Australian Wine Appreciation Society

Offering an unparalleled experience enjoying the wines of Australia and New Zealand in great surroundings.

We are a fun loving group that enjoys wine, food, laughter and learning- with an emphasis on fun!

AWAS was started in 1982 by a group of wine buffs who approached the Australian Trade Commissioner in Vancouver to start a group devoted to Australian wines.  We have been a registered non-profit society since 1989 with a volunteer Board of Directors.  Our mission expanded in the 1990’s to include New Zealand wines.  

We hold about 7 events between September and June.  There are a number of dinners in local restaurants to experience food and wine pairings, plus other events that include: winemakers dinners, varietal tastings, and tastings comparing Australian and New Zealand wines with those from other parts of the world.  We close out each year with our extremely popular “Barbie” featuring wines from the AWAS Cellar.