The Victoria Wine Festival is an excellent opportunity to try new things.
During that two-and-a-half hour tasting session, you have the chance to sample hundreds of vintages that have never before passed your palate.
While you could certainly walk in “blind”, try everything and see where your taste buds take you, budding sommeliers might find it more exciting to understand a bit more about the unique, distinct notes and scents of some of our most populous offerings.
The following five types of wine will be well-represented at the 2017 Victoria Wine Festival.
1. Cabernet Sauvignon
Red Wine
- Served by Argentina, Australia, Chile, Moldova, and the USA
A grape varietal created through an inadvertent pairing in France in the 1600s, the Cabernet Sauvignon is known for its deep red colour and high alcohol content. It is a dry wine, as opposed to sweet, with lots of tannins that leave you with that dry-mouth texture. Because of its hardy taste, this type of wine is usually paired with food.
Cabernet Sauvignon can have a wide range of flavours depending on when in the ripening process the grapes were harvested. This year, we’re bring you bringing you scents of black currant and vanilla with creamy, peppery flavours from Moldova, while Australia offers up spice and violet notes.
2. Pinot Gris
White Wine
- Uncorked by Canada, Italy, and New Zealand
The Victoria Wine Festival is featuring a number of Pinot Gris wines, though you may notice those from Italy are called Pinot Grigio, which is the same thing. Though made from the same grapes, the growing region in does affect the flavour of this popular type of wine.
Pinot Grigio from Italy can be quite dry, while Pinot Gris tends to be sweeter. Whether you choose to sample some Pinot Gris or opt for more Pinot Grigio, you’ll notice this varietal’s fruity notes – flavours of apple, peach, and orange blossom, for instance.
3. Chardonnay
White Wine
- Poured by Argentina, Canada, Chile, France, and the USA
A white wine made all over the world, Chardonnay is hugely popular and, like most types of wine, can exhibit a wide range of flavours depending on where in the world the grapes were cultivated, and when in their lifecycle they were harvested.
The benefits of this versatility mean almost everyone can find a chardonnay they enjoy. As far as the offerings at this year’s Festival are concerned, seek out our Argentina vintage if you’re a fan of peach and pear flavours, or try one from Chile for that classic buttery finish.
4. Pinot Noir
Red Wine
- Shared by Canada, New Zealand, and the USA
Possessing more than a dozen varieties, Pinot Noir is a tricky grape to cultivate, but is nonetheless made and loved all around the globe. Boasting something of a celebrity status among wine-drinkers, this variety has lower levels of tannins, high acidity, and a considerable range in alcohol percentage that varies by country of origin.
The Victoria Wine Festival is featuring a tantalizing selection of Pinot Noir wines this year, with BC options that speak of plum and sage, as well as a few choice vintages from our sponsor country, New Zealand, that offer light and fruity notes of red currant and clove.
5. Sauvignon Blanc
White Wine
- Sampled by Canada, Chile, Moldova, and New Zealand
Sauvignon Blanc is the delicious result of grapes originating in the Bordeaux region in France. This well-known type of wine is often described as herbal, with a green pepper and grass-esque flavour.
Some of the most talked-about Sauvignon Blanc harkens from our sponsor country, and we’re pleased to bring you vintages from nearly a dozen vineyards in the region.
In addition to many options from New Zealand, which offer scents and flavours of citrus and apricot, you’ll also get to sample the tropical fruit and floral notes of Sauvignon Blanc wines from Chile and British Columbia.
There you have it!
With this quick taste of your upcoming sense experience, you’re better equipped to celebrate the unique terroir of the most popular wines from each of our 17 featured countries.
Of course, this list touches on only five of dozens of varietals available at the three tasting events held during the 2017 Victoria Wine Festival. You can view the full list of wines on our website.
Pick up your tickets online from Eventbrite, or in-person at the one of the following locations:
Everything Wine – 131-2401 Millstream Road, Victoria
The Parkside Hotel and Spa – 810 Humboldt Street, Victoria
Vessel Liquor – 1609 Fort Street, Victoria
Victoria International Wine Festival
- When: September, Friday 22nd | Tasting Session 1 – 7:00pm & September, Saturday 23rd | Tasting Session 2 – 3:00pm | *Tasting Session 3 – 7:00pm
- Where: Parkside Hotel and Spa ( 810 Humboldt St)
- Tickets: Purchase your tickets in person at Everything Wine, Parkside Hotel, or at the Vessel Liquor Store. You can also purchase your tickets online: http://bit.ly/2p1B2Ej
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