By Wines in Niagara

Niagara College is launching a fresh new dinner series that will showcase talented chefs and alumni from its trailblazing culinary, tourism and beverage studies division.

Also in this Ontario Wine Report: CCOVI’s agricultural impact earns provincial nod, and reminder about a remarkable Vintages release Saturday featuring Niagara wines, plus we just added a lovely Barolo to watch for.

A Chef’s Journey will kick off with a lineup of eight dinner events for 2024-2025 which spotlight the college’s academic chefs alongside featured alumni and a team of students.

As its name denotes, each event in the series will celebrate a NC chef – or two – who will curate a multi-course meal along with an evening experience to reflect their personal journeys. Their stories will be conveyed through their menu of food and beverage selections, as well as storytelling, visuals, and other surprises throughout the evening.

Alumni from NC’s culinary tourism and beverage studies division will join forces with the event chefs and their teams to share their own pathways of success and inspire students.

“We’re excited to present our new signature dinner series, A Chef’s Journey, which will be a celebration of culinary artistry, community and the journeys that have shaped our talented chefs and alumni,” said Craig Youdale (in very top photo), dean of culinary, tourism and beverage studies. “Each event promises to create meaningful connections between our college chefs, alumni, students and our community.”

“We are thrilled that this new dinner series will include opportunities to feature alumni from our culinary, tourism and beverage studies division, which will elevate the event through exceptional service, thoughtfully crafted drinks and more,” said Jana Boniferro, director of alumni relations. “Together with our talented academic chefs, our highly skilled NC alumni embody the true essence of hospitality, contributing to this event’s recipe for success.”

On Nov. 28, the series will kick off with A Story of Chef Craig Youdale, featuring wines sourced by NC wine professor Peter Rod.

The series will continue in 2025 featuring the culinary talents of NC Chef Professors including:

• Olaf Mertens on January 23;
• Michael Olson, along with his wife, celebrity chef Anna Olson, on February 13 (in photo above);
• Oscar Turchi (event date to be announced);
• Frank Dodd on March 20;
• Erin Cirelli and Isa Mottiar on April 3;
• Riley Bennett on May 8; and
• Scott Baechler on May 22.

Each dinner event will include a welcome reception with beverages and light snacks, a chef’s presentation of storytelling, photos and videos highlighting their journeys, and more.

A Chef’s Journey events will be held at Benchmark restaurant, located at NC’s Daniel J. Patterson Campus in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The events will be supported by students and staff from the College’s Benchmark team led by Victor Oliviera and Chef Justin Downes.

Student Experience Scholarship Fund

The icing on the cake – the first event in the new dinner series will mark the rollout of NC’s new Student Experience Scholarship Fund. This new fund will help support students from NC’s Culinary, Tourism and Beverage Studies division who are highly engaged outside of the classroom by working at Benchmark restaurant, volunteering for charitable activities, or supporting special events, and demonstrate exemplary leadership and teamwork skills. A recipient will be selected by managers and faculty each term.

Tickets for A Chef’s Journey are now available for the first event to be held on Nov. 28. You purchase them here.

CCOVI’s agricultural impact
earns provincial nod

Ontario’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Agribusiness (OMAFA) has recognized Brock University for outstanding efforts that advance the province’s agriculture and food sector.

Brock’s Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI) captured the top spot in the Research and Innovation Excellence category of OMAFA’s Excellence in Agriculture Awards, presented on Nov. 2 at the Royal Agricultural Winter Fair in Toronto.

“Research projects and initiatives at CCOVI are guided by grower needs in solving industry challenges and identifying new opportunities for increased yields, lower costs and emissions, and stronger sustainability,” said MP for Niagara West Sam Oosterhoff.

In addition to research, the award speaks to the quality and productivity of CCOVI’s many partnerships locally, provincially and nationally, said CCOVI Director Debbie Inglis (below).

“This award is a recognition to the industry that their investments in, and collaborations with, CCOVI are paying off,” she said. “The Ontario government is indicating, yes, this is a model worth investing in and moving forward with.”

