A special greeting from actor Kevin Spacey, a $46,000 bottle of Petrus wine, and a dinner for 10 for $37,000 can only mean one thing - it's wine gala time! Well these, and other spectacular moments, are what make up the highlights of this year's Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. Thirty years ago, it started small with only one room and four wines, but now, it's one of the most lavish and star-studded events in North America. Italy was this year's featured country and they did not disappoint bringing both winsome wines and that sexy European style that makes us ladies swoon. Featuring winemaker's dinners, cocktail parties, a Bacchanalia Gala and auction, and a tasting room with over 700 different wines, there was truly something for everyone. I don't know about you, but I'm already lining up for next year when the wines of British Columbia will be featured during the 2009 festival in late March.
Catherine Barr, Vancouver's celebrity events reporter and photographer, is supported online by CLR Communications Ltd, westvancouver.com , northvancouver.com and vancouverview.com
Vancouver's best events and celebrity functions are all archived here. Vancouver pubs, clubs, nightclubs, gala events and fundraisers are included. Thanks for viewing.
Due to server capacity, you will not be able to access or click through to the larger photographs. With over 250,000 unique visits each month, our site would quickly exceed the amount of memory needed.
If you would like to receive a copy of a photograph, then please send an email and enclose the details of the event, the date, the name, the photo number and the names of the people in the photograph. Also, for security reasons, I prefer not to email copies of pictures to anyone other than the people who are actually in the photo. Thanks. |
 |
Buschlen Mowatt Galleries' Michele Becker, seen here with co-worker Kevin Lorage, packs her bags after winning the trip to Italy at the Gala. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_#30003.jpg |
|
 |
Singer John Mann, of Spirit of the West fame and star of the Playhouse's production of Cabaret, entertains at the Gala. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_001.jpg |
|
 |
Two of Vancouver resident and California winemaker Ray Signorello's wines are featured at this year's Gala dinner giving Ray, left, and friends Elaine and Ross Henderson, good reason to smile. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_002.jpg |
|
 |
Playhouse Wine Festival executive director Harry Hertscheg, left, raises a toast with Playhouse chair Darlene Howard and Goldcorp chair Ian Telfer who bought a 1982 Petrus bottle of wine for $46,000. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_008.jpg |
|
 |
West Vancouver realtor Lynda Proc, left, hosts actress Erica Durance-Palffy, who plays Lois Lane of Smallville, at her Gala table. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_009.jpg |
|
 |
Whistler's Andre St. Jacques and chef Melissa Craig are thrilled to see their Bearfoot Bistro dinner-for-ten go for a cool $37,000 at the Gala auction. Peter Brown of Canaccord puts in the winning bid. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_011.jpg |
|
 |
Goldfish Kitchen partner and Maitre'D Albert Chee and his beautiful lady take in the trade tasting event. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_019.jpg |
|
 |
Pouring wines fresh off the vines at the tasting room events are Charlton Hobbs' Chris Wyse, Magdalena Sosa and Don Charlton. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_021.jpg |
|
 |
Vancouver Convention and Exhibition Centre executive chef Blair Rasmussen, left, joins Andrew Peller's Annette Skeath and Peter Lindenlaub at one of the hospitality suite parties. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_036.jpg |
|
 |
Dancing up a storm at Club 686 at the Stile Wines after party are Goldenlight Go-Go girls Tara Lett, left, and Rohanna Roddick. |
| wine_fest_gala_week_037.jpg |
|
|
