2025 Vancouver International Wine Festival Master Sommelier Evan Goldstein’s Top Picks & Insights
BY CHRISTINE CAMPBELL, FWS
What draws you to the VIWF year after year? Vancouver is drop-dead gorgeous and a leading city in terms of epicurean offerings: it is a vibrant city. Professionally, I am enamoured with the quality of wineries that participate and the quality of the VIWF organization. It is excellent value for money for all who attend. The magic fairy dust that Vancouver sprinkles over everything, the happiness of the people and the incredible energy at the festival make the VIWF a unique and memorable experience. There is a noticeable vibe around the VIWF. As someone who travels the world attending festivals, I can tell when people are enthusiastic about the industry and culture. What are some must-attend events at this year’s festival? The VIWF is truly exciting because of the variety. Some of the events that stand out to me (beyond my own, of course!) include a couple that I would deem “discovery” dinners (A Taste of Croatia, Southern Italian Renaissance), and the cool climate California session (breaking a few urban myths about the Golden State). What wine regions are you most excited to explore at this year’s festival? I make a beeline for British Columbia (BC) producers, and it is my opportunity
Evan Goldstein is dedicated to sharing his knowledge of wine. One of only 273 Master Sommeliers worldwide, Goldstein has authored four books, has co-authored several more and is a contributing editor to The Oxford Companion to Wine . In 2022, Goldstein was recruited by his hometown baseball team, the San Francisco Giants, becoming the first-ever Master Sommelier for a professional sports organization. Goldstein will be presenting at the 46 th annual Vancouver International Wine Festival (VIWF), which runs from February 22 to March 2, 2025, and will spotlight wines from the United States. We sat down with him to learn why he’s such a fan of the VIWF.
to dive deep into BC wines. It is a rare opportunity for me to taste all that BC has to offer, and the VIWF is an excellent place to do that.
Photo Credit: Wilfred Wong
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