With one week to go, organizers are ready to roll out the red carpet for the 28th annual Cuvée Grand Tasting Friday, March 4 at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls.

Organized by Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), Cuvée is one of the largest celebrations of VQA wine. The event will pair wine from 48 VQA wineries with culinary offerings from 12 celebrated chefs who will present signature dishes at live cooking stations. The night ends with the Après Cuvée after party which features a live band, Icewine, sparkling wine, cider and local craft beer.

Proceeds from the event go to the Cuvée Legacy Fund established after the 2015 event. The fund has already awarded $15,000 in academic scholarships and contributed $13,000 towards industry-driven research projects. In recognition of their past stewardship of the event, $5,000 also went to support the Niagara Community Foundation.

“Not only does Cuvée showcase the finest VQA wines to consumers, it helps the industry continue to grow by funding valuable research and scholarships,” says CCOVI director Debbie Inglis.

Cuvée en Route

The event doesn’t end with the Grand Tasting, the Cuvée en Route passport program runs March 4-6 and provides consumers access to exclusive tasting flights and unique dining opportunities. Each of the 35 participating wineries has put careful consideration into showcasing wines that wouldn’t normally be available to the public for tasting.

“The passport program extends the Cuvée experience,” says Cuvée manager Barb Tatarnic, “consumers have the opportunity to visit their favourite wineries from the Grand Tasting and create a memorable weekend in wine country.”

This year’s Cuvée en Route lineup includes limited edition wines, unique Ontario varietals, horizontal tastings where participants can taste multiple varietals from the same vintage and vertical flights where the same wine from a variety of vintages is showcased. Passports are included with the Grand Tasting ticket or can be purchased individually for $30.

For more information, visit: cuvee.ca