Podcast: Interview with Harry Hertscheg of Vancouver International Wine Festival

With the 47th annual ⁠Vancouver International Wine Festival⁠ taking place March 7–14, 2026 and spotlighting France, Mike Klassen sits down with festival Executive Director Harry Hertscheg for a wide-ranging conversation about wine, culture, and the institutions that bring people together.

Harry has led the Vancouver International Wine Festival for nearly 25 years, helping grow it into Canada’s premier wine event and one of the world’s leading international wine festivals. But his career spans far beyond wine, including leadership roles across Vancouver’s arts and cultural community—from ⁠CiTR 101.9 FM⁠ to the ⁠Vancouver East Cultural Centre⁠ and the ⁠Vancouver Fringe Festival⁠.

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Author

  • Mike Klassen is a Vancouver city councillor, communications professional, and long-time advocate for British Columbia’s wine industry. He co‑founded BC Wine Lover in 2007 with his wife Stacey, sharing stories from their travels through the province’s wine regions and spotlighting the people and places that make B.C. wine distinctive.

    In 2015, Mike led the BC Wine Appellation Task Group, guiding a province‑wide consultation that produced recommendations—later endorsed by industry plebiscite—that strengthened B.C.’s appellation standards and helped establish today’s sub‑GIs.

    His writing has appeared in the Vancouver Sun, Huffington Post, and Daily Hive, blending history, policy insight, and personal experience. Alongside his work on Vancouver City Council, Mike continues to explore vineyards across the province, champion local producers, and celebrate the evolving culture of B.C. wine.