The second installment of the Ontario Consumers Icewine Challenge took place Saturday November 15, 2008 at LCBO #495 .Featuring Ontario Icewines, the event created quite a curious buzz for consumers. It was a friendly affair, aimed at finding out what consumers actually like. A lot of wine competitions are fraught with politics. You never really know if they're fair. This competition is different because we the public go, taste and vote.

Winery Participants:

• Birchwood Estate Wines
• Chateau des Charmes
• Coyote's Run Estate Winery
• Flat Rock Cellars
• Gretzky Estate Winery
• Henry of Pelham
• Hillebrand Estates Winery
• Trius
• Inniskillin
• Jackson-Triggs
• Kittling Ridge Estates
• Lakeview Cellars
• Peller Estates
• Pillitteri Estates Winery
• Reif Estate
• Stratus Wines

  Following is a note from Orest Poluch to describe the winners and the good causes these events support... Editor.

  "These incredible wineries took the time out of their day to participate in such a unique setting. And I believe their efforts will prove most beneficial. I do believe this is the largest Icewine event outside of the Niagara region. Prove me wrong people. Prove me wrong.

With the go ahead from my manager and the green light from Mr. Bob Andrews, my District Manager, I was determined to make this a success. I had arranged bottle waters, Planet Bean coffee (Guelph's only coffee roastery), Roothams’ Preserves, cheese from Organic Meadow dairy, local baked bagels from Lucies Bakery and Deli, also a selection of icewine infused desserts from la Patisserrie. And to top it off, a gentleman from Frozen Vines, who made an Icewine ice cream.

The $10 a ticket for 6 educational pours, enable patron to come in and experience Ontario's finest icewines. Over the 4 and a half hours we raised over $880. All the proceeds went to the Guelph Wish Fund for Children. Ron Asselstine, retired NHL referee, was completely overwhelmed by the turn out and the sheer uniqueness of this event.

Overall I do believe that my staff and I have furthered our commitment to supporting the Wines of Ontario.

Having this event under our belts, our staff have more confidence in being able to talk about icewine and further our personal desire to build this category and overall build the business.

WINNERS of the homemade trophies:

COYOTE’S RUN ESTATE WINERY
WINNER: 2006 RIESLING #12658

REIF ESTATE
WINNER: 2005 RIESLING #53629

STRATUS WINES
WINNER: 2005 VIDAL # 544791

UPCOMING EVENT!  MARK YOUR CALENDARS!!

Also I’d like to mention that in this year 2009, we will host our
3rd annual Ontario Consumers Riesling Challenge,
the classic event that started this campaign.

We will strictly feature Ontario Rieslings. Both dry and Off-dry styles.

The event will be held on Saturday May 30th.

All are invited!

• 11:30 to 4 pm
• $10 to get in.

The Ontario Consumers Riesling Challenge monies raised will be going to the MASAICentre.ca. now braceletofhope.ca. Each 10 dollar admission gets a bracelet. The bracelets symbolize hope. One country reaching out to another, and both transformed by the experience. A stunning example of international cooperation—an example that will assist Lesotho in overcoming its AIDS pandemic.

One country: AIDS free.

The Bracelet of Hope Campaign has a goal of seeing a red and white bracelet on the wrist of every Canadian, and raising $150,000,000 for HIV/AIDS relief in Lesotho, Africa.

Dr. Anne-Marie Zajdlik, a friend, a mom, a family doctor and an HIV physician in Guelph, Ontario. In 2005, she founded and now directs the Masai Centre for Local, Regional and Global Health, in response to the growing numbers of HIV/AIDS patients in the Guelph area. The birth of an HIV negative boy named Masai to two HIV positive parents from Ethiopia in 2003 turned Anne-Marie into an international AIDS activist.

Still in 2005, Anne-Marie launched the Bracelet of Hope campaign with a goal of raising $1 million in Guelph for the Ontario Hospitals Africa Tsepong Clinic in Lesotho. With the help of over 100 volunteers, that goal was reached in October 2008. Anne-Marie’s dream now is to take the campaign national, across Canada, with the ultimate goal of freeing Lesotho in southern Africa from the death grip of HIV/AIDS.

Anne-Marie graduated from the University of Guelph and McMaster University Medical School. She’s a regional HIV specialist and a member of the board of directors for the OHAfrica Foundation and a member of the OHAfrica Expert Panel for the Sustainability of the Tsepong HIV/AIDS clinic.

Inspired by Stephen Lewis and supported by her family and many others, she is determined to do what it takes to assist in the global response that is necessary to fight AIDS. Her passion, vision and will have inspired many to join forces with her and other organizations to bring hope and healing to those touched by AIDS.

Says Anne-Marie, “God forbid that we should ever be comfortable while so many exist in such poverty, while 15 million children face the world each day with no parents, no future and no hope, while an entire young generation of men, women and children die of AIDS. More than ever I believe that our very survival as a global society depends on our response. To whom much is given, much is expected.”

So the monies raised through this event  go to a good cause.

Call me or email me. We need to get this out there.

This has been an O-Boy Production.

  Thank you,"

  Orest Poluch
  Product consultant
  LCBO # 495 Guelph
  orest.poluch@lcbo.com