This past Saturday night I realized a career-long dream of hosting a wine dinner in my work boots. Having grown up on a farm in Southwestern Ontario, I don't get many opportunities for country wine dinners. So when organizer Katie Worobeck started planning a Maple Syrup Celebration dinner for Mariposa Farm in Plantagenet, about 45 mins east of Ottawa, I was immediately on board. Katie's plan was to round up 3 of Ottawa's best young chefs and have them join Mariposa Farm's Chef Matt Shepard to each prepare a Maple Syrup inspired dish for a big dinner. The rest of the lineup included former Mariposa Chef Mark Currier now of Hintonburg Public House; Jon Svasas formerly of Domus and Taylor's Genuine who is soon to open Fauna; and also Gold Medal Plates champion Jamie Stunt of OZ Cafe. The wine pairings included selections from Ontario's finest: Tawse Winery, Norman Hardie, Thomas Bachelder, and Hinterland Wine Co. All the wines paired perfectly with the dishes, each in a different way contributing to the rustic maple theme of the dinner.

Mariposa Farm owner Ian Walker gave everyone a tour of his sugar bush and syrup boiling operation. He does things the old-school way, boiling down the sap in a large cauldron hung over a fire that burns all day. ÄLska Farm owner Genevieve was also onsite with her boutique maple syrup production which she was reducing down the syrup to make some fantastic maple taffy on popsicle sticks! And we kicked off the dinner with me sabering open a few bottles of Hinterland's 'Les Etoiles' traditional method sparkling from Prince Edward County...

The smoke house and the pavilion at Mariposa Farm. Credit: Katie Worobeck

Mariposa Farm Maple trees

Buckets collecting sap at Mariposa Farm

Farm owner Ian Walker explaining the process of Maple syrup production beside his cauldron of boiling sap.

Fresh syrup is this exciting.

La Ferme ÄLska owner Genevieve @alskafarm and Andrew Gilbotawicz testing out her fresh maple taffy.

Andrew Gilbo @CitizenSwell testing out the taffy...

Turns out Bouviers love maple taffy too!

Just your average down-home style wine fridge...a hole in the snow.