Icewine festival returns for 23rd year
Once the Christmas trees come down and the lights are put away, it’s icewine time in Niagara.
One of the region’s most famous exports will be celebrated with the 23rd annual Niagara Icewine Festival, running Jan. 12 to 28. The event runs in three Niagara communities over three weekends, pairing food and wine at more than three dozen wineries.
The opening gala at Niagara Fallsview Casino Jan. 12 will offer Canada’s largest VQA icewine and table tasting, from more than 35 wineries. The casino’s top chefs will also take part.
Opening weekend will also feature the Twenty Valley Winter WineFest Jan. 12 to 14 in the heart of Jordan Village. Some of the region’s top winemakers and chefs will collaborate for this outdoor event, complete with ice sculptures, fire pits and live entertainment.
The scene shifts to Niagara-onthe-Lake Jan. 20 and 21 for the Icewine Village, featuring 26 wineries and the Signature Kitchen Chefs on historic Queen Street.
The final weekend Jan. 26 and 27 will have indoor and outdoor experiences at Scotiabank Convention Centre in Niagara Falls, complete with a marshmallow fire pit.
Niagara’s icewine harvest begins as soon as the temperatures dip below –8 C for several hours, allowing harvesters to pluck the frozen grapes by hand. The grapes are then pressed while still frozen to extract the highly concentrated juice, giving icewine its renowned sweet flavour.
Tickets for the event vary by location. Visit www.niagarawinefestival.com.