Alessandro Costantini of WineOClock pours a sample of his wine Pinnocchio during the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival in Vancouver, Saturday, March 1, 2008RICHARD LAM/The Globe and Mail
Join hundreds of overjoyed vinophiles at the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, where you can meet industry superstars and travel the world one memorable sip at a time at the signature International Festival Tasting.
The event is sold out - but before your wine-loving heart sinks, take note: organizers are infusing their box office with a limited number of tickets Saturday evening, and anyone who arrives at or before 6:30 p.m. should be able to squeak in.
So when you're faced with 700 wines, where to start? Festival executive director Harry Hertscheg recommends that people hatch a plan in advance, or simply head for the featured country area - this year it's Spain - and soak in flamenco guitar as they sample some of the country's top vintages.
"You can come down, buy a ticket for $95 dollars and go to Spain for the night," he says. "I mean really - that's the most special thing happening in Canada, I'm sure."
The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival runs through Sunday. For info and a complete program visit playhousewinefest.com.