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Victoria International Wine Festival launches new event Roses and Rose

Sip, savor, and smell the roses at a gala of rose wine varieties at Parkside Hotel and Spa
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A new 2024 gala from the Victoria International Wine Festival celebrates Roses and Rose. (Courtesy Victoria International Wine Festival)

Those asking if it’s, ‘rose o’clock yet?’ might be pleased to know that the Victoria International Wine Festival has a new summer event named Roses and Rose on July 27 at the Parkside Hotel and Spa.

“We wanted to create a summer event that plays on the connection between roses and the story of wine,” said David Bain, director. “The event transpires a scene of elegance while creating a story for each guest. Think of smelling a flower and finding those same notes in a wine.”

Guests will enjoy a gala-style tasting format that encourages leisurely exploration of diverse Rose varieties, set to the sounds of live classical guitar performances. The Victoria International Wine Festival’s sommelier team will partner with Brown’s the Florist to showcase the unique pairing between flowers and wines.

“Every guest will receive a rose and an experience that will help them understand the story of one of the world’s oldest wine varieties, rose,” said Bain.

Brown’s notably boasts one of the youngest and Canada’s only International Master Florists on the team, Katherine Olmstead.

Attendees are encouraged to dress in pink to add to the ambiance.

In an email, Bain said that the wine industry faces challenges due to extreme weather and a need for more engagement from the next generation of wine consumers.

“We aim to address these issues through storytelling, partnerships with the media, and by creating a community where everyone can develop a deeper understanding of the unique features of the world’s oldest drink,” he said.

The all-inclusive tickets, said to be extremely limited, go on sale May 10 at 9 a.m. at bit.ly/RosesVictoria. The event runs July 27 from 7 to 9:30 p.m. in the hotel’s urban ballroom.

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Sam Duerksen

About the Author: Sam Duerksen

Since moving to Victoria from Winnipeg in 2020, I’ve worked in communications for non-profits and arts organizations.
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