Thousands are getting a taste of Niagara College wines and food at one of Niagara’s ultimate fall festivals.
Don’t miss NC at the Niagara Wine Festival, which began September 10 and runs until September 25 – in the hub of activity at Montebello Park, at the Meridian Grand Parade on Sept. 24, and at the Teaching Winery on campus as part of the festival’s Discovery Pass experience.
Montebello Park
Be sure to visit the Niagara College Teaching Winery booth at Montebello Park. Students from the Winery and Viticulture Technician, and Wine Business Management programs, along with staff members, are volunteering to work at the booth. They will be pouring the NC Teaching Winery’s Unoaked Chardonnay, Barrel Fermented Chardonnay and Merlot.
“Working at the festival is a great opportunity for our new students to dive right into the Niagara wine industry during one of its signature events,” said wine program liaison, instructor Brianne Hawley. “It is also a great opportunity for our students to network with other industry leaders.”
Enjoy an array of culinary delights served by staff and students from the College’s Canadian Food and Wine Institute.
In the VIP lounge, Benchmark will be serving a tapas platter (including three chicken skewers, beet hummus, tzatziki and flat breads) as well as charcuterie boards with preserves and pickled accompaniments. Students are also working with Vineland Estates chef Justin Downes and Wellington Court chef Erik Peacock on site.
“We offer many volunteer opportunities for students and we have over 30 students participating and working in the food truck and the VIP pavilion,” said Sarah Scott, manager of dining operations at Benchmark. “Last week we prepared and served RBC hors d’oeurves for their opening reception in the VIP lounge.”
In addition to food served in the lounge, the Bench-on-the-Go food truck is rolling into the park with the following offerings:
• Braised beef on a kaiser, white cheddar, horseradish aioli and cabbage crunch (three tokens);
• Quinoa kale fritters, mixed greens with peach Chardonnay dressing and tzatziki (gluten-free, vegetarian option, three tokens);
• Fried chicken sandwich with chipotle aioli, lettuce, tomato and cheddar (three tokens);
• NC pogo (one token); and
• Tater tot poutine, lemon garlic aioli and feta cheese (two tokens).
Grand parade
Cheer on NC at the Meridian Grande Parade on September 24. The parade will be held rain or shine in the downtown core of St. Catharines, will begin at 11 a.m., and is expected to draw more than 70,000 spectators. For parade info, click here.
Discovery Pass
The Niagara College Teaching Winery is also participating in the festival’s Discovery Pass experience. Offered September throughout the festival and 24 and 25 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., visitors to the Teaching Winery will be offered a Vertical Cabernet Franc Tasting. The experience offers vertical tasting of four vintages and styles of the NCTW’s Cabernet Franc wines, including the outstanding back-vintage 2010 Cabernet Franc. Compare flavours, aromas, and the differences driven by weather conditions, viticulture practices, and winemaking styles. $10 without a Discovery Pass.
The Vertical Cabernet Franc Tasting will be offered to visitors with a Discovery Pass and is available for $10 to those without a Discovery Pass.
Click here for details about the festival’s Discovery Pass experiences.
For details about the Niagara Wine Festival visit www.niagarawinefestival.com/
