Yes, you heard that right - wine competition.
The wine industry likes to have a little friendly rivalry too - in the form of blind tasting!
Founders of Terroir Wine consulting, Arnica Rowan and Darcen Esau, have teamed up with local master of wine Rhys Pender to host this hilarious event that'll have the spectators competing against industry icons.
Co-organizer Rowan shared her insight and inspiration, when speaking with The Wine Print recently:
“Blind tasting is a great way to really get to know wine, but the process can be intimidating and pompous. The Tasting Games are all about learning from some of the best wine pros in the province, in a totally fun and informal atmosphere. You taste the same wine as the folks on stage, and get to swirl and sip along with them.
"It’s like a one night master class on wine. Our wine industry is spread up and down the valley, so it was important to have divisional events in Oliver, Penticton and Kelowna. Each event will have different celebrities on stage and different wines to taste, so it’ll be a unique experience in each Okanagan location.”
How it'll work: there will be three divisional competitions held throughout the valley in Oliver, Penticton and Kelowna.
Each divisional will feature a panel of experts blind tasting on stage, while the audience tastes along with them.
One top audience member and one expert from each divisional will move forward to the grand finale, held in Kelowna.
Here are the wine experts you'll have the opportunity to compete against:
Wes Hunter - Beverage Operations, RaudZ Creative Concepts Ltd
David Paterson - GM/winemaker, Tantalus Vineyards
Sandra Oldfield - Formerly the founding winemaker at Tinhorn Creek, now president of Elysium Projects
Severine Pinte - Winemaker, La Stella and Le Vieux Pin
Howard Soon - Winemaker, Vanessa Vineyard
Mark Filatow - Executive chef and sommelier, Waterfront Wines and Waterfront Cafe
Matthew Landry - 2019 BC sommelier of the year, GM/beverage director Stable House Bistro Vancouver
Christina Hartigan - Wine Director, Wildebeest Vancouver
DJ Kearney - Director of wine, New District
Find out more information, dates and purchase tickets here: https://tastinggames.ca/
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