Oregon has had their International Pinot Noir Celebration (IPNC) since 1987, and Niagara has recently followed suit with their Cool Climate Chardonnay Celebration (i4c) since 2011. Only a few years in it's already getting serious attention as top international wineries, speakers and journalists are participating in the 3 day event in Niagara. The idea is to showcase Canadian cool climate Chardonnay in a global context alongside visiting producers and their like-minded wines.

Having never been in the past and with more hype building, this year I decided to go as consumer and take in the event, have some fun and celebrate Chardonnay. Here are some highlights:

Blind Chardonnay lineup at i4c opening talk moderated by Steven Spurrier.

Esteemed company to kick off i4c, Steven Campbell (Lifford), Ruud Masdaam (Staete Landt), Jamie Goode (Wine Anorak), Steve Green (Carrick).

Pannel: Marimar Torres, Francois Morrisette, Jacques Lardiere, Thomas Bachelder and moderator Steven Spurrier.

Chardonnay event at Southbrook Winery.

Tawse Winemaker Paul Pender at Southbrook.

Barrel tasting Chardonnays with Paul Pender in the cellar at Tawse.

Limited addition Chardonnays, in celebration of i4c at Tawse tasting room.

Jacques Lardiere of Louis Jadot giving some seemingly stern Chardonnay advice to Stratus' J-L Groux.

Jacques Lardiere and I at i4c gala.

Chardonnay-stocked fridge for the afterparty...

Ruud Masdaam, Owner/Winemaker of Staete Landt in New Zeland...hilariously explaining how Bluntstones are for hillbillies and pussies, whereas R.M. Williams are the choice of Kiwi vignerons ;-)

Thomas Bachelder et al Trust in Chardonnay.

BBQ at the Bachelders...

...with an excellent blind tasting included!

One of the international writers attending was Jamie Goode from the UK. Such an affable bloke that we took a few days to show him around Prince Edward County before the i4c started. Pictured here with Jonas and Vicki at Hinterland Wine Co after a sparkling tasting.

Jamie Goode meeting Dan Sullivan at Rosehall Run in the vineyards.

We broke out one of the biggest vertical's of Norm Hardie's wine to date with Chards and Pinots back to 2006.

And of course, when at Norm's...Grand Cru Blanc de Blanc at the beach...Jamie jumps into Lake Ontario in the background.