Media Releases
Thursday, October 27, 2016
Cornucopia seminars cover the gamut with insights into wine, beer, cocktails and spirits
Whistler, B.C. – It’s no secret that fans of Whistler’s annual celebration of food and drink love a good party, a strong drink and a great nosh, but did you know that Cornucopia, presented by Blue Shore Financial, also celebrates learning?
The 11-day celebration of all things wine, spirit and food also hosts a series of invaluable drink seminars, covering what could be argued by some as the four most important “food” groups: wine, beer, cocktails and spirits.
Whether it’s exploring the history of gin, taking a virtual wine tour through Argentina, learning about Scottish single malts, pairing BC craft beer and cheese, diving into biodynamics or talking up some of the best value wines, there is a seminar for every interest.
Cornucopia takes place in Whistler from November 10-20. The seminar series kicks off on Saturday, November 12 with A 500-Year History of Gin presented by Ken Winchester, Master Distiller at Victoria’s de Vine Spirits, and Four Seasons’ Mixologist Albert Kirby and provides participants with a five-century tour of gin’s tumultuous history, with a rare opportunity to taste three historic gin styles.
And this is only the beginning!
The seminar fun continues throughout the festival with informative and exciting introductions to wine, spirits and beer from BC and beyond, exploring topics like: wine and cheese pairings, wine and beer pairings, industry trends, sparkling wines, wine 101, value wines, DIY for drinkers, pairing food and cocktails, spirited chocolate, bubbly cocktails, tequila, the history of IPA, pairing wine and chocolate, or wine and pizza, happy hour @ home, the chardonnay pajama party, the sommelier smackdown, he said, she said, the rematch and a how-to guide for Polynesian parties, to name a few.
And with all this learning under their belts, Cornucopia revelers will want to make sure to take in the festival’s hallmark event – Crush Grand Gala Tasting. Taking place on Saturday, November 12, the renowned flagship grand tasting event of Cornucopia, Crush creates a vibrant atmosphere where attendees are invited to sip, savor and sample their way through a feast of wines from BC and beyond.
Build your own Cornucopia package, with tickets to your favourite events, or take advantage of the Crush Grand Tasting accommodation package, with rates starting at $99 CAD per person, per night.
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Cornucopia, presented by BlueShore Financial is Whistler’s Celebration of Food + Drink. The dazzling eleven-day display of gourmet food and drink attracts over 15,000 visitors to the resort and caters to everyone from amateur enthusiasts to aficionados. Respected industry professionals, judges and presenters headline each event, seminar and tasting, offering the best possible opportunity to garner as much information and insight as possible. Held on the cusp of the opening of each ski season in beautiful Whistler, British Columbia, Cornucopia was designed to showcase and support local restaurants, restaurateurs and the food and wine industry. With wide-spread appeal through the immense variety of events available, the festival is truly a food and drink festival with a Whistler attitude.
Whistler is Canada's premier year-round leisure and meeting destination located in the Coast Mountains 120 kilometres (75 miles) north of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Consistently rated the top ski resort in North America, Whistler was the Host Mountain Resort of the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The resort offers an extensive range of accommodations totaling 10,000 bedrooms among 24 hotels as well as townhomes, condos, B&Bs and chalets. Whistler also boasts more than 100 restaurants and bars, 200 retail shops, 25 spas and countless activity options from world-renowned skiing and snowboarding, mountain biking and golf, to hiking, rock climbing, and watersports. The Resort Municipality of Whistler is home to a diverse community of more than 10,000 permanent residents.
Tourism Whistler is the member-based marketing and sales organization representing Whistler, operating the Whistler Conference Centre, Whistler Golf Club, Whistler Visitor Centre, as well as 1.800.944.7853 and whistler.com - Whistler's official source for visitor bookings and information. As the convention and visitors bureau for the Resort Municipality of Whistler, Tourism Whistler represents more than 7,000 members who own, manage and operate properties or businesses on resort lands including hotels, restaurants, activity operators and retail shops.
Media can visit whistler.com/media for Whistler facts, media releases, story starters, local personality profiles and access to images and B-roll.
Media Contacts
Mary Zinck
Media Program - Cornucopia
Manager, Travel Media
T: 604.938.2702
E: mzinck@tourismwhistler.com
W: www.whistlercornucopia.com/media
T: @CornucopiaWine
F: @WhistlerCornucopia
I: @cornucopiawhistler