Expertise from Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) took flight last week, bringing wine education to the community and inspiring wine enthusiasts to explore the style and elegance of one of Ontario’s key grape varieties: Chardonnay.

Held from July 16 to 19, the 16th annual International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C) gathered cool climate wine producers from Ontario and around the world to share their passion for the unique grape variety.

A long-standing i4C supporter and collaborator, CCOVI presented “What Kind of Cool Are You” (WKOCAY) during Friday Night Flights at Niagara District Airport in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

For CCOVI’s Manager of Professional Studies and Outreach Barb Tatarnic, the interactive educational experience is all about guiding guests on a journey of self-discovery.

“Friday Night Flights gives us the opportunity to connect with guests of the i4C who are new to Chardonnay as well as enthusiasts who are diving deeper into their understanding of the unique varietal,” she said.

At the WKOCAY table, event attendees taste four Chardonnays guided by CCOVI experts. Each Chardonnay falls under one of four styles: crisp, fruity, smooth and rich.

Brock University’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute participated in the 16th annual School of Cool event, a cornerstone of the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4C) that offers participants from industry and media an educational experience featuring panels with wine producers and professionals. Chris Waters, CCOVI Instructor and Wine Writer for “The Globe and Mail” moderated a panel titled “Pop Quiz: Sparkling Edition.”

“When guests decide which style they prefer — or what kind of ‘cool’ they are — we present them with a card that lists all the Chardonnays being poured at the event that fall under their preferred category. Essentially, we give guests a personalized roadmap to help them discover their favourite ‘style’ of Chardonnay from the more than 100 different Chardonnays being poured from around the world at the event,” she said.

Year after year, guests return to CCOVI’s table during the Friday evening event to continue their wine discovery journey, with many having visited wineries they learned about at i4C.

“We have hosted the WKOCAY event for the i4C for more than a decade, which speaks volumes to the enduring quality and value we deliver to the community. We have many people return to our table to do this tasting experience every single year, often bringing their friends so they too can discover their style preference,” said Tatarnic.

As Chardonnay is such a versatile grape variety capable of producing distinct styles of wines, the initiative presents an opportunity to bring wine education to the community in a fun and engaging way.

“CCOVI has been an important partner of i4C for many years, and together we’ve always shared a commitment to helping people better understand cool climate Chardonnay. Friday Night Flights is the perfect setting for WKOCAY because it gives guests the opportunity to taste through different styles, learn something new and discover just how diverse and exciting Ontario Chardonnay has become. It’s exactly the kind of experience i4C was created to inspire,” said Trisha Molokach, i4C Event Director.

Also part of the i4C Education Committee, CCOVI participates annually in the School of Cool, a cornerstone of the i4C weekend that that offers participants from industry and media the opportunity to learn from wine producers and professionals.

Taylor MaGee, CCOVI Operations Coordinator, said it was motivating to see how the Institute’s contributions to Canada’s grape and wine industry were woven into various elements of this year’s educational programming.

“From the presence of many impressive CCOVI graduates who are now influential winemakers to advancing knowledge in sparkling wine production through CCOVI’s Fizz Club, the School of Cool reinforced the strong partnerships between Brock and the wider industry,” he said.

Looking ahead, both Tatarnic and MaGee are energized by the momentum of i4C initiatives to continue sharing the stories of cool climate wine regions —  like Ontario — with the world.

“We are thrilled to continue our partnership with the i4C and help bring more awareness in the community as to how our Canadian industry moves the needle in innovative cool climate grape growing and winemaking,” Tatarnic said.