Held every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday throughout the month of May, Sip & Sizzle is a great way for visitors to the Niagara region to familiarize themselves with the many excellent wineries in and around Niagara-on-the-Lake.
25 wineries participate in this unique tour that finds each one hosting what amounts to an afternoon spring tasting party. With chef-inspired, grilled food and a fabulous VQA wine pairing, each winery takes to wooing any and all comers who have purchased the $43 passport, which buys you food and a wine tasting at all 25 wineries throughout the month.
So, whether you come at the beginning of the month, the end, or both, you’ll be able to make your way through the list to enjoy some truly fine wines and food amidst some of the most beautiful countryside in North America. Here is a closer look at some of the wineries that will be participating in this year’s Sip & Sizzle, as well as the food and wine they’ll be serving.
PondView Estate Winery
One of the newer wineries in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region, PondView was started by Giuseppe Puglisi, who emigrated to Canada from Sicily, Italy back in 1974. Steeped in the old world growing and winemaking traditions, PondView Estate is now run by Luciano and Adriana Puglisi who continue to promote excellent wines enjoyed alongside excellent food.
This May, you can use your Sip & Sizzle passport to enjoy their 2012 PondView unoaked chardonnay and a chilled beef brisket endive salad with radishes, cucumbers, and carrots that’s been dressed with a creamy chardonnay dressing.
Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery
Since 2001, Jackson-Triggs has produced some of the finest grapes and VQA wines in the region utilizing the latest in winemaking technology. By using gravity-flow assisted technology, Jackson-Triggs removes any pumping or mechanization in the winemaking process that could potentially damage young wine.
At this year’s Sip & Sizzle, they’ll be serving their 2013 reserve meritage with miso-grilled local beef ribs and a scallion-ginger salsa.
Konzelmann Estate Winery
Started by a fourth generation winemaker from Stuttgart, Germany back in 1984, who chose Niagara-on-the-Lake due to its unique mesoclimate, Konzelman wines benefit greatly from their vineyard’s terroir.
Made from hand-picked grapes that come off the oldest vineyards that are then sorted three times to ensure their quality is truly exceptional, Konzelman wines have won countless awards on the national and international level. They’ll be serving their 2012 barrel-aged merlot with baby back ribs and Niagara maple baked beans. The ribs will be topped with an icewine and Forty Creek whiskey-infused barbecue sauce.
Niagara College Teaching Winery
One of the primary places where Niagara’s viticultural knowledge is kept and passed on to future generations of winemakers, the Niagara College Teaching Winery also boasts some of the region’s finest wines.
The Canadian Food and Wine Institute is also on-site, as is Benchmark restaurant, one of the finest farm-to-table restaurants in the region, so you know the food will be exceptional. The Teaching Winery will be serving their 2010 Dean’s List pinot noir with a smoked salmon rillette over grilled zucchini.
Take advantage of this year’s Sip & Sizzle. Come to Niagara any weekend in May and experience the best in food and wine at 25 exceptional Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries.