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Directly from the Vancouver Playhouse Wine Festival Press Release:

Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Sets its Viticultural Sights on California for its 35th year.

Vancouver, BC, March 29, 2012 – As Vancouver’s hugely successful week long wine celebration wrapped up for another year, wine aficionados have already begun anticipating next year’s Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival. A milestone anniversary, the Festival will celebrate its 35th year with the Theme Region of California, and the Global Focus on Chardonnay. The 2013 edition of the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will take place from February 25th to March 3rd at the Vancouver Convention Centre West, and at select restaurants and venues throughout the city.

The 2012 Wine Festival closed to rave reviews and celebrated the Regional Theme Wines of Chile, the natural choice by showcasing a full range of wines from this viticultural eden. Wine Festival attendees received hands on wine education from top Chilean wine stars such as Eduardo Chadwick, Aurelio Montes, Alvaro Espinoza, and California’s Chuck Wagner to name but a few. At a combined 64 events across Vancouver, upwards of 25,000 people tasted among 1700 wines at the continent’s premier wine event. The net proceeds from this year’s Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction – the centrepiece of the Wine Festival – totalled $250,000 for the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. A citywide success, Total Box Office Sales have come in at $1,077,608; this beats last year’s previous record of $1,075,333 by $2,275.

For 2013, guests can look forward to tasting a full range of California wines, a geologically diverse region with a wide variety of climates and terroirs. With over a hundred grape varietals grown in California, next year’s Theme Region will satisfy every oenophile’s palate. A world leader in sustainable wine growing practices, California vintners produce high quality wine that is environmentally friendly, economically sound, and socially responsible. Industry insiders take note: winery applications for the 2013 Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival are open May 15, 2012 and will close on June 15, 2012. Advance tickets will go on sale Nov. 1, 2012 and all public tickets will go on sale Jan. 8, 2013.

ABOUT THE PLAYHOUSE WINE FESTIVAL

The Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival, Canada’s premier wine show, will run from February 25th to March 3rd, 2013. The Playhouse Wine Festival is one of the biggest and oldest wine festival events in the world. In 2013, the Theme Region will be California Wines and the Global Focus, Chardonnay. The Festival features a week of special events including the Bacchanalia Gala Dinner + Auction, wine seminars, wine minglers, winery dinners, and lunches and brunches at fine restaurants and hotels. The Playhouse Wine Festival is produced by the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival Society, which has three mandates: provide an informative, educational and entertaining wine experience for public and trade; be a premier marketing opportunity for the wine industry and Festival partners; and raise funds for the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company. Since its inception in 1979, the Festival has raised over $7.8 million to enable Western Canada’s leading theatre company to mount 229 productions and develop extensive community outreach and educational programs.  Although the Vancouver Playhouse Theatre Company ceased its operations on March 10, 2012, the last production of their 2011/2012 main stage season—God of Carnage—will be presented by Vancouver Civic Theatres at the Vancouver Playhouse from April 14 to May 5, 2012 (Box office: 604-665-3470). As an incorporated, non-profit society, the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival will continue; and will work with their constituted registered charity, The Playhouse Theatre Centre of British Columbia Society, to announce plans later this year regarding next year’s charitable net proceeds.