Celebrating 25 years, Cuvee has Niagara bubbling with anticipation of an event that will honour the wine industry. The Grand Tasting Gala is the signature event of the weekend-long celebration, and calls upon Niagarans to dust off their best duds and head to the Fallsview Casino Resort. The event will feature wines from throughout Ontario, and this year, in lieu of the traditional competition, the event will be paired with the winemakers’ selections from their own portfolios. Wine stations will be in good company with food stations throughout, prepared by esteemed chefs from the culinary industry in Niagara.
The change in format from competition awards ceremony to grand celebration has been met with mixed reviews. Some are disappointment at the loss of opportunity for wineries to showcase and be awarded for their exceptional wines, but as the day approaches, it seems that a shift to overwhelming support has occurred, with winemakers expressing their enthusiasm for the new format. Amongst them is Sue-Ann Staff, winemaker for Megalomaniac Wines in Vineland and her own Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery in Jordan, who noted that “this new format is a wonderful way to celebrate the silver anniversary of Cuvee”. Tony Aspler discussed the opportunity for winemakers to “showcase their best efforts,” while giving “the public an insight into what they consider the ‘favoured child’ of their family.”
This celebration will take place on Friday March 1st at 7:30pm at the Fallsview Casino Resort in Niagara Falls. Tickets are available at www.cuvee.ca.
Participating wineries and restaurants listed below:
Restaurants:
CHEFS
Chef Ray Taylor
FALLSVIEW CASINO RESORT
Chef Chris Smythe
ESCABECHE AT PRINCE OF WALES HOTEL
Chef Frank Romano and Don Dyson
INN ON THE TWENTY
Chef Stephen Treadwell
TREADWELL FARM-TO-TABLE CUISINE
Chef Tim MacKiddie
JACKSON-TRIGGS NIAGARA ESTATE
Chef Jason Dobbie
ZEES GRILL @ SHAW CLUB HOTEL
Chefs Giovanni Del Priore and Leonardo Priore
CRIVELLER CAKES
Chef Professors Sam Seaver, Dan LeBlanc, Phillipe Corbiere, Osvaldo Avila, Jim McClean C.C.C., Bruce Worden C.C.C.
Students from Niagara College’s Culinary Management and Apprenticeship Programs
CANADIAN FOOD AND WINE INSTITUTE AT NIAGARA COLLEGE
BENCHMARK RESTAURANT AT NIAGARA COLLEGE
Guests will also enjoy:
Ontario artisan cheeses from DAIRY FARMERS OF CANADA
Gelato from Andrew Vergalito of ITALIAN ICE CREAM
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