events over eight days. The Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, presented by National Bank Private Banking 1859, is the main fundraising event of the festival and kicks off the festival on Saturday, February 22 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. Trade Days takes place Wednesday, February 26-Friday, February 28. The festival is consistently ranked the #1 Food, Wine & Hospitality Event in Canada by New York’s BizBash. The festival is produced by the Vancouver International Wine Festival Society, which has three mandates: provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and festival partners; and raise funds for the Bard on the Beach Theatre Society. Since inception in 1979, the festival has raised more than $10.2 million for the performing arts. Major sponsors are Delta Air Lines and The Vancouver Sun; major industry partners are the BC Liquor Distribution Branch, BCLIQUOR, and the Import Vintners & Spirits Association. The Vancouver International Wine Festival gratefully acknowledges the financial support of the Province of British Columbia.

ABOUT BARD ON THE BEACH
Bard on the Beach is one of Canada’s largest not-for-profit, professional Shakespeare festivals, presented on the waterfront at Sen̓áḵw/Vanier Park. The festival offers Shakespeare plays, related dramas, and popular special events in two performance tents every June through September. Over 2 million patrons have experienced Bard since its inception, growing to annual attendance close to 100,000. Next year’s festival runs June to September 2025, and scheduled plays include Much Ado About Nothing, The Two Gentlemen of Verona, The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (abridged) [revised] [again], and The Dark Lady. Bard also offers a range of education programs for learners from eight to 80. Full details and education program information are at bardonthebeach.org.

Media release provided by Ruby Gillett, MILK Creative Communications.