The Vancouver International Wine Festival returned for its 45th annual installment earlier this month to the delight of wine aficionados.

This year's event was a true celebration of diversity, featuring 1,150 wines from 12 countries and 147 wineries. Even after two days of exploration, we felt like we had only scratched the surface of the myriad hidden gems on offer!

This year's theme was Discover Italy. A large section of the room was dedicated to the 71 Italian wineries participating in the event. It took a lot of work to pick a favourite from wines from Abruzzo, Emilia-Romagna, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Puglia, Sicily, Tuscany, and Veneto; even then, we could only narrow down to a shortlist. The good news is that, like last year, there was an on-site bcliquor store where you could buy your favourite wine and have it shipped to a local store for pick up.

While there was a ton of excitement for the featured Italian wines section, crowds also gathered at the Greek, New Zealand, and French wine stations.

We had the pleasure of speaking with several winemakers from renowned wineries around the world, who shared the stories behind their wineries. Wines from Estate Argyros showcased the unique terroir of Santorini, where you could taste the minerality and freshness of the volcanic soil. Over at Villa Maria Wines from New Zealand, we were surprised by the contrast between wines produced in the same vineyard but in different parts of the valley because they yielded very distinct characteristics. The expressive Cabernet Sauvignon at Louis M. Martini of Napa Valley took our taste buds on a wild ride. San Marzano's wines are packed with a punch, and their rich and bold red wines reflect Puglia's winemaking tradition.

Of course, we must remember the beautiful BC wines, such as the 2022 Riesling with hints of green apples, grapefruit and elderflowers from Fort Berens Estate Winery in Lillooet. A brief stop at the Marqués de Riscal winery station resulted in a surprising discovery: their winery was designed by legendary architect Frank Gehry. The stunning structure complements the blend of traditional and innovative winemaking techniques this winery is known for.

Over the next few weeks, we will release short videos of our conversations with these winemakers on our social media. Here's the teaser for now!

After tasting a vast repertoire of red, white, and rosé wines, we also snuck in a quick tasting of the delicious sake made by the 20th-generation sake maker at the Nakano Sake Brewery Co.

There were also tasty snacks for guests to pair with their wines, such as Iberico ham, finger-licking good ribs, and spicy vodka pasta. We enjoyed both days roaming around the expansive Tasting Room, indulging in the best the world of wine has to offer.

We're already looking forward to next year's event, where we'll manage our time better so we can chat with more of the winemakers at the event!