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Saturday, July 16, 2011

Create a Chardonnay experience at Niagara's International Cool Climate celebration

(News Release)

Niagara’s much anticipated summer wine festival, The International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration, has announced exciting changes to the event program and format that will allow more wine lovers to enjoy the first internationally-oriented wine event to take place in wine country.

The event is re-launching its planned schedule to give guests an opportunity to explore more wineries and to
create their own Chardonnay experience. The same dates, July 22nd to 24th, and original wine line-up will
remain, with the addition of more winery venues and the opportunity for guests to choose their itinerary and the number of events that they attend.

Based on consumer feedback to the original weekend program, which featured a central venue and a singular all-inclusive weekend pass, new plans have been developed for the Celebration to offer an exciting series of winery focused events across Niagara-on the Lake and Twenty Valley with guests creating their own itineraries and purchasing tickets for singular events of their choice, with prices ranging from $35 to $90 per ticket.

Wine lovers can now choose one or many Chardonnay centred events, starting on the evening of Friday, July 22nd and ending with brunch on Sunday, with numerous options in between. Different wineries throughout Niagara will host and sell the tickets for everything from relaxed lunches to more educational affairs with wine aficionados. The re-launched event schedule is truly a program that appeals to wine-lovers of all levels and answers the consumer demand for flexibility, more time in the vineyards and more interaction with winemakers and wines.

Highlights include a stylized pig roast at Tawse Winery featuring Chef Jamie Kennedy and entertainment by Murray McLauchlan; an oyster and sparkling wine evening at Flat Rock Cellars; and luncheons at boutique wineries like 13th Street and Coyote’s Run and well known wine country favourites like Inniskillin, Southbrook and Cave Spring Cellars.

The same premium producers from across the globe will be included, as each host winery will feature a variety of participating wineries at their events. Wine lovers can look forward to comparing the regions and terroir of 100 wines from Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Canada, the US, South Africa, Chile, New Zealand and Australia, as they sample some of the finest examples of cool climate Chardonnay in the world.

All those who believe it is time for Chardonnay to return to centre stage can be part of the re-birth of “Cool” by purchasing tickets to individual events at www.coolchardonnay.org and at the host wineries. The i4c is an
initiative of 28 of Ontario’s finest wine producers and is supported by Founding Sponsors Wine Country
Ontario, Grape Growers of Ontario, VINTAGES, LCBO, and Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation; and Event Sponsors Riedel and Wine Access.

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THE 2011 FESTIVAL PROGRAM

FRIDAY, JULY 22

AW SHUCKS kick-off party!
7:30PM – 10:30PM FLAT ROCK CELLARS – TWENTY MILE BENCH $50.00 (+hst)
Aw Shucks! Nothing can compare with party atmosphere that results when you co-mingle boisterous bubbles and the humble oyster. Rub shoulders and talk barrels with wine producers from 15 international wineries and dance the night away to the sounds of local musicians on the Green Roof Patio, overlooking our estate vineyards and Lake Ontario. 250 TICKETS AVAILABLE.

SATURDAY, JULY 23
The Seriously Cool Chardonnay Luncheon
10:30AM – 2:30PM SOUTHBROOK VINEYARDS – NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE $80.00 (+hst)
Find out what it takes to be a seriously cool wine in this tutored tasting led by 11 winemakers representing 5 stellar international wine regions. Then Sip and Sup on a three-course lunch menu prepared by Chef Stephen Treadwell of Treadwell’s Farm to Table, paired with another 8 fantastic chardonnays. 80 TICKETS AVAILABLE.

From the Ground Up
10:30AM – 2:30PM COYOTE’S RUN WINERY – NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE $49.00 (+hst)
From the outdoor tasting pavilion in Coyote’s Run’s vineyards, we’re featuring over 20 different wines from 11 international wineries that touch on all aspects of terroir and its effects on cool climate chardonnay. Gourmet food pairings from Chef Ryan Crawford of Stone Road Grille demonstrate how local food and chardonnay share a sense of place. 60 TICKETS AVAILABLE

Fins, Fowl & Flint
10:30AM – 2:30PM CAVE SPRING CELLARS AND VINEYARD – BEAMSVILLE BENCH $90.00 (+hst)
Sample mineral-laden chardonnays presented by their makers among the vines at Cave Spring Vineyards on the scenic Niagara Escarpment, then tuck in to a four-course lunch prepared by Inn on the Twenty Restaurant Executive Chef Kevin Maniaci who skilfully pairs each course with three different chardonnays. It’s a rare opportunity to sample dozens of cool climate chardonnays from 11 international wineries. 40 TICKETS AVAILABLE

The Many Faces of Chardonnay
10:30AM – 2:30PM 13th STREET WINERY – CREEK SHORES $89.00 (+hst)
Who better to take you on a taste tour of cool climate chardonnay and classic culinary pairings than a group of stellar international winemakers and renowned chefs? Enjoy a magical afternoon at our magnificent harvest table set amidst the vines, enjoying over 20 cool climate chardonnays paired with celebrated ingredients as oysters, lobster, organic chicken and fine cheeses prepared by Peller Estates Winery Chef Jason Parsons, and 13th Street Winery Chef Eva Moughrabie. 80 TICKETS AVAILABLE

How to Be Cool
10:30AM – 2:30PM INNISKILLIN WINERY – NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE $65.00 (+hst)
Taste and talk chardonnay with 11 international winemakers as we attempt to define the elusive term “cool climate” while sampling over 20 wines from around the globe. Chef Erik Peacock of Wellington Court Restaurant will create a mouthwatering chardonnay-inspired menu and our winemakers will join you at the table to help you decide on the perfect pairings for your meal and continue the cool
conversation…42 TICKETS AVAILABLE

The Cool Climate Chardonnay World Tour
4:30PM – 8:30PM TAWSE WINERY – TWENTY MILE BENCH $75.00 (+hst)
Taste up to 100 cool climate chardonnays. Hang out with all 56 winemakers of the i4c festival. Eat local heritage cochon with Niagara’s freshest summer accompaniments prepared by none other than renowned Chef Jamie Kennedy, and while the evening away to the beat of legendary Canadian music icon Murray McLauchlan. We ask you, does it get any better than this? 500 TICKETS AVAILABLE

SUNDAY, JULY 24
A Moveable Feast
10:00AM – 1:30PM RAVINE VINEYARDS – NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE $37.50 (+hst)
Get your locavore in gear. Visit wine and food stations throughout Ravine’s vineyard, featuring outstanding artisanal producers and over 20 of the world’s best cool climate chardonnay wineries. Whether crafted on a wood-fired stone oven, an antique grill truck or fresh from Ravine’s own garden, this delicious Marché-style brunch is fresh obsessed! 250 TICKETS AVAILABLE

VINTAGES Taste & Buy event
2:00PM – 5:00PM ROY THOMPSON HALL – TORONTO $95.00 (+hst)
Enjoy all the cool… in the heart of the city. Meet the winemakers and sample over 40 cool climate chardonnays from Canada, Italy, France, Austria, USA, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Chile at this afternoon tasting event. Chardonnay-inspired dishes will enhance the tasting, set at this scenic Toronto landmark location. 500 TICKETS AVAILABLE.

FOR FULL EVENT DETAILS AND A LIST OF WINERIES PARTICIPATING AT EACH VENUE, VISIT WWW.COOLCHARDONNAY.ORG

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