Top Ten: Best Booths 2018 VIWF

By: Anthony Gismondi & Treve Ring

Ten must-visit booths (plus our top wine to taste)

Top Ten

Every year over 175 wineries come to the Vancouver International Wine Festival.

Some come prepared to blow you away with special wines, and new releases, and we pour over the spreadsheet in advance to see who is bringing the goods. This week we chose our top ten 'must visit' booths, highlighting wineries who are making the most of their time in the tasting room, so you can make the most of your time there. Over the past 40 years there has been a sea change in the global wine landscape, making it harder than ever to draw the best to Vancouver for a week. Don't miss tasting with these booths, and, if you're keen, picking up bottles from the on-site BCLDB store to enjoy later.

Here’s a look at ten of the top presenters, along with one super pick from their lineup:

Alpha Box & Dice, McLaren Vale, Australia: Fog Nebbiolo 2015 ($45)

Domaines Bichot, Burgundy, France: Chablis Grand Cru Les Clos Domaine Long Depaquit 2015

Fonseca, Douro Valley Portugal: Quinta do Panascal Vintage Port 2008 ($65)

Cleto Chiarli, Emilia-Romagna, Italy: Centenario Lambrusco Grasparossa Ambile NV

Craggy Range, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand: Kidnappers Chardonnay 2015 ($28)

Grand Tokaj, Tokaj-Hegyalja, Hungary: Tokaji Harslevelu 2014

Laurent-Perrier, Champagne, France: Laurent-Perrier Ultra Brut NV ($81)

Marqués de Murrieta, Rioja, Spain: Dalmau Rioja Tinto Reserva 2013 ($97)

Niepoort, Douro Valley Portugal: Niepoort Redoma Branco Douro 2016 ($37)

Undurraga, Chile: Undurraga Vigno Dry-Farmed Carignan 2014

Written By:

Anthony Gismondi & Treve Ring

Every week Treve Ring and Anthony Gismondi collaborate on our Top Ten list, released on Thursday morning, often with a timely theme. If you count carefully the list will more than likely exceed ten names but only because we believe if any wine is tied by a score that makes our list it should be included. We know many of you are wine savvy and can do your own sleuthing to locate our weekly picks but for those who asked: BCLS means it is sold in government retail stores; when we say private wine shops we mean it could be in any private wine shop or liquor retail store (LRS); winery direct means check with the winery online. If it’s not sold in BC we usually try and give you a suggested retail price. Prices change hourly in BC – the price we post is what we are given at publication.