Here we go again, it’s Wine Festival time in Vancouver!

The big front-and-centre part is most definitely the International Tasting Room at VCC West, this Thursday, Friday & Saturday.  The regional themes are New Zealand and Argentina, with the global focus being pink wines, which is awesome.

The official website, with all the relevant info is here.

It’s always an interesting time for those of us in the industry.  Some of us are up for awards, others are planning out their wine program for the summer, many find it to be a strictly social occasion, and all of us are usually very, very busy.

We all usually have to remember that we’re always “on” during Wine Fest, as cameras and note-takers are always around. Last year when I picked up the award for Salt’s wine program, I laughed heartily at a colleague’s joke and BOOM!:

That’s the one that goes down in history.

So, follow Cherries And Clay all week, I’ll be throwing out recommendations, tips, news and so on.

For now though, just follow the only cardinal rules for any stand-up tasting event:

See.  Swirl.  Smell.  Sip.  Spit. 

Then get the hell outta the way so the person behind you can get to the table! : )

( And follow @PlayhouseWine on Twitter for up-to-the-minute news! )