Established in 1996, CCOVI works with an array of provincial and national organizations to serve the grape and wine industry’s needs in such areas as vine health, pest management, sustainable wine grape varieties, fruit and wine quality, consumer behaviour and wine marketing, among others.

This is done through CCOVI’s research, services, technology transfer and professional education programs.

Grape Growers of Ontario CEO Debbie Zimmerman says CCOVI’s crop loss prevention and crop loss conversion initiatives save the grape and wine industry in Ontario $58 million each year in costs related to cold weather, pests, new wine styles and testing services. “These services, among many offered by CCOVI, provide valuable savings to grape growers and enhance Ontario’s agriculture in quality and in commercial output,” she said.

Zimmerman also noted CCOVI’s leadership role in the Clean Plant Program, which tests and ensures plant material growers use is virus-free, minimizing crop loss and avoiding contamination of otherwise healthy vines.

The Clean Plant Program is one of several research areas being explored in the new, Brock-led Research Farm under the national Clean Agriculture for Sustainable Production (CASP) Field Infrastructure project.

Some of CCOVI’s accomplishments include:

• A 2016 study found CCOVI contributed more than $91 million and the equivalent of 307 jobs to Ontario’s economy in 2014-15;
• Nearly $2 million in Ontario and federal government funding for the Augmented Reality, Virtual Reality and Sensory Reality Consumer Laboratory, a world first, to study the science of consumer choice in the wine industry;
• CCOVI leading the Ontario research portion of the federal government-funded, national collaborative Canadian Grape and Wine Science Cluster;
• Launching Ontario’s first winemaking and cider production micro-credentials, Foundations in Winemaking and Cider and Perry Production: A Foundation.

Inglis said she’s particularly proud of CCOVI’s role in increasing the number of women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers through the science of winemaking and grape growing, along with providing opportunities for high school students to learn about grape and wine science.

For these and other leadership and education efforts, Inglis was honoured with the Wine Industry Champion Award in 2022, with Professional Studies and Outreach Manager Barb Tatarnic receiving the Outstanding Service Award from the Canadian Association for University Continuing Education last year.

Reminder, big Niagara wine
release coming to Vintages,
plus a Barolo for the cellar

Wines in Niagara previously offered our recommendations for the huge Ontario wine release at Vintages this Saturday. We’ve added a Barolo review that’s also being released that caught our eye. Go here for the full report that includes reviews for: Stratus Red 2021, Westcott Estate Chardonnay 2022, Peninsula Ridge Beal Vineyard Reserve Merlot 2020 (maybe the bargain of the release), Henry of Pelham Cuvée Catharine Carte Blanche Estate Blanc de Blancs 2017, Two Sisters Blanc de Franc Sparkling 2020 (a Cellar Selection, online only), King and Victoria Riesling 2019, On Seven The Pursuit Chardonnay 2020, Bachelder Hanck Vineyard Pinot Noir 2021 and Domaine Clos Jordan Le Grand Clos Pinot Noir 2020.

A Barolo treat for the cellar at Vintages Saturday

Cascina Chicco Barolo DOCG Rocche di Castelletto 2019 ($55, 93 points) — Cascina Chicco from the Piedmont is renowned for its dedication to traditional and innovative winemaking techniques. Located in the prized Rocche di Castelletto vineyard, this Barolo benefits from the unique terroir of sandy soils, limestone, and mineral-rich clay. The nose is all about the violets and earth to start with pretty red berries, perfume lift, cassis notes, persistence, leather and savoury spice accents. There are firm, grippy tannins on the palate, which will soften in time, in support of brambly raspberries, dark cherries, truffles, anise/licorice, charred cedar, dried tobacco, rich spice notes, youthful vigour and a long, finessed finish. Enjoy this now with decanting but plenty of room to improve over the next 5-10 years. A cellar treat.

Note: With information provided by Niagara Collage and Brock CCOVI.

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