Festival Events

PUBLIC TASTING

• Public Evening Tasting on Friday, April 30th , 7pm - 10pm - $44.95
• Public Matinee Tasting on Saturday, May 1st, 1:30pm - 4pm - $39.95
• Public Evening Tasting on Saturday, May 1st, 7pm - 10pm - $44.95

The public is invited to visit representatives of 128 wineries and to sample from over 500 wines from 15 countries.Tickets are available at Manitoba Liquor Marts
or any Ticketmaster* location.

*Agency fees are applicable. Ticketmaster charge line (204) 780-3333;
www.ticketmaster.com

Participating Wineries

Click on the PDF below to view the list of wineries

Wines of Australia

Overview of Australia
Australia's first vineyards were planted over 200 years ago in 1788 in a small
area near the Sydney Harbour Bridge. Today you will find vineyards throughout
all 62 designated wine regions totalling 170,000 hectares. Current export figures place Australia as the fourth largest exporter of wine, selling to more than 100 countries around the world and contributing $5.5 billion to the nation's economy.

As a respected leader in combining tradition with new ideas with technical innovation, there is an unparalleled diversity of wines in Australia. In addition, winemakers are not limited by rules of what they can grow and where. They are able to experiment with what varieties grow best in each region and, as a result, they produce wines that are restricted only by their imaginations.

'Audrey Wilkonson's Vineyard', Hunter Valley, New South Wales

Primary Australian Wine-Making Varieties
Shiraz, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Riesling, Merlot, Semillon and Sauvignon Blanc are the most commonly grown grape varieties in Australia. In the last 20 years though, they have been joined by an increased number of varieties including Pinot Noir, Pinot Gris, Viognier, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese and Tempranillo.

Australian Regional Heroes
Australia is a vast country, only 4% smaller than the continental USA,
with a geography and climate as varied as Canada’s. These geographic
and climatic conditions create prolific diversity in the vineyards.

Regional Heroes are Australian wines and winemakers best defined by a distinct sense of place and expression; a perfect marriage of the right grape, grown in the right region to produce a winning wine. There are over 60 wine regions in Australia so to help you discover your Regional Heroes, and give you a chance to explore those represented at the Winnipeg Wine Festival, here’s a shortlist.

South Australia (State Capital: Adelaide)

Barossa Valley

• Barossa Valley
  The Barossa Valley is one of the most famous wine regions in Australia and
  is located just one hour’s drive north-east of Adelaide. A combination of gentle rolling hills and fertile valleys combine with the region’s continental climate to produce full bodied red wines, excellent fortified wines and robust white wines. Established by German settlers in the 1840’s, the region has flourished in production for both domestic and export wines and still boasts vines over 100 years in age.

• McLaren Vale
  Enthusiastic, energetic and passionate are often used to describe the community of winemakers that live and work in McLaren Vale. The unique marriage of wine region and beach lifestyle has created a melting pot
  for all things culinary, vinous and artistic. Located on South Australia’s
  Fleurieu Peninsula, McLaren Vale enjoys a Mediterranean climate with
  warm, dry summers and cooling on-shore breezes. The principal wines
  of this region include rich, velvety Shiraz and wonderful old vine Grenache with a recently restored enthusiasm for Cabernet Sauvignon. Varying exposure and changes in altitude and soil types throughout the region
  ensure an inspiring mix of food, wine and lifestyle.

• Eden Valley
  The Eden Valley is located alongside the Barossa Valley and the first vines were planted in 1847, the same year as the Barossa Valley. With a higher average altitude across the region and growing season temperatures that are significantly lower than those of the Barossa Valley, the higher vineyard sites are especially suited to white wine. Slope, aspect and particularly a degree of protection from wind are important in matching vineyard site with variety and Eden Valley’s speciality is Riesling that displays complex characters and has the capacity for long term cellaring.

• Clare Valley
  The Clare Valley is considered to be among South Australia’s most picturesque wine regions. Known as the home of Australia’s Riesling, local examples of this variety display exceptional quality and elegance and share the common property of being dry. The same features that make the Clare Valley inherently beautiful-steep north-south ranges rising from the flats to the west, deep narrow gullies, high windswept plateaus, wide open valley floors and austere slate escarpments are the foundation of Clare’s famed vineyards. Warm days and cool nights lend the region to producing
  not only outstanding Riesling but also some stand-out Shiraz
  and Cabernet Sauvignon.

• Adelaide Hills
  Located approximately 500 metres above sea level, the Adelaide Hills run
  in a north-south direction and form part of South Australia’s Mount Lofty ranges, approx 14 km (8.7 miles) east of the city of Adelaide. First planted
  in the late 1970’s, there are now over 80 wine grape growers and 20 wineries in the region. The climate is considered to be relatively cool, resulting in wines that are typically fresh, fragrant and aromatic, yet crisp and food friendly with distinctive acidity and fine structure. Sauvignon Blanc is the most widely grown variety in the Adelaide Hills and is also one of Australia’s most significant contemporary wine styles.

Coonawarra

• Coonawarra
  The Coonawarra wine region is located 60 kilometres (37 miles) inland
  from what is referred to locally as the Limestone Coast in the south-east
  of South Australia. Predominately a maritime climate with dry and moderately cool summers, the region was founded more than 150 years ago and today offers wines of intense and classic fruit flavours that have won the hearts of consumers the world over. The hidden treasure of the Coonawarra wine region is its precious layer of limestone beneath rich terra rossa soil. The two types combine to produce Cabernet Sauvignon grapes that are the envy of wine regions all over the world.

• Langhorne Creek
  The Langhorne Creek wine region has a history of viticulture dating
  back to 1860 and is known for its flat, river delta landscape. Virtually
  at sea level, the region has a mild to cool climate predominately shaped
  by the on-shore southerly winds blowing directly from the Southern
  Ocean across Lake Alexandrina. The style is relatively easy to define
  with Cabernet Sauvignon/Shiraz blends offering something immediately
  accessible, soft and fragrant.

New South Wales (State Capital: Sydney)

Hunter Valley

• Hunter
  The Hunter is Australia’s first viticultural area, planted in 1825, located
  just 70km (43.5 miles) north-west of Sydney. Since those pioneering
  days, the Hunter’s wine industry has flourished and now more than 80
  wineries and cellar doors are open to the public. Although the Hunter can
  be hot and humid, the cloud and rain patterns alter the climate considerably
  enabling production of many different wine styles. Semillon is regarded
  as the great white wine of the region and will develop from a vaguely
  grassy, lemony youth to a crescendo of honeyed, nutty, buttered toasty
  palate and richness at 10 to 20 years of age.

• Riverina
  Located 570km (167.6 miles) west of Sydney, the Riverina has a viticultural history dating back to 1912. Until the second half of the 1950s production
  in the area centred almost entirely on fortified wines. Today the Riverina
  is a very important region, responsible for 15% of total grape production
  in Australia. It is also the nation’s leading producer of rich, luscious botrytis-affected Semillon. Table wines are also produced using the classic varieties Chardonnay, Shiraz, Cabernet Sauvignon and a myriad of others.

Victoria (State Capital: Melbourne)

'Coldstream Hills', Yarra Valley

• Yarra Valley
  Not a region to be missed when visiting Australia, the Yarra Valley ranges
  from historic homesteads to modern, cutting edge, architecturally designed wineries. Considered one of the world’s finest cool climate wine producing regions, the Yarra Valley specialises in the production of the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, both as single varietals and used as base wines for Sparkling. Located only an hour’s drive Melbourne, this region is clearly a local favourite among the city’s renowned bars and restaurants.

• Rutherglen
  Steeped in tradition where fourth, fifth and sixth generation winemakers
  are still producing outstanding and award winning wines – Rutherglen has
  a history dating back to the 1850’s. Crisp whites, rich reds, but above all
  world famous fortifieds are produced with distinct regional character.
  The fortified styles are virtually unique in the world, displaying distilled essence of liquid raisins with undreamed-of layers of complexity as they age.

• King Valley
  King Valley has extremely varied terrain and is one of the highest altitude winegrape growing regions in Australia. The topography ranges from laser
  flat in the north to mountainous in the extreme south. This has a significant impact on the suitability of grape varieties grown across this scenic region.
  The high altitude vineyards are particularly suitable for Chardonnay and
  Pinot Noir which is often used in sparkling wine making. In recent years experimentation with the following classical varieties has been undertaken; Barbera, Dolcetto, Nebbiolo, Sangiovese, and rarities such as Tannat, Saperavi, and Petit Manseng.

Western Australia (State Capital: Perth)

• Margaret River
  Surrounded by ocean on three sides, Margaret River has a strong maritime climate and is enjoying growth in popularity from travellers and wine lovers alike. The moderating influences of the nearby sea ensure grapes are produced with slow, even ripening for beautifully balanced fruit. While the region produces all the classic varietals, Margaret River winemakers have worked hard to develop a signature style of Cabernet Sauvignon which
  is now highly regarded worldwide. You’ll also find some of the country’s
  best Chardonnay is produced in Margaret River along with the region’s
  much loved blends of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon.

About Wine Australia
Wine Australia is the market development arm of the Australian Wine & Brandy Corporation based out of Adelaide, South Australia. In its individual markets (Canada, USA, UK/Europe, Ireland, Japan and developing markets,) Wine
Australia is charged with assisting Australian wineries in their marketing efforts
to consumers, trade and media. With over 100 member wineries in Canada,
Wine Australia also acts as a collective industry body working toward the
favourable positioning of Australian wines in Canada.

Purchasing Wine at the Festival

Over 500 wines will be featured at the Winnipeg Wine Festival. Many of these wines are available in Manitoba for the first time and are exclusive to the Festival. All of the wines showcased during the tasting evenings will be available for purchase at the on-site Liquor Mart.

• The on-site Liquor Mart layout is set up to match the order of the wineries in the Festival program.
• Our friendly, knowledgeable staff are available to answer any question you may have. The store is designed so you can find any wine quickly and easily.
• Each wine listed in the Festival program has a corresponding bin number assigned to it. Just use those bin numbers, which are in numerical order in the store, to easily find any wine you are looking for.
• PURCHASE EARLY! Make your initial purchase at any time and we will hold your parcel for you. Additional products can be added at any time.
• If you wish, you can purchase your favourite wines without the worry of taking them home.  We will ship your purchases to the Liquor Mart of your choice for personal pick up. A minimum purchase of six bottles is required for delivery. The Liquor Mart will phone you once the product arrives. Allow one week for product to arrive in Winnipeg Liquor Marts. Shipping times will vary outside of Winnipeg.
• Earn 10 times AIR MILES® reward miles on purchases made at the Festival on-site Liquor Mart.  Offer valid April 30 & May 1, 2010 on purchases in excess of $25 (excluding taxes) and only on base AIR MILES reward miles.

Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Interac, and cash are all accepted
at the Liquor Mart.

Arriving Home Safely

Whether you choose to sample a variety of different wines or savour a few of your favourites, remember, drinking and driving never mix. So before your visit to the Winnipeg Wine Festival make arrangements for alternate transportation to ensure you arrive home safely.

• Arrange to have a family member or friend pick you up at the end of the evening. Let them do the driving while you sit back and relax after a great evening exploring new vintages and grape varieties.
• Catch a cab. You'll find them plentiful in the downtown area, especially in front of the Winnipeg Convention Centre. Better yet, phone ahead and reserve a cab so there's no waiting.
• Consider "D.D Services MB" - this Winnipeg company offers professional designated drivers who will drive you home in your vehicle seven days a week. You can reach them by calling 475-7433.
• Take the bus. Winnipeg Transit offers inexpensive and reliable, city-wide service.

Final note: Manitoba's tough sanctions for drunk drivers remind us all that when you drink and drive in Manitoba - You Lose!

ANCILLARY EVENTS

During Festival week, there will be many fabulous wine and food events taking
place at venues throughout Winnipeg. Please check back regularly for information regarding these events.

GALA DINNER

Presented by:

Thursday, April 29th, 2010
Winnipeg Convention Centre – Third Floor Hall B
Wine Reception 6:00pm
Dinner 7:00pm

This unique and memorable evening will be the ultimate food and wine experience. The evening begins with a wine reception followed by a five-course gourmet meal, featuring two fine wines paired with each course. Also included in the event will be live and silent auctions showcasing many distinctive wines and entertainment packages.

Tickets to this exclusive event are $225.00 per person or table of 10 for $2250.00. Tickets are available through the Winnipeg Wine Festival office at Special Olympics Manitoba by calling (204) 925-5607.

Dress: Business / Formal

Check out the fabulous wine and food events taking place at venues throughout Winnipeg.

COMING SOON

See the continuing success story of Special Olympics Manitoba and the Winnipeg Wine Festival.

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