VanWineFest is proud to highlight Western Canada's incredible restaurant community, which is winning honours on the world stage. The Wine Program Excellence Awards uniquely focus on the expertise of wine directors, sommeliers, and servers who curate exceptional wine lists to complement their acclaimed cuisines.

A successful wine program offers patrons a well-selected choice of wines that harmonize with the food, presented by staff with significant wine knowledge they share comfortably with diners.

How does your wine program stack up? Enter the VIWF Wine Program Excellence Awards today to find out! Your program will be judged by, and you'll receive feedback from, some of the top wine professionals in Western Canada.

All winners receive an award, suitable for display at your restaurant or on your website, to show that your program received VanWineFest's seal of approval and has met the demanding standards of our expert judges. And all entrants receive $158 worth of VanWineFest tickets ($207 if you apply by August 28). It pays to enter early!

We believe a good wine program brings in customers. A great wine program in a restaurant encourages customers to come back for more - more choices and more delightful and memorable experiences.

Vancouver's top wine directors explain how VIWF's WPEA makes their wine programs better.

How to Enter

Applicants for the 2025 awards are required to do the following:

• Tell us your wine philosophy (maximum 200 words), describe your staff education program, and provide copies of your current wine list and dinner menu, all in PDF format sent to the Awards Administrator.
• Complete our online application and pay the non-refundable entry fee of $195 (GST inclusive).

Restaurants must be open to the general public and geographically accessible to be eligible for an award.

Apply by 11:59 p.m. on August 28 for bonus benefits. Applications are open until September 25.

Please complete one award application ($195) per restaurant or establishment.

For more details, visit VanWineFest.ca.

See the full list of 2024 Wine Program Excellence Award winners.

Find out more about the coveted Celebrating Excellence Awards that will be presented at the 21st Annual Awards Lunch Featuring U.S. Wines, presented by ContainerWorld on Friday, February 28, 2025.

2024 Platinum Award Winners: Chris Turyk (Judge), Reverie Beall (AnnaLena), Chris Rielly (Hawksworth, Nightingale), Franco Michienzi (Elisa), DJ Kearney (Judge), Colin Davidson (The Courtney Room), Andrew Forsyth (L'Abattoir), Calen Macdonald (Blue Water Cafe)

What You Receive

$158* worth of VIWF tickets / $207* if you apply by August 28

All entrants receive a complimentary ticket to these events on Friday, February 28, 2025:

Celebrating Excellence: 21st Annual Awards Lunch Featuring U.S. Wines, presented by ContainerWorld, 11:15 a.m.-1:15 p.m. ($109 value)

Trade Tasting with Trade Buyer Entry, 1:30-5 p.m. ($49 value)

Those who enter by 11:59 pm on Wednesday, August 28 will receive an additional Friday Trade Tasting ticket ($49 value), as well as the opportunity to purchase a second Awards Lunch ticket for $50 in December ($109 regular price).

The box office will send a pre-buy ticket form in December enabling you to purchase additional Trade event tickets. If you purchase any additional Awards Lunch tickets during the pre-buy period, you'll receive a complimentary Trade Tasting with Buyers Hour ticket for each Awards Lunch ticket.

* based on 2024 ticket prices

Recognition and Bragging Rights

All participating restaurants receive careful consideration of their wine program by some of the finest professional judges in Western Canada and will be rated in one of the following five categories: Platinum, Gold, Silver, Bronze and Honourable Mention.

Winners receive: 

• Verbal and onscreen recognition in front of 300 of your peers at the 21st Annual Awards Lunch.
• A plaque received onstage for display in your restaurant - Platinum through Bronze winners.
• Bragging rights on your restaurant's website, wine list and menu with a digital decal.
• Online listing and hotlink at VanWineFest.ca, promoted throughout the year.
• Acknowledgement in WPEA media release, festival ads, e-newsletters, and social media campaign.
• Opportunity to pre-buy additional Trade Days event tickets.
• Feedback from the judges on areas for improvement.

August 7-September 25

Winery Program Excellence Awards Applications Open

November 13

Advance Tickets on sale

December 11

Trade Days Passes on sale

January 8

Winery Dinners on sale

January 15

Public Events on sale

January 22

Trade Days Tickets on sale