United Way wins when university community is 'grapeful' (4 photos)

The University of Guelph’s drive towards its seventh consecutive $600,000-plus United Way campaign hinges on measured steps and big hearts – like those on display last Thursday night, when university staff teamed up with sommelier Linda Watt for a culinary fundraiser called A Time To Be Grapeful.

The event featured wines selected by Watt, the university’s director of learning and development and consulting services, from four Ontario wineries – Burning Kiln, Redstone, Sandbanks and Domaine Queylus.

They were paired with a four-course gourmet meal of primarily Ontario ingredients prepared by the university’s executive chef Vijay Nair and his team of chefs Nick Kehrer, Aaron Crawford, Amber Bridgeman.

“Every wine has its place,” says Watt. “You don’t have to love it, just learn more about it, just know when to include it and be ‘grapeful’ for it. Take time to raise a glass of vino in celebration of even the smallest of things that we can miss as we race from day to day.”

A Time to be Grapeful was an inventive approach for the community to find yet another way to come together, support the United Way… and experience the combination of sommelier Watt’s selections and the university chefs’ culinary talent.

For starters, they paired Burning Kiln Horse and Boat 2012 Riesling with roasted beets, goat cheese mousse, smoked cold toasted barley and citrus honey vinaigrette. That was followed by Sandbanks Pinot Grigio VQA with pan seared chicken, parsnip puree and caper cream.

The main dish of the night, beef bourguignon, was served with mushroom risotto, paired with Domaine Queylus’ Tradition Pinot Noir 2014. The meal finished with chocolate bouchon, basil meringue, and crème Anglaise, paired with Redstone Winery’s 2011 Meritage.

“It was a foodie adventure,” said the university’s procurement manager Mark Kenny. “Many conversations started that will end in collaborative efforts, as our paths continue to cross.”

Ultimately, the dinner, along with a silent auction, raised more than $1,000 for the United Way.