i4C+: What it means to us
The idea that became i4C+ was expressed first, fifteen years ago: that Niagara, as a leading cool climate wine region, should host an event to which all cool climate regions of the world would be called. The star would be chardonnay, a variety famed for its numberless expressions from cool climate vineyards.
The Malivoire people who were present for the ground floor discussions loved the idea, and so, we became one of 28 founding wineries as i4C+, the International Cool Climate Celebration, took shape.
In the time since, we have participated every year. We have joined the School of Cool panel of experts six times (and will be represented again by Winemaker Elisa Mazzi this year), lent our winemaking expertise to the Great Chardo Swap in support of CCOVI, and contributed a great many of the annual event’s featured wines.
This year, for the first time in many, our winery will host an i4C+ event on site, as Elisa welcomes Rosehall Run’s Associate Winemaker, Lee Baker, for “Bench vs County”, an educational showcase for the contrasting attributes of chardonnays from the Beamsville Bench and Prince Edward County.
Among Malivoire people, few have had more involvement with i4C+ than Tammy Kruck, our hospitality Senior Manager. Asked why i4C+ has been so special to us, for so long, Tammy cites “so many” reasons:
“It’s a world stage event that started from the grass roots. It continuously evolves, always seeking new ways to engage the consumer, who it is all about. This event is not distracted by an awards program that would shift attention to the opinions of judges. It’s the reactions and sensations of consumers that i4C+ and the wineries are after, and i4C+ makes this happen by being a forum for conversation and interaction between winemakers and the people who are their market.”
This year, 43 wineries will attend i4C+, the International Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration, for four days, beginning Thursday July 17th.
