71 Italian wineries presented their wines at VanWineFest 2024. With each winery pouring 5 different wines, we had 355 wines to sip and savour in the International Festival Tasting Room. I spent my Thursday tasting white and sparkling wines and Friday tasting the red wines. In this article, I cover my favourite white and sparkling wines. In some cases, there will be a rating with minimal notes, as I lost my original tasting notes after going out for dinner. The restaurant I had dinner at said that they would check for my tasting booklet, but it was not found. When I went back to the tasting room on Thursday evening, I tried to visit several of the wineries I visited earlier that day to make some notes.
My Favourite White and Sparkling Wines at VanWineFest 2024
Still White Wines
Santi Lugana Folar 2021 – A refreshing wine with stone fruit flavours. 
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Bonfanti Salgar Soave 2021 – Made from Garganega and Trebbiano grapes. This wine has white flowers, citrus, and peach flavours. Nice acidity –
Carpineto Farnito Chardonnay Brut, NV – Based on an assemblage of Chardonnay wines from various vintages, the oldest have been aged in oak barrels. A dry sparkling wine with fine bubbles. –
Collefrisio Filare Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2020 – Light, bright lemon colour. Dry with medium acidity. Nice smooth stone fruit flavours.
Femar Vini Gran Appasso Chardonnay – Fiano, Puglia IGP – This wine reminded me on the nose and palate of lime margarita. A fun wine.
Cantine Losito Falanghina Puglia 2022 – This wine and Cantine’s Fiano were probably my favourite two Italian white wines in the tasting room. This wine is full-bodied with yellow floral flavour.
Cantine Losito Fiano Puglia 2022 – This wine is full-bodied with a white floral flavour.
Azienda Vitivinicola Filippino Domenico Langhe Arneis 2022 – Fresh, fruity aromas with floral hints. –
Umani Ronchi Vellodoro Pecorino 2021 – A pale lemon colour. Light peach aromas. Medium body, dry with medium acidity. Peach flavour along with some grape stem and a touch of floral. –
Vietti Roero Arneis DOCG 2022 – A pale straw colour. Medium intensity sweet, ripe stone fruit nose. Dry with medium acidity and soft texture. Complex flavours of stone fruits and a touch of floral. Light mouthfeel. Medium length. – 
Sparkling Wines
MGM Mondo Del Vino Cuvage Nebbiolo d’Alba Rosé Brut DOCG 2019 – With the prestige of Barolo wines made with the Nebbiolo grape, it is rare to see a rosé Nebbiolo. This wine has a light peach colour. Light stone fruit and cherry nose. Dry with medium-plus body and higher acidity.
Cleto Chiarli “Premium” Mention Honorable – Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC 2022 – A bright berry nose. Off-dry with medium acidity and a light acidic prickle on your tongue. Berry flavour.
Medici Ermete Concerto Lambrusco Reggiano Organic 2022 – An opaque ruby colour. Juicy berries on the nose. Medium-minus body, off-dry with medium acidity. Tiny biting bubbles in the glass. Juicy berry fruits on the start of the sip followed by red apples and red cherries. Light tannins. Very tasty. –
Bottega Prosecco DOC Il Vino dei Poeti – This wine has a bright, clear lemon colour. Nice light citrus and stone fruit aromas. Off-dry with medium-sized biting bubble. Citrus and stone fruit flavours. –
Marchesi Mazzi Villa Marcello Prosecco Millesimato Brut DOC 2022 – A bright, medium-intensity lemon colour. Nice stone fruit and toast aromas. Fuller body, off-dry with medium acidity. A mix of creamy and biting medium-sized bubbles. Stone fruit flavours.
I do not know which of these wines are generally available in BC liquor stores or private wine shops, but after the Festival, any unsold wine is sold at select BC Liquor stores, such as at 41st and Cambie. Cin cin.
