The 31st annual Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival—the one with B.C. as the theme "country"—soared, like the well-lubricated machine it's become. Festival director Harry Hertscheg mused to me, "Recession? Where? We sold out 98 percent of all our available tickets."

Certainly that was very much in evidence at the consumer tastings—three nights of feeding-and-mostly-drinking frenzy, under the sails of the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre for the last time. (The next one will be in the brand-new convention centre.)

It all just goes to show that you can't go wrong with wine as the focus. And food. Next year's theme country is actually two: New Zealand and Argentina. Look out for snappy Sauvignon Blancs and rich, value-laden Malbecs.

But the weeklong festival and all its sub-events—dinners and tastings and seminars and such—is just about at critical mass. Those tasting-room jams are getting out of control. It's simply not enjoyable to be jostled by several thousand other would-be tasters who want to make sure they ingest enough wine to get their money's worth. Yes, of course, it's a fundraiser, but $89 per person is getting on to outrageous, given the crush.

I spent most of my tasting time in the separate B.C. section. The "theme country" gets packaged off in its own space and the rest of the international lot hang out in the big room. I found more to discover and enjoy by strolling among the various B.C. wineries than by being buffeted among the French and German, Italian and Californian, Chilean and Argentine tasting stations, many of them showing the same old same old.

Maybe it's time to split the festival in two: spring and fall, one for domestics and the other for imports? I know where I'd be focusing my attention.

Three events stood out for me this year. One was a vertical tasting of Mission Hill's flagship Meritage-style blend, Oculus, presented by winemaker John Simes, with the winery's charming and erudite point man Ingo Grady and proprietor Anthony von Mandl on hand, taking us through a decade of this outstanding wine. It was fascinating to trace the development from the first vintages to the present releases, and to confirm what one of the Gallo brothers once told me: "You don't have to be small to be good!"

Then there was the festival kickoff, called "Get Uncorked!" and presented by Inniskillin Okanagan winery and Earls Restaurants at the trendy Hornby Street Earls. Chef Reuben Major and winemaker Sandor Mayer really shone, with some innovative and super-tasty combinations of tapas and varietals from Inniskillin's Discovery series: Chenin Blanc with scallop and grapefruit ceviche; Marsanne-Roussanne with sake-brined salmon, watermelon cilantro salad, and Asian aioli; Zinfandel with jasmine tea–smoked duck breast and blueberry quinoa salad; Malbec with short-rib crostini and mushroom duxelles with horseradish cream; and pear and Gouda tarte tatin with the rare and luscious Tempranillo icewine.

Over 300 people braved the ghastly rain to crowd in. All of the wines are available, in varying degrees of difficulty—some only from the winery (notably the icewine, at $99.99 a hit!)—while the dishes, perhaps even those specific pairings, might well come to an Earls in the near future, according to director of wine experience George Piper. I'll let you know if and when.

The third excellent event was—as it always is—the Vintners' Brunch. It long ago established itself as the best happening of the whole festival, and I never miss it. Here, too, price has lodged in the stratosphere: the ticket this year was $129. Mind you, you won't be wanting any dinner that evening.

And speaking of pairings, this is where the real treasures are always to be found. There are 20 or so food stations, staffed by restaurant chefs and sous, matched with wines from an equal number of wineries showing in the festival. You walk in, grab a glass of bubble—this year it was Elephant Island's brand-new Pink Elephant Sparkling, based on a Granny Smith apple foundation, with a cassis dosage—find your table, and start touring the room.

The restaurants and chefs are a who's who of the best of Vancouver. And there's an element of competition: a handful of judges picked the three best pairings. Those were, in ascending order, Joe Fortes and Montana Pinot Noir; the Salmon House and Errazuriz Wild Ferment Chardonnay; and the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre's brilliant—and underappreciated—chef Blair Rasmussen, whose slow-braised bison short ribs in a sensational curry blend, with raita and vegetable pakora, paired perfectly with the Pierre Sparr Gewí¼rztraminer.

Okay, good for you, judges. Now here's my top trio: Culinary Capers Catering, for their goat cheese–stuffed challah "French toast" with hazelnut glaze, and baby frisée and pink pepper/double-smoked bacon vinaigrette, with Paul Mas Viognier; Blair Rasmussen, as above, of course; and, in first place, Romy Prasad and the gang from So.Cial at Le Magasin for a true brunch dish from the breakfast end of the table: raspberry-glazed Berkshire pork belly with organic quails' eggs and hollandaise sauce, alongside Beringer Founders' Estate Pinot Noir.

The surprise dazzler this year wasn't even officially part of the festival. A very small group cruised the harbour in the drizzle and sampled brilliant maverick winemaker Tilman Hainle's new varietals—three reds, plus an uncompromising white blend and two icewines—from his very green Working Horse Winery, along with sensational snacks prepared by Canada's Culinary Olympics team. A detailed look at those wines right here in a few weeks.