Friday March 30th, Fairmont Empress (Crystal Ballroom)
The Wine Islands Vintners Association (WIVA) is holding its annual spring wine tasting event featuring wines, ciders, and meads on Friday March 30th at the Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria, BC.
The Wine Islands Vintners Association, or WIVA as it is better known, is “a grouping of over 40 licensed wineries, cideries, and meaderies on Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands, woven together with a common thread – passion”, says Janet Docherty, Present of WIVA and owner of Merridale. “We all have stories to tell and product we are proud of; many of the wineries have brought home awards from all over the world!
The tasting event has two components: trade and public. The trade tasting will be from 2pm to 4 pm
with advance registration at http://www.wineislands.ca/events/trade-tasting. “To make it easy for our
local wine shops and private liquor stores to know about our products, we have gathered under one roof”, says Wendy Johnston, director of WIVA and co-owner of Averill Creek.
After a short break, the public are invited from 5:30 to 8:00 pm. For only $25, participants can sip and sample award winning wines, ciders and meads while nibbling on local cheese from Little Qualicum Cheeseworks. Tickets are easy to purchase online now at http://www.wineislands.ca/events/4th-annual-wine-islands-spring-tasting, or in person starting February 25th at Spinnakers Wine Shops in James Bay and Vic West, Hillside Liquor Store, Vintage Spirits, Cascadia Liquor Store, The Strath Liquor Store, Tuscany Liquor Store, and Beverly Corners.
To add to the fun, WIVA will launch its 2012 Passport to the Wine Islands, a wonderful way to explore the wineries up and down the islands! The more you visit, the better your chances to win prizes.
People unable to attend the tasting can find passports towards the end of March at tourism information centres, wine stores, and the WIVA site at www.wineislands.ca.
Do you think you have a discerning palate? Try the blind tasting to see how well educated your palate really is. All in all, it will be a delightful evening exploring passion, skill and quality for a very reasonable price. Support local, reduce your carbon footprint, and learn about the diverse terroir of the Wine Islands.
Enjoy some Island Time on Friday March 30th at the Fairmont Empress.
