Want to really impress your friends the next time you get together and uncork some wine? You can get a taste of some of the most exciting sustainably-farmed, handcrafted wines on the market at Vancouver's coolest wine event, Top Drop, which returns for two nights this month.
Top Drop takes place May 11 and 12 at the Yaletown Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre and will feature nearly 40 wineries from around the world with representatives pouring tastes and sharing knowledge about their terroir-focused wines.
For its return in 2022, Top Drop Vancouver's impressive roster of participants includes wineries from California's Napa Valley, Italy's Barolo, and France's iconic Champagne - not to mention several stars from B.C.'s own wine-making industry.
The event, which launched in 2014, is a more boutique experience for wine pros and enthusiasts keen to learn about the latest in naturally chic wine-making. Top Drop was co-founded by Vancouver sommelier Kurtis Kolt and Jeff Curry, who has a wine importing company called the Wine Syndicate. They work with a very small team of key trade to produce the event, explains Kolt, who adds that participating wineries are chosen by a selection committee of highly-touted local sommeliers and retailers.
Fall in love with something you try at the event? An onsite wine shop is stocking what the wineries are pouring.
Event proceeds go to the BC Hospitality Foundation, an organization providing financial support to individuals from the hospitality industry facing a major medical crisis.
Here are all the 2022 Top Drop Vancouver wineries, plus who will be there as a representative:
Aldegheri, Valpolicella, Italy
w/ Jane Glees, Export Director
Anselmi, Soave, Veneto, Italy
w/ Lisa Anselmi, Family Proprietor
Ashes & Diamonds, Napa Valley, California, USA
w/ Kashy Khaledi, Proprietor + Owner
Averill Creek Vineyard, Vancouver Island, BC, Canada
w/ Brent Rowland, Winemaker
Azienda Agricola Bruna Grimaldi , Piedmont, Italy
w/ Martina Fiorino, Family Proprietor + Sales Manager
Bella Wines, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Jay Drysdale, Owner + Winemaker
Benjamin Bridge, Gaspereau Valley, Nova Scotia, Canada
w/ Alexandre Morozov, Winemaker
Bisol Desiderio & Figli Societa’ Agricola, Valdobbiadene, Italy
w/ Stefano Marangon, Export Manager
Bruno Paillard, Champagne, France
w/ Pierre-Jules Peyrat, Export Manager
Champagne Gardet, Champagne, France
w/ Maude Autran, Export Manager
Chappellet Vineyard, Napa Valley, California, USA
w/ Mitch Boyd, National Sales Manager
Chateau De Pommard, Pommard, Burgundy, France
w/ Victor Goichon, Export Manager
Chateau Dereszla, Tokaji, Hungary
w/ Gábor Weiner, Sales & Export Manager
Chiorri Perugia, Umbria, Italy
w/ Francesco Strangis, Proprietor + Winemaker
Creek & Gully Cider, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Annelise Simonsen, Proprietor + Director
Elk Cove, Gaston, Oregon, USA
w/ Shirley Brooks, VP Sales & Marketing
Fitzpatrick Family Vineyards, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Gordon Fitzpatrick, President
Free Form by Okanagan Crush Pad, Okanagan Valley, Canada
w/ Matt Dumayne, Chief Winemaker
Gekkeikan, Folsom, California, USA
w/ Koichi Murakami, VP of Sales & Marketing
Hedges Family Estate, Red Mountain, Washington, USA
w/ Christophe Hedges, General Manager
Lightning Rock Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Jordan Kubek, Winegrower
Long Shadows, Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
w/ Dane Narbaitz, Director of Sales & Marketing
Marchesi Di Barolo, Piedmont, Italy
w/ Valentina Abbona, Family Member + Ambassador
Martin's Lane Winery, Okanagan Valley, BC, Canada
w/ Shane Munn, Winemaker
Medici Ermete, Reggio Emilia, Italy
w/ Ermes Scardova, Export Director
Mirafiore, Piedmont, Italy
w/ Chiara Destefanis, Export Area Manager
Montes, Colchagua, Chile
w/ Bryan Steinsapir, Export Manager
Orofino, Similkameen Valley, BC Canada
w/ John Weber, Proprietor + Winemaker
Pere Ventura, Penedès, Spain
w/ Hortense Capelle, Export Sales Manager
Salcheto, Tuscany, Italy
w/ Michele Manelli, Winemaker
Susana Balbo Wines, Mendoza, Argentina
w/ German Pungitore, General Manager
Synchromesh Wines, Okanagan Falls, BC, Canada
w/ Alan Dickinson, Proprietor + Winemaker + Farmer
Tenuta Di Trinoro + Passopisciaro, Tuscany + Sicily, Italy
w/ Letizia Patane, Export Manager
Tenuta Valdipiatta, Montepulciano, Italy
w/ Miriam Caporali, Winemaker
Terravista Vineyards, Naramata Bench, BC, Canada
w/ Nadine Allander, Winemaker
Troupis Winery, Mantinia, Greece
w/ Pitsa Troupi, Proprietor
Ursa Major Winery Okanagan, Canada
w/ Rajen Toor, Winemaker + Grower + Proprietor
Weingut Thörle, Rheinhessen, Germany
w/ Christoph Thörle, Proprietor
Xanadu Winery, Margaret River, Australia
w/ Douglas Elliott, North American Manager
Top Drop Vancouver
When: May 11-12, 2022 from 7-9:30 p.m.
Where: Roundhouse Community Arts & Recreation Centre - 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver
Tickets: $125. Available online at TopDrop.ca
