Victoria Wine Fest

WHERE: Victoria Conference Centre (720 Douglas St.)
WHEN: November 5th & 6th
BUY TICKETS: HERE

Victoria International Wine Festival Returns November 6 & 7, 2026

Whether you know your Cabernet from your Carménère or you simply know what tastes good in your glass, the Victoria International Wine Festival is returning to the Victoria Conference Centre on November 6 and 7, 2026.

This year, more than 400 wines from 15 countries will be poured over two days of Grand Tastings, educational seminars and conversations with the people behind the bottles.

And you definitely don’t need to be a wine expert to enjoy it.

At its core, the Victoria International Wine Festival is about making wine more approachable. With hundreds of bottles lining liquor store shelves, unfamiliar regions, grape varieties and plenty of wine terminology to navigate, choosing a bottle can sometimes feel more complicated than it needs to be.

The festival gives you a chance to skip some of that pressure and simply taste, ask questions and figure out what you actually like.

More Than 400 Wines to Discover

The Grand Tastings are the heart of the festival, bringing together wineries, winemakers and representatives from around the world under one roof.

Your ticket includes access to the tasting room, where you can explore more than 400 wines from 15 countries without paying individually for each sample.

Try something from a region you’ve never explored. Compare different grape varieties. Ask the person pouring what makes a particular bottle unique. Or find a new favourite completely by accident.

Whether you’re an experienced wine drinker or someone who usually chooses a bottle because the label looks good — no judgement, we’ve all been there — the idea is to explore at your own pace.

Spotlight on South Africa

For 2026, the festival is putting South African wine centre stage.

Guests will have the opportunity to explore the country’s diverse wine regions, grape varieties and winemaking traditions, with winemakers and representatives travelling to Victoria to pour their wines and share the stories behind them.

It’s a chance to taste a wide range of South African wines in one place while learning more about the landscapes, people and traditions that shape what ends up in your glass.

Wine Without the Intimidation

One of our favourite things about the Victoria International Wine Festival is its approachability.

Festival founder David Bain grew up around wineries and farming, seeing wine first as an agricultural product — something influenced by soil, weather, farming, risk and the people doing the work.

That perspective continues to shape the festival today.

Instead of treating wine as something you need extensive knowledge to appreciate, VICWF encourages guests to be curious. Ask questions. Try something unfamiliar. Learn why you like one wine and maybe not another.

There’s no test at the end.

Sip, Learn & Ask Questions

Want to go a little deeper?

Educational seminars throughout the festival give guests another opportunity to learn about wine, regions, grape varieties and winemaking directly from people within the industry.

These sessions are perfect if you want to better understand what you’re tasting, refine your palate or simply become a little more confident the next time you’re standing in front of a wall of wine trying to decide what to bring to dinner.

Found Something You Love? Take It Home.

One of the best parts of discovering a great wine is actually being able to find it again.

The festival’s on-site liquor store makes that easy. If you discover a bottle during the tasting that you want to revisit, you can purchase it before leaving.

Consider it a very convenient way to turn “What was that wine we tried?” into “We have a bottle at home.”

Victoria International Wine Festival 2026

📍 Victoria Conference Centre
📅 November 6 & 7, 2026
🍷 400+ wines
🌎 15 countries
🇿🇦 2026 Featured Wine Region: South Africa

Whether you’re looking to discover new wines, learn more about what goes into your glass or simply spend an evening tasting your way around the world, the Victoria International Wine Festival is designed for one thing above all else:

You don’t need to be a wine expert. You just need to be curious.