With the Vancouver International Wine Festival just two weeks away, more than half of the events are sold out, anticipation is building and excitement is brewing. One of the events Im most looking forward to that week, however, isnt even technically part of the festival but its a crazy good lead and something I heartily recommend you jump on. The best part? Its free.
California being the theme region this year, and Chardonnay being the varietal focus means were going to have a lot of heavy-hitters around town all at once. Margrit Mondavi, Christophe Paubert of Stags Leap and Jane Ferrari of Yalumba will be amongst the many wine-world superstars pouring their wines and sitting down to dinners both directly and indirectly connected to the festival. One of the guys Im most excited to meet is winemaker Walter Schug of Californias Schug Carneros Estate Winery.
Heres why. After learning the trade and getting a few vintages under his belt in his native Germany, Schug made his way to California in the early-1960s, landing a position with the infamous Gallo family. It was the next step following the Gallo gig when his star really ascended. He became the founding winemaker (pioneer, really) of the iconic Joseph Phelps winery in Napa. It was at Phelps where he created Californias first proprietary Bordeaux-style blend (Insignia), became the first in the US to make a single-varietal Syrah, and ventured into the previously-unmapped world of Californian late-harvest dessert wines.
Pinot Noir above all else was his passion, but as it fell out of fashion in the early 1980s and Phelps opted to pull their vines, Schug started making some under his own label. Just three years later, hed navigated his eponymous wines to such critical and commercial success that he solely focussed on the Schug brand in the decades that followed. The guys a total legend, this year will mark the 60th(!) vintage hes worked. I havent even mentioned he was also the first person to get a 99-point score from the worlds most influential wine critic, Robert Parker. I could go on forever.
And so, on Wednesday, February 27 from 4 to 6pm, Everything Wine in North Vancouver (EverythingWine.ca) is presenting the man himself, Walter Schug, who will be pouring samples of his wines, chatting one-on-one with attendees and signing bottles. And the crazy part is, its free. Opportunities like meeting a living legend like this dont come often, do grab this one!
If you do have space on your calendar, there are a couple other free tastings in the next little bit that are worth your time as well.
The folks from the Okanagans Le Vieux Pin Winery will be sharing a few of their French-inspired blends at Legacy Liquor Store (LegacyLiquorStore.com) in Olympic Village this Saturday, February 16 from 2 to 6 p.m., while winemaker Ed Flaherty from Chiles Tarapaca Winery will be sharing samples at the 39th and Cambie BC Liquor Store (BCLiquorStores.com) Friday, February 22nd from 3:30 to 6:30pm.
Next week Ill pass along a good handful of tips and tricks for navigating the Vancouver International Wine Festivals International Tasting Room. Until then, get out there and enjoy these free tastings!
