With local VQA wines celebrating a banner year among consumers, there’s no better place than the upcoming Cuvée 2017 to discover the best wines the region has to offer.
The Liquor Control Board of Ontario recently revealed that domestic wine is king on its store shelves — with sales of local wines up more than seven per cent since last year. The wine industry is also a major contributor of the provincial economy, generating more than $4 billion annually in revenue, tourism and job creation.
The 29th annual Cuvée, which kicks off Friday, March 24 with the Grand Tasting at the Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, has played a critical role in celebrating local wines for nearly three decades.
Organized by Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), Cuvée helps attendees discover Ontario’s best VQA wines while also raising thousands of dollars to fund academic scholarships and research. Through the Cuvée Legacy Fund, the event helps the next generation of grape growers and winemakers to continue their studies in order to someday make their mark in the industry.
“Cuvée has always been a strong supporter of the local wine industry and continually showcases the finest VQA wines to consumers at the Grand Tasting,” said CCOVI director Debbie Inglis. “Not only do we celebrate the fantastic wines we produce here in the Niagara region, but Cuvée also helps the multi-billion dollar industry continue to grow into the future by funding valuable research and scholarships.”
Cuvée has partnered with 48 local VQA wineries and celebrated regional chefs this year to offer the best in food and wine to more than 800 expected guests.
Attendees are encouraged to dress to the nines as they spend their evening sampling best-in-class wines that have been hand-selected by each of the participating winemakers. The wines will be complemented by signature culinary dishes prepared exclusively for the event at live cooking stations.
The night ends with the Après Cuvée after party featuring a live band, icewine, sparkling wine, cider and local craft beer.
The local wine tribute continues throughout the weekend with the Cuvée en Route program. Participants get an electronic passport that lets them visit up to 38 wineries across the Niagara region March 25-26. The passport allows them to sample exclusive flights from each winery’s collection and to learn more about the wineries operating right in their own backyards.
Tickets that include both the Friday night Grand Tasting and the weekend-long en Route passport are available online at cuvee.ca for $200 per person. Tickets for the en Route passport only are $30.
Parking at the Scotiabank Convention Centre is free, and a shuttle will be available to bring guests from their car to the front door.
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