Winematchers Meet their Makes

Year 32 commences about a month from now, running April 19-25 at the newly opened Vancouver Convention Centre West. The larger space will accommodate an unprecedented 197 wineries, including scores of Southern Hemisphere wineries and winemakers from Argentina and New Zealand joining forces to host the festival as twin theme countries.

In the next few weeks we will offer primers on both countries and the 2010 Global Focus: rosé. But for today, I wanted to let you know a bit about a new festival event, that I will "chaperone" and that you may not want to miss. Meet Your Match: Speed Dating Wine Tasting is scheduled for April 24 from 5 p.m. to 6:45 p.m., just before the final night of tasting in the International Tasting Room. The format riffs off the popular speed-dating sessions held around town, only this time your "date" is with 14 of the most interesting winery principals at the show.

When you arrive, you will be paired with three or four other ticket holders and together you get to spend five or six minutes (before the bell rings) with each principal while they tell their story and pour a top-flight wine from their collection.

Here is a quick look at the personalities and their wines that, if you added up the cost, would easily sell for 10 times the $75 ticket price.

o Californian winemaker Bob Blue of Bonterra Vineyards returns to Vancouver with some of the most impressive "green" credentials in the business. Blue will pour the bio dynamically grown Bonterra McNab Ranch Red. Mendoza viticulturalist and high-altitude growing expert Edgardo Popolo will be pouring the highly esteemed Dona Paula Selección de Bodega Malbec.

o The often-elusive owner of Okanagan-based Mission Hill Family Estate, Anthony von Mandl, will be in the room with a sample of his latest icon red Compendium, while the king of California Chardonnay, wine master Randy Ullom, will bring along his "filet mignon" white, the Kendall Jackson Highland Estates Camelot Chardonnay.

o From Germany, the founder of the runaway success Fritz's Riesling, winemaker/owner Fritz Hasselbach, will tantalize your senses with his Gunderloch Nackenheim Rothenberg Riesling Spatlese, while longtime attendee Kiwi Bill Spence, founder and now brand ambassador of Matua Valley Wines, is showing Paretai Sauvignon Blanc.

o The European connection is fivefold. From Italy, superstar winery consultant Riccardo Cotarella and Tuscan winery, restaurant and hotel owner Sergio Zingarelli will respectively pour Falesco Montiano Merlot from Lazio and the super-Tuscan Rocca delle Macìe Roccato. From Burgundy, France, Louis Latour's Mark Allen will pour the delicious Meursault Chateau de Blagny; while from the heart of the Rhone Valley, proprietor Thomas Perrin will tip his legendary $350-per-bottle Château de Beaucastel Hommage à Jacques Perrin. From Champagne de Venoge, Gilles de la Bassetiére, président directeur géneral, will speed-date with his famed decanter-shaped Champagne de Venoge Grand Vin des Princes first registered in 1864.

o The final three presenters will tell the story of Argentina. From Bodegas y Viñedos Renacer, CEO Patricio Reich is bringing Enamore, the name a derivative of Amarone. Find out the rest at the tasting. Daniel Pi, the highly respected winemaker at Bodegas Trapiche, will pour his single vineyard, high-altitude Manos Malbec; while owner Carlos Pulenta of Bodegas Vistalba has chosen his Tomero Gran Reserva Malbec to share with you.

Tickets are available through the Playhouse box office at 604-873-3311; in the meantime if you want some homework here are a few labels you can taste this weekend made by some of the participants.

Always fresh and intense, the Matua Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2009 mixes grapefruit rind with minerals, nectarines and a pinch of jalapeno pepper. The palate is crisp, with more mineral dried herbs and green melon notes a slightly less biting style than the Marlborough.

Year 2 of the Gunderloch Fritz's Riesling 2008 is again crammed full of juicy fresh peach and apple with a double hit of citrus and minerality. Perfect for Pan-Asian cuisine.

Don't miss the Renacer Punto Final Malbec 2008, from its peppery, savoury bay leaf and mineral nose with bits of licorice to its attractive supple mid-palate with plummy fruit and warm black raspberry finish. Bring on the grilled meat.

The Falesco Umbria Merlot 2006 hails from Umbria in central Italy. It has a dry supple palate with light tannins and plummy, peppery, licorice, tapenade and vanilla flavours. Good intensity and concentration make it ideal with beef.

Love the new Vistalba Corte C 2008, the Argentine blend of malbec and cabernet sauvignon. Expect a minty, spicy mineral-laden nose with super glossy textures and dense, savoury dried fruits, all with a bright floral undercurrent. Drink now, if you must, or serve it with a T-bone or rib-eye steak.

Last up, Daniel Pi's Trapiche Broquel Malbec 2007. Typically round and supple, the palate is fresh and juicy with black cherry, plum, savoury, vanilla, spicy, milk chocolate and olive flavours. Good fruit and intensity if a bit alcoholic. Best with roasted meats.

Price: $17

UPC: 04022642000749

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Year 2 for the "Fritz" label is more great value.

MATUA VALLEY SAUVIGNON BLANC 2009, HAWKES BAY, NORTH ISLAND, NEW ZEALAND

Price: $19

UPC: 941530120984

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Try this with summer salads or fresh goat's cheese.

RENACER PUNTO F INAL MALBEC 2008, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Price: $16

UPC: 098709085602

Score: 88/100

Remarks: Attractive supple mid-palate with a warm black raspberry finish.

FALESCO UMBRIA MERLOT 2006, UMBRIA, ITALY

Price: $26

UPC: 00098709201323

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Good intensity and concentration for merlot. Try with grilled beef.

VISTALBA CORTE C 2008, VISTALBA DISTRICT, LUJÁN DE CUYO, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Price: $20

UPC: 007798121940031

Score: 89/100

Remarks: Rich and dense with spicy, floral savoury dried fruits.

TRAPICHE BROQUEL MALBEC 2007, MENDOZA, ARGENTINA

Price: $19

UPC: 7790240090154

Score: 87/100

Remarks: Fresh, juicy palate with black cherry, plum, savoury, vanilla and olive flavours.