VanWineFest 2025 starts next week and one of the attractions of the event is attending the International Festival Tasting Room where there will be 121 wineries from 15 countries, with winery principals pouring and discussing their wines. Each year there is a different theme country or region.
This year it is the United States; specifically California, Oregon, and Washington states. I realize that there is some cross-border strain right now caused by the current American president, but these are three blue Democratic states sharing similar values as Canadians, so I hope you can support these states and taste their wines at the Festival.
In case you are not too familiar with the wineries from these three states, here are a few suggestions from me about winery tables to visit, what makes them interesting, and a specific type of wine or bottle of wine they are known for. In the list, you will find sparkling, white, and red wines, so something to please everybody.
See you at the International Festival Tasting Room!
| Winery | Unique Feature | Popular Wine |
| California | ||
| Beaulieu Vineyard | Over a century of winemaking history in Napa Valley | Georges de Latour Private Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Bogle Family Vineyards | Certified sustainable practices | Heritage Red Blend |
| Don Sebastiani & Sons | Offers a diverse portfolio of wines | The Crusher Cabernet Sauvignon |
| The Duckhorn Portfolio | Renowned for its Merlot wines | Duckhorn Vineyards Napa Valley Merlot |
| Ferrari-Carano | Estate vineyards spanning multiple appellations | Ferrari-Carano Fumé Blanc |
| Gloria Ferrer | Sonoma’s first sparkling wine house | Blanc de Noirs |
| Hope Family Wines | Family-owned with a focus on sustainable practices | Austin Hope Cabernet Sauvignon |
| J. Lohr Vineyards & Wines | Pioneers in sustainable winegrowing | J. Lohr Estates Seven Oaks Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Jackson Family Wines | Portfolio includes renowned labels like Kendall-Jackson | Kendall-Jackson Vintner’s Reserve Chardonnay |
| Justin Vineyards & Winery | Specializes in Bordeaux-style varietals | JUSTIN Isosceles |
| Orin Swift Cellars | Known for bold blends and artistic labels | Orin Swift Abstract |
| The Prisoner Wine Company | Known for unconventional blends and innovative labels | The Prisoner Red Blend |
| Provenance Vineyards | Specializes in small-lot, terroir-driven wines from Napa Valley | Provenance Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Ridge Vineyards | Pioneers in single-vineyard wines, especially Zinfandel | Geyserville Essence Zinfandel |
| Robert Mondavi Winery | Iconic Napa Valley winery emphasizing innovation and education | The Estates Fumé Blanc |
| Rodney Strong Wine Estates | Committed to sustainability and solar energy initiatives | Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Rombauer Vineyards | Family-owned winery celebrated for its rich, fruit-driven Chardonnays | Carneros Chardonnay |
| Signorello Estate | Combines Old World winemaking traditions with New World fruit | Signori |
| Stags’ Leap Winery | Historic winery located in Napa’s Stags Leap District | Napa Valley Petite Sirah |
| Wente Vineyards | America’s oldest continuously operated family-owned winery | Morning Fog Chardonnay |
| Oregon | ||
| Adelsheim Vineyard | Pioneering winery in Oregon’s Chehalem Mountains, committed to sustainability | Pinot Noir |
| Erath Winery | One of Oregon’s earliest wineries, specializing in Pinot Noir | Pinot Noir |
| Ste. Michelle Wine Estates | Washington’s oldest and largest winery, known for its Riesling | Eroica Riesling |
| Lingua Franca | Focuses on terroir-driven wines from the Eola-Amity Hills | Avni Pinot Noir |
| Washington | ||
| Aquilini Wines | Family-owned, producing wines from Red Mountain AVA | Cabernet Sauvignon |
| Tirriddis Sparkling Wines | Specializes in producing sparkling wines in Washington State | Blanc de Blanc R.4 |
