The 2012 edition of the Niagara Icewine Festival begins with the popular and elegant gala. It's a night of fantastic food, VQA Icewine and table wine and a celebration of bringing the two together amongst great company.
The festival lasts the next three weekends ending on January 29th and features a diverse range of events throughout Niagara wine country. Below we've compile a list of a few events that we think you'll love.
Twenty Valley Winter WineFest
Date: January 14 11-10:00pm & January 15 11-5:00pm
Where: Main Street, Jordan Village
Cost: Free. Tokens for food and wine are $3.00 each.
Jordan is the place to be on the weekend of the 14-15th. Saturday features the winemaker olympics including the popular barrel rolling competition for the Golden Blundstone Boot. As things move into evening you'll be able to sample the exciting gourmet cuisine of El Gastronomo Vagabundo, Blue Donkey, Toasted Tangerine, Gorilla Cheese and Cupcake Diner food trucks. You can cap-off your evening with a performance by renown Maritime fiddler Ashely MacIsaac. Throughout the weekend there are cooking demonstrations by celebrity chefs including Niagara's own Michael Olsen, Rob Rainford and Kary Osmond. Naturally the wineries of the Twenty Valley will be pouring Icewine as well as samples of their latest vintages. You'll be able to pair your wine samples with bites from popular Twenty valley restaurants including the Good Earth Food and Wine Co., Inn on the Twenty and Vineland Estates Restaurant.
Discovery Pass Program
Date: Weekends in January 11-5pm. 14 & 15, 21 & 22 as well as 28 & 29
Where: Participating wineries throughout both Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Twenty Valley regions.
Cost: $30
Wineries through Niagara have put together pairings showcasing the diversity and strength of Icewine as partner with food. Pairings range from the sweet and classic like chocolate truffles and cheesecake to the savoury and unconventional like Pad Thai and Indian Mulligatawny Soup. Each pass allows you to try the pairings at up to six wineries. Without a pass individual pairings are available for $10 each.
All you Need is Cheese wine and cheese seminars
Date: Weekends in January. 14 & 15, 21 & 22 as well as 28 & 29
Where: Participating wineries throughout both Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Twenty Valley regions.
Cost: $20
A glass of wine, a plate cheese and some good company is a classic combination. Local cheese expert
Deborah Levy is leading various seminars pairing specially selected artisan cheeses from the Diary Farmers of Canada with the local wines and Icewines of Fielding, Flat Rock, Malivoire, Marynissen, Reif and Riverview.
Niagara-on-the-Lake Icewine Village
Date: Jan 21 & 22 11-5:00pm
Where: Queen Street, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Cost: Free
During the weekend Queen Street in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake becomes an immersive Icewine experience. Jazz music is played, ice sculptures are carved, the scent of tasty bites fills the air and of course Icewines will be poured by the 28 Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries. Stick around on the night of the 21st and you can also catch local mixologist as they compete for bragging rights of the best Icewine cocktail.
Winemakers on Ice
Date: January 28 2-4:00 pm
Where: Ravine Vineyards
Cost: Free
There's nothing more quintessentially Canadian than an outdoor hockey game in January. Ravine Vineyards will be hosting a game at its outdoor rink where winemakers will compete for Niagara-on-the-Lake's first Icewine Cup. While cheering them on spectators can enjoy a taste of the acclaimed wine country cooking of the bistro and pair it with samples being poured by the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake.
Sweet and Centre at Southbrook Vineyards
Date: Weekends in January 11-5pm. 14 & 15, 21 & 22 as well as 28 & 29
Where: Southbrook Vineyards
Cost: $45
If you're feeling the need to be a little active and get centered after your holiday indulgence biodynamic winery Southbrook is offering the unusual experience of a one hour Hartha yoga class punctuated by a tutored tasting of three Icewines.
Meet Some Old Friends Marynissen Estates Winery
Date: January 21-22 & 28-29 11-5pm.
Where: Marynissen Estates Winery
Cost: $10 per flight of three
If you've never had the chance to taste an aged Icewine Marynissen is the place to visit this Icewine Festival. Just like a fine table wine Icewine can age and evolve over the years. The winery is pouring flights from every vintage it has produced going back to 1990. If you find something you like you can even purchase a bottle to take home, but supplies are limited.
For more Information, visit www.niagarawinefestival.com
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