One Sip At A Time

Twenty Valley’s Winter WineFest adds some sparkle to a winter favourite Jan 16th-17th

There is a new reason to venture out on a chilly January weekend this year….29 reasons, in fact. Visitors to the NEW Winter WineFest will be able to sample over 50 wines from 29 area wineries, and this year icewine will share centre stage with some of Ontario’s best sparkling and premium VQA wines.

The “not just icewine” festival – which will be hosted in Jordan Village January 16 and 17th – will allow wine enthusiasts to sip and savour from a list of specialty and reserve wines not offered at any other wine festival.

The shift away from the traditional Icewine Festival was one of the first changes implemented by the Twenty Valley Tourism Association when they took over the management of the event this November. “The Jordan Ice Bar has been very successful, but we wanted to create something that is distinctly Twenty Valley – an event that better showcases the variety of premium wines available here”, says Dori Andrewes, Event Manager for the Twenty Valley Tourism Association. “Many of our most celebrated and popular wineries don’t offer icewine and weren’t able to be a part of past events. It makes sense to put our best wines on display, and to highlight the range of talent in Twenty Valley.”

Among this list of rare “festival tastes” are the 2006 Terroir Cache Red Meritage from Hidden Bench, the 2006 Village Reserve Pinot Noir from Le Clos Jordanne and “The Conspiracy” Ripasso Style Cabernet Sauvignon 2008 from The Foreign Affair Winery. 13th Street Winery will feature 2006 Cuvee 13 Rose – one of six sparkling wines on the list.

The special wine tastings will be complemented by delicious dishes served up by 6 of Twenty Valley’s top chefs. Hand-cut frites from About Thyme Bistro, tourtière with icewine jelly from The Kitchen House, French Onion Soup served by the chefs at The Good Earth, icewine-curried Cornish game hen from the Restaurant at Inn on the Twenty and juniper-cured game stew from Vineland Estates Restaurant will preface warm chocolate shots served with churros from Toute Sweet. The chefs selected their offerings to take into account the addition of premium VQA and sparkling wines.

The Twenty Valley Winter WineFest takes place Saturday, January 16 and Sunday, January 17 from 12:00pm – 5:00pm on Main Street in Jordan Village, Ontario. Admission to the event is free, and tokens will be sold for $2 each. Live jazz, ice sculptures and roasted chestnuts will add to the festive outdoor atmosphere. The Jordan Village Merchants Association – who is also sponsoring the event will have their doors open to welcome visitors looking to warm up into their unique boutiques in the charming Village. For more information, visit http://www.twentyvalley.ca or call 905.562.3636.

We will be there on Saturday filming another episode of The Wine Ladies One Sip At A Time so come on down, bring your warm ear muffs and say hello. Its sure to be an awesome time!

Wineries participating in the 2010 Winter Wine Fest:

13th Street Winery - 2006 Cuvee 13 Rose

Alvento Winery
Angels Gate Winery - Riesling Icewine & Archangel Sparkling Pinot Noir
Calamus Estate Winery - 2007 Cabernet Franc Icewine & 2007 Cabernet Franc
Cave Spring Cellars - 2007 Riesling Icewine & 2006 Chardonnay CSV
Creekside Estate Winery - 2006 Reserve Shiraz
Crown Bench Estates Winery - Ambrosia Chocolate Ice & Hot Ice
De Sousa Wine Cellars - 2006 Vidal Icewine & 2007 Cabernet Franc Icewine
EastDell Estates - 2006 Cabernet Franc Icewine & 2006 Vidal Late Harvest
Fielding Estate Winery - 2007 Cabernet Syrah
Flat Rock Cellars - 2007 Sweet Revenge Vidal Icewine & 2006 Rusty Shed Chardonnay
Foreign Affair Winery - 2007 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine & “The Conspiracy” Ripasso Style Cabernet Sauvignon 2008
Harbour Estates - 2008 Cabernet Franc Icewine & 2004 Reserve Chardonnay
Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery - Cabernet Franc Icewine & Cuvee Catharine Brut
Hernder Estate Wines - Vidal Icewine 2002 & Sparkling Riesling
Hidden Bench - 2006 Terroir Cache Red Meritage
Hillebrand Winery - Trius Brut & 2008 Showcase Cabernet Franc Icewine
Le Clos Jordanne - 2006 Village Reserve Pinot Noir
Mountain Road Wine Co - 1999 Vidal Icewine & 2006 Reserve Chardonnay
Peller Estates - Andrew Peller Signature Series Ice Cuvee & 2007 Andrew Peller Signature Series Riesling Icewine
Peninsula Ridge Estates Winery - 2007 Cabernet Franc Icewine & 2006 Reserve Merlot
Ridgepoint Wines - 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine & 2007 Pinot Noir Reserve
Rosewood Estates Winery - 2008 Natalie’s Sussreserve Riesling
Stoney Ridge Winery - 2007 Riesling Icewine & 2008 Petit Verdot
Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery - 2008 Cabernet Franc Icewine & 2008 Robert’s Block Riesling
Tawse Winery
Thirty Bench Wine Makers - 2007 Small Lot Riesling Icewine & 2008 Thirty Bench Riesling
Vineland Estates Winery - 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine & 2007 Brut Reserve
Wayne Gretzky Estate Winery - 2006 Shiraz Icewine & 2007 Estate Series Sauvignon Blanc