Attending Festivals is a Great Way to Learn More About Wines

What’s one of the best ways to learn more about wine? By meeting with winemakers and staff at tasting rooms and wine festivals, chatting with them about the wine industry and sampling what they have to offer.

In the next few weeks, there are several events of regional and local interest that can help provide you with good opportunities to learn about wines – and have fun doing it at the same time.

A week-long celebration of the world of wine will take place in Vancouver, BC from March 26 to April 1 as the Vancouver Playhouse presents its 29th Annual International Wine Festival. The sheer volume of wines at this event is staggering. Over 1500 wines will be served by 17 countries, with particular emphasis this year on Australian wineries. Activities include luncheons, dinners, seminars and, of course, plenty of wine tasting. Go to www.playhousewinefest.com for tickets and more information.

On April 14 and 15, the Washington Wine Commission will host Taste Washington, the largest single-region consumer wine tasting event in the United States. This two-day event, which takes place at the Bell Harbor International Conference Center and Qwest Field Event Center in Seattle, will feature nearly 800 Washington wines, educational seminars and foods from regional restaurants. Details and ticket purchase information can be found at www.tastewashington.org.

If you’d rather skip the crowds and stay closer to home there are also local venues you can visit. Chuckanut Ridge Wine Company is in the process of moving their tasting room to a location just south of Pepper Sisters restaurant on State Street in Bellingham, with an anticipated opening sometime later in March. Current and past releases will be on hand to sample and wines will also be available for purchase. I’ll give you a heads up within the next few weeks on the exact date when things will be up and running.