Countdown 45 days to the Winefest!

Photo of the Cafayate wine region in Argentina, courtesy of Wines of Argentina.

It's just a month and a half to the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Now that we've got that Olympic thing out of the way, we can start getting excited about the main attraction!

Some of the events, dinners, seminars and guided tastings are already sold out, so if you don't have your tickets yet, get them now before it's too late.

This year the Wine Fest's regional focus is Argentina and New Zealand, which will give us a chance to explore further these fantastic new wine regions. Now, wine lovers aren't shy, so most of us are already familiar with the vast potential in these countries. We already love Marlborough Pinot Noir and Sauvignon Blanc, and Argentine Malbec. But with 250 lovingly made, highly regarded wines coming from 36 Argentinian and 40 New Zealand wineries, we are bound to discover new wines to fall in love with.

I already have! Here's a photo of my beloved:



Man O' War Ironclad 2008 and I met at last night at the Wine Fest media preview at Vancouver's Shore Club. Now, the lighting at the preview was very dim, or I swear -- I swear -- I would have snuggled this bottle up to my chest and forced some poor soul to take a pic.

Oh what a gorgeous wine! It's a big muscular Bordeaux blend from Man O' War Vineyards, on the eastern coast of Waiheke Island, New Zealand. I'm not the only one who loves it: Steven Spurrier of Decanter Magazine just named it Best New World Red Wine, and Here's a writeup from Wine of the Week,

Tasting notes? Are you kidding? Would you take tasting notes on a first kiss?

Ah, but it was beautiful. Rich, complex, very fruity and concentrated, but with a backbone of tarry depth. Or so it seemed, in that dark and crowded room as I elbowed people aside to pour myself just another ounce. No spitting!