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Durbanville Hills, a South African winery that has made it a point to produce wines using sustainable systems and methods that cause minimum disruption to the environment, announced that it has partnered with the Raleigh, North Carolina-based non-profit organization Wine to Water. This aid group is focused on providing clean water to needy people around the world. Over 1 billion people in the world today lack access to adequate water and sanitation. Wine to Water believes that wine symbolizes good fortune. So why not give the fortunate populations of the world an opportunity to fight for those who can't fight for themselves? Durbanville Hills was one of the first wineries to recover, treat and reuse 'waste' water at its winery. In cooperation with Wine to Water, the winery will launch a Canadian initiative that will see a portion of sales donated directly to the aid organization.

"We believe that Wine to Water is an important and worthy organization that tirelessly works to fight the epidemic of poorly sanitized water," said Durbanville Hills Winemaker Martin Moore. "Recognizing the value in taking pressure off this precious resource, Durbanville Hills has strived to sustainably manage the production of our wines with special attention given to utilizing water that, without recovery and treatment back to irrigation quality, would otherwise be lost. We now look to raise awareness on a broader scale of water sustainability and the global community's responsibility to have water, in its cleanest form, available for all." Canadians, known the world over for being involved and socially conscious, are also wine enthusiasts.

Cheese lovers everywhere are invited to the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto to take in Dairy Farmers of Canada's Grate Canadian Grilled Cheese Cook-Off. Four top chefs from across Canada will each prepare two original, mouthwatering grilled cheese recipes, which will be judged by a panel of Canada's leading food writers that includes Lucy Waverman, Rita DeMontis and Corey Mintz.

Chef Melissa Craig from The Bearfoot Bistro in Whistler, BC and named one of Tidings Magazine's Maverick Chefs, BC, Chef Corbin Tomaszeski of Holt's Café in Toronto, ON, Chef Michael Howell from The Tempest Restaurant in Wolfville, NS and Chef Paul Rogalski from Rouge Restaurant in Calgary, AB.
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Opimian, Canada's largest wine club, is offering its members a selection of 8 exclusive 2009 Bordeaux Wine Futures.

The wine world is buzzing about the 2009 Bordeaux Futures - a vintage year that has been dubbed the best of the decade. Opimian has worked closely with their long-standing Bordeaux suppliers and their Master of Wine to secure a collection of exclusive wines. To celebrate the success of the Canadian Olympians this past winter, Opimian has dedicated one of its selections - La Récolte d'Or, Dediée aux Olympiens du Canada - to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic team.

For Christine Coletta and Steve Lornie, the snap decision to purchase an unproductive 10-acre orchard in Summerland, BC, followed by the progression to planting grapes and ultimately making wine, has been a long journey with many twists and turns. “It was never our intention to make wine, but as we got further into the project – financially and emotionally – something took hold and gave our common sense a good shake,” remarked Coletta, who is never above a good laugh at her own expense. “We have managed to hold on to our sense of humour about our move into the winery game, but we are very serious about the wine we will be making. This is the beginning of something: we hope our wine will sit proudly next to the other great wines made in the Okanagan Valley.”

On a whim, Coletta and Lornie bought an old orchard in 2005, but one season of growing Red Delicious apples and apricots that were unsuitable for canning or hand eating was enough for both. They planted the entire site with Pinot Gris in 2006 and settled back, keen on merely growing grapes and keeping their day jobs. They optimistically named the vineyard “Switchback”, to celebrate the switch from losing money as orchardists to losing money as grape growers. Coletta noted, “It will take seven years of profit to pay for the tractor alone.”

Now that the World Cup is over and the Summer Olympics don't begin until 2012, you're probably wondering how to get your sports fix. Well, here is a great way to combine your love of cheese and sports. The Dairy Farmers of Canada has announced the return of one of Canada's boldest downhill competitions -- the Canadian Cheese Rolling Festival. Mark your calendars for 12:00 noon on August 14th in Whistler, British Columbia. Get ready for an afternoon of cheese rolling races and other fun activities for the whole family.

As crazy as it sounds, cheese rolling is exactly that. It is not made for those who easily crumble. A large wheel of cheese is rolled down a hill and daring Canadians chase after it. The first contestant to make it down the hill wins. Canadian cheesemaker Natural Pastures produced special 11-pound wheels of Cracked Pepper Verdelait cheese for the festival. The winners get to take home the giant, coveted wheel of 100% Canadian cheese along with a Whistler season ski pass.

Surprised? Do you remember the last time you had lentils? A staple in French, Italian, Indian and so many other cuisines, they've been absent from Canadians' dinner plates for far too long.

Move aside deep dish pizza, Canadian lentils are making their way into the diets of North Americans. The health benefits of Canadian grown lentils as a nutritious, whole food ingredient are attracting attention this week in Chicago at the Institute of Food Technologists Annual Meeting and Food Expo. The prairies aren't just famous for wheat anymore. Innovation and more creative decisions about which crops to grow are bringing international attention to our little corner of the world.

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