NOTE: Cuvée, a celebration of Ontario wine and cuisine, is coming up fast. Here’s what you need to know if you plan on taking in the festivities. Information provided by the organizers.
Now in its 26th year, the Cuvée Wine Weekend, one of the wine industry’s most anticipated events, is gearing up for the Cuvée Grand Tasting that will shine the spotlight on Ontario winemakers.
The Cuvée Grand Tasting Gala, which takes place on Friday, Feb. 28, at the Fallsview Casino Resort, will celebrate the best of Ontario wine and cuisine. Winemakers from 51 Ontario wineries have selected their favourite wine to be showcased at the event. While guests sip their way through some of the province’s best wines and meet the winemakers responsible for creating them, they will also enjoy culinary masterpieces created at live cooking stations by ten of Ontario’s top chefs. Following the Grand Tasting, the celebrations continue with the Sun Media Après Cuvée Party, featuring music, dancing, an Icewine and Sparkling Bar and Craft Beer Bar.
According to Linda Bramble, wine educator and member of the Cuvée advisory panel, “I am really excited about the diverse line up of premium wines that the winemakers have selected. Each wine has a story to tell and the bonus is the winemaker will be there to tell it.”
Cuvée Wine Weekend tickets also include a Cuvée en Route tasting passport.
From Friday through Sunday, weekend guests can visit any or all of the 32 Cuvée en Route participating wineries and top off their experience by shopping, touring and tasting their way along the Wine Route. Participating wineries will offer exclusive tastings and restaurants will offer special meals and menu items as part of the Cuvée en Route passport program.
Ticket and event information, as well as announcements about participating wineries and chefs, details about the Cuvée en Route passport and overnight accommodation packages can all be found on the Cuvée website, here.
Proceeds from the Cuvée Weekend go to the Niagara Community Foundation. Created in 2000, the Niagara Community Foundation has raised more than $23 million in endowment funds and has granted in excess of $5.5 million to charities working in the arts, heritage, environment, social services, health, education and community development.
Cuvée 2014 Chefs
The list of talented chefs and establishments participating in 2014 includes:
- Chef Ray Taylor, Fallsview Casino Resort
- Chef Erik Peacock, Wellington Court Restaurant
- Chef Frank Dodd, Trius Winery Restaurant at Hillebrand
- Chef Tim Mackiddie, Inniskillin Niagara Estate
- Chef David Watt and Anthony Greco,
Garrison House and Zest Restaurant - Chef Rich Francis, District Red and contestant on Top Chef Canada
- Chef Giovanni Del Priore and Chef Leonardo Priore, Criveller Cakes
- Chef Professors, Benchmark Chefs, Culinary Students and Members of the Canadian Junior Culinary Olympic Team,
Canadian Food & Wine Institute at Niagara College - Dairy Farmers of Canada
- Italian Ice Cream
The chefs will present their creations alongside the variety of more than 50 VQA wines that have been specially selected for the Grand Tasting Gala by Ontario winemakers representing wineries from Niagara, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore. From sweet grass and cider braised boar shoulder with Niagara bruschetta squash chips to southern fried Canadian “cold water” shrimp, the evening’s culinary options offer something sure to please all palettes. Guests will also enjoy a selection of artisan cheeses from The Dairy Farmers of Canada and an assortment of gelato from Italian Ice Cream.
Cuvée 2014 Wineries
13th Street Winery
Bachelder
Niagara Big Head Wines
Burning Kiln Winery
Calamus Estate Winery
Cave Spring Cellars
Château des Charmes
Colaneri Estate Winery
Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards Estate Winery
Cornerstone Estate Winery
Coyote’s Run Estate Winery
Domaine Queylus
EastDell Estates by Diamond Estates Winery
Five Rows Craft Wine of Lowrey Vineyards
Foreign Affair Winery
G Marquis Vineyards
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery
Hidden Bench Vineyards and Winery
Inniskillin Niagara Estate
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate
Kacaba Vineyards and Winery
Konzelmann Estate Winery
Lailey Vineyard Wines
Lakeview Cellars by Diamond Estates Winery
Le Clos Jordanne
Magnotta Winery
Malivoire Wine Company
Megalomaniac – John Howard Cellars of Distinction
Mike Weir Winery
Niagara College Teaching Winery
Nyarai Cellars Palatine Hills Estate Winery
Pelee Island Winery
Peller Estates Winery
Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery
Pillitteri Estates Winery
PondView Estate Winery
Reif Estate Winery
Rennie Estate Winery
Ridge Road Estate Winery
Riverview Cellars Estate Winery
Rockway Vineyards
Southbrook Vineyards
Stoney Ridge Estate Winery
Stratus Vineyards
Strewn Winery
Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
Thirty Bench Wine Makers
Trius Winery at Hillebrand
Vieni Wine and Spirits
Westcott Vineyards
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