Vancouver Amateur Winemakers Association is a club of wine lovers and home winemakers who strive to create wines they can be proud of. The purpose of our club is to bring together in a friendly atmosphere people interested in the art of amateur winemaking to engage in related discussions, lectures, demonstrations and social events.
The last meeting before the summer break was held on Tuesday May 23 at Richmond Caring Place. The June meeting will be replaced by our garden party. We will reconvene for our regular meetings in September, as usual.
Recently added articles, all written by Clem Joyce:
A new, comprehensive book on home winemaking, with up-to-date information on materials and modern techniques, was released in summer 2021.
The 2022 edition of the Scott Labs Fermentation Handbook is now available.
To keep everyone safe, our current policy for all groups events is that all attendees are expected to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and free of all potential symptoms.
We will be holding the 2023 Garden Party on Saturday June 24, graciously hosted by Ron & Judy Toffolo in Richmond and starting at 5:00 PM. The garden party is open to all members and their significant others. Our COVID-19 attendance policy applies to this event. Sign up to attend.
The 2023 VAWA competition (49th!) will be held on Friday June 23rd and Saturday June 24th, before our summer garden party. The details can be found on the BCAWA website or here.
Our members are encouraged to continue entering wines into BC competitions, for feedback and to support other winemaking clubs.
We are a member driven organization which organizes the following events:
Details of the formal organization of the club can be found in the VAWA Constitution.
New members are always welcome and accepted regardless of their level of winemaking experience. The VAWA annual membership fee is $35 for individuals or $50 for couples. In addition, for new members, there is a one-time charge of $10 for creating your name badge. Please print out the Membership Application , fill it in and bring it to a regular meeting together with your cheque/cash for the appropriate amount. For other arrangements, contact the club Treasurer.
Our Association usually holds meetings at 8 pm on the second Thursday of each month. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, the schedule has become more flexible. The meeting dates and location are being announced via email and posted on this page. No meetings are held in the months of July and August.
The typical meeting agenda is outlined below. Details of the Feature Presentation and Mini Competition are available from the monthly email newsletter , typically issued in the week preceeding the meeting.
| Business & Announcements | 8:00 pm — 8:20 pm | The regular meeting is brought to order and any outstanding business matters are addressed. Hosted by VAWA's current President. |
|---|---|---|
| Feature Presentation | 8:30 pm — 10:00 pm | Speakers, from the club or industry, offer insights and advice on various aspects of winemaking. |
| Mini Competition | after presentation | An optional informal blind judging of members' wines. |
| Social Gathering | 10:00 pm — 10:30 pm | Snacks are served and mini competition entries are made available to taste. |
Anyone interested in finding out more about us is welcome to attend a meeting as a guest. There is a door fee of approximately $10 for members and $15 for guests related to the cost of the evening's program.
| President: | John Read (interim) |
|---|---|
| Past President: | John Read |
| Vice President: | TBD |
| Secretary: | TBD |
| Treasurer: | Sony Kurian |
| Steward: | Joe Zucchiatti |
| Members at Large: | Mike Erhardt |
| Mike Grindler | |
| Ron Toffolo |
Do you have additional questions about our club and its activities? Want to confirm a scheduled meeting? Please email us at vawa.information@gmail.com.