Some of the world’s brightest wine minds will soon be in town with the Vancouver International Wine Festival taking place February 20 to 28.

Tickets for the event go on sale Tuesday, January 12, at 9:30 a.m.

With 14 countries and 155 wineries participating, the fest offers seminars, dinners, and of course, tastings.

Italy is the theme country this year, and among that country’s wine-industry principals visiting Vancouver are:

• Marilisa Allegrini, owner and CEO of Allegrini

• Stefano Benini, international export director and family member of Marchesi de’ Frescobaldi

• Luca Currado Vietti, owner and winemaker of Vietti

• Riccardo Tedeschi, owner of Tedeschi

• Francesco Zonin, executive vice president of  Zonin 1821

Those are just some of the big names that will be on hand. Others include David Koball, director of wine growing at California’s Bonterra Organic Vineyards; Gernot Limbach, enologist  and chief winemaker at Germany’s Deinhard/Schloss Johannisberg; and B.C.’s own Howard Soon, master winemaker at Sandhill.

Visit the fest’s website for full details.