The Niagara Grape & Wine Festival is underway, and Niagara College is once again showcasing its expertise during the celebration of local food and wine this September.
NC is the 2024 Wine & Culinary Program Sponsor for the Wine Festival and faculty, staff and alumni are serving up some of the best the College has to offer at Canada’s oldest and largest wine festival.
Discovery Pass
NC’s Teaching Winery is once again a participant of the festival’s popular Discovery Pass program, which ran on Sept. 6-8, 13-15 and continues the weekend of Sept. 20-22.
This year’s food and wine experience at the Wine, Visitor and Education Centre is a “BLT Tartine,” a toasted sourdough with crisp bacon, smoked field tomatoes, tender greens and grilled leek aioli, paired with the College’s 2019 Balance Gamay Noir. The BLT Tartine was created by Smoke & Barrel‘s Chef Tim Mackiddie, an alumnus from NC’s Culinary Management Co-op program (2006).
“Tim Mackiddie is our sole partner for all Grape & Wine and Discovery Pass culinary passport programs,” said Jessica Neal-Ellis, Events Coordinator, NC Teaching Winery, Brewery and Distillery. “We absolutely love working with him and he is very involved in the creation/pairing of these programs, as well as other on-campus events at the Teaching Winery.”
Discovery passes for the final weekend of the self-guided tasting tour may be purchased on the Niagara Wine Festival website.
Montebello Park
From Sept. 26-29, Montebello Park in downtown St. Catharines will be a hub of activity featuring live music and wine and food vendors, including the Teaching Winery.
Featured NC wines being poured in the park include Balance Merlot 2019, Balance White 2022, Dean’s List Cabernet Franc Rosé 2023, Dean’s List Chardonnay 2018 and, exclusively in the Harvest Lounge, the Dean’s List Pinot Noir 2020 will be served.
You can find NC’s booth on the following dates:
- Thursday, Sept. 26 from 6-11 p.m.
- Friday, Sept. 27 from 5-11 p.m. (with Emma Smalley, NC Assistant Winemaker and Alumna)
- Saturday, Sept. 28 from 12-11 p.m. (with Gavin Roberston, NC Program Coordinator/Professor/Alumnus and Edward QU, Cellar Hand & Student Assistant and Alumnus)
- Sunday, Sept. 29 from 12-6 p.m. (with Allison Findlay, NC Winemaker and Alumna)
Neal-Ellis will also join the booth all weekend to showcase the Teaching Winery.
Grande Parade
NC pride will be on full display at the festival’s Grande Parade on Saturday, Sept. 28 starting at 11 a.m. when thousands are expected to line the streets of downtown St. Catharines for the event.
If you are watching as a spectator, please consider wearing your NC branded gear in the crowd!
Students and employees are also welcome to join in the fun by being part of the NC parade float team. Registration is required through NC Engage and all participants will get a college branded t-shirt to wear during the parade. Please note that while NC welcomes students, employees and their families on the float, individuals must be at least 10 years old to participate.
The float, a joint effort between the Athletics and Student Engagement and Community Relations and Events teams at the College, will be decked in the College’s refreshed branding with the overall design representing NC’s cultural diversity. Flags from as many countries as possible will be included and draped from the top of the float and along the sides.
“Our float is an important piece of the weekend and being a part of the Grand Parade showcases to our community our commitment to students and experience,” said Sarah Scott, Community Relations and Events Specialist.
Grape King
Alumnus Jeff Duc, the 2024 Grape King (Photo credit: Denis Cahill)
NC alumnus Jeff Duc (Winery and Viticulture Technician program, 2004) has been named the 2024 Grape King. The title of Grape King, or Grape Grower of the Year, is bestowed upon an Ontario grape grower who exemplifies excellence in the vineyard.
Duc, the 67th Grape King, is a third-generation grower in Niagara-on-the-Lake, managing Forrer Fams alongside his dad. The property consists of approximately 250 acres of vineyards with varieties including Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gamay, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon, Merlot, and some hybrids. They also produce icewine.
The Grape King serves as a representative for Ontario’s grape and wine industry at events across the country, starting with the Invitational Grape Stomp on Sept. 27 in Montebello Park and in the annual Grande Parade on Sept. 28 at the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival.
Read the full announcement from the Grape Growers of Ontario and Farm Credit Canada.
