A bevy of beverage events coming to town

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 05/04/2025 (555 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A deluge of drinks festivals and events taking place in the coming months means Manitobans will have plenty of chances to sample and discover some tasty new favourites.

First up is the second annual Beer Is Art event, taking place Thursday, April 17, from 7 to 10 p.m. at WAG-Qaumajuq (300 Memorial Blvd.). Most of Manitoba’s craft breweries will be pouring their wares at the event, including some new and exclusive brews. Tickets are $65 and include access to the galleries and all samples; they’re available from participating breweries, although many have noted on social media that they’ve sold through (or are close to selling through) their stock.

The Manitoba chapter of the Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers (CAPS) has a pair of events taking place in May. The first sees Promenade Brasserie (130 Provencher Blvd.) host the International Chardonnay Tasting on Monday, May 5 from 6:45 to 9 p.m., where the group will award the Rebecca Lechman memorial bursary.

Lechman was a Chardonnay lover who worked at Jones & Co. until her sudden death in early 2020. The $1,000 bursary is awarded to an individual looking to further their wine/hospitality education. Tickets are $55 for CAPS members and $65 for non-members and are available here.

The second CAPS event is the third annual In Good Spirits cocktail competition, which goes down Monday, May 12 at WAG-Qaumajuq from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Eighteen Winnipeg bartenders have been assigned a spirit to concoct their top tipple with, which will then be assessed by a panel of judges and those in attendance.

Tickets are $50 for CAPS members ($60 for non-members) until April 14, at which point they go up to $60 and $70, respectively — they’re available at wfp.to/W2u. Entry includes a welcome cocktail, samples of each of the competing beverages and small bites by Wow Catering.

The Rotary Westman Wine Festival returns to Brandon on Friday, May 9, at 7 p.m. at the Victoria Inn’s Imperial Ballroom (3550 Victoria Ave.). The scant information available online indicates over 100 wines are being sampled and that tickets are $44.95 and available at Brandon Liquor Marts.

Back in Winnipeg, this year’s Flatlander’s Beer & Beverage Festival returns to Canada Life Centre (300 Portage Ave.) on June 6 and 7 with a slightly tweaked name based on what’s being poured.

Alongside the lagers and ales, the festival now features all manner of ciders, canned and ready-to-drink cocktails. More than 300 products will be poured at this year’s event, around half of which will be new and/or exclusive to the fest, including from a number of local producers. (The list of products has not yet been released.)

The Friday and Saturday evening events run from 7 to 10 p.m., while the Saturday matinee goes from 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets are available at Liquor Marts or via flatlandersbeerfest.com and are $44.95 for the matinee or $49.95 for the evening tastings.

Looking further down the road, the Winnipeg Beer Festival takes place Sunday, Aug. 10, at Fort Gibraltar (866 Rue Saint Joseph). Eighteen of Manitoba’s breweries (and other drinks makers) are confirmed to be pouring at the event, which features two time slots for thirsty guests (5-7 p.m. or 7:30-9:30 p.m.). More producers are expected to be confirmed.

Tickets are $50 plus taxes/fees and are available here, where you can find a list of participants.

And for those looking for tickets to this year’s Winnipeg Wine Festival, which happens Sept. 26 and 27 at the RBC Convention Centre (375 York Ave.), they’re available online here for $75.08, including fees. The focus for this year’s fest will be sparkling wines.

uncorked@mts.net

@bensigurdson

 

Wines of the week

Isaac Fernandez NV 3 Brut Cava Rosé (Penedès, Spain — around $22, private wine stores)

This Spanish Cava is made entirely from the red Garnacha grape; it’s medium salmon pink in colour and aromatically offers strawberry, cranberry, floral, red apple skin and chalky notes. It’s light-plus bodied and just a touch off-dry, with raspberry, cranberry, tart strawberry and chalky flavours that come with light acidity, a hint of tannin and, at 12 per cent alcohol, a finish that lingers with the zippy bubbles. Tasty on its own but a solid candidate for mimosas too. Available at G.J. Andrews, Calabria Market and possibly other private stores. 3.5/5

Les Vignobles Foncalieu 2020 Via Nostrum (Corbières, France — $18.89, Liquor Marts and beyond)

A 70-30 blend of Syrah and Grenache, this French red is deep garnet in colour and aromatically offers ripe plum and cherry notes as well as iron, violet, cocoa and spice. It’s dry and medium-plus bodied, with ripe plum, cherry and blackberry flavours, a subtle stewed component, a hint of chocolate, vanilla and spice as well as soft tannins and, at 14 per cent alcohol, a slightly warm finish. Drink now with medium-sharp cheeses, pork tenderloin or burgers. It’s on sale until the end of April (regular $20.99). 3.5/5

Canadian wine of the week

Road 13 Viognier (Okanagan Valley, B.C. — $27.99, Liquor Marts and beyond)

Located in the central-southern Oliver area of the Okanagan Valley, Road 13’s Viognier is medium gold in colour and aromatically offers ripe peach, papaya, red apple, quince and spice notes. It’s dry, medium-plus bodied and viscous, with rich tropical and tree fruit notes coming with a hint of oak and acidity, a lingering spice note and, at 13 per cent alcohol, a medium-length finish (a good thing for a grape that can get a little boozy). It brings great depth of flavour, texture and elegance, and shows how nicely this grape can age. And a heads up: a newer vintage, which is starting to appear in the province, features updated packaging. 4.5/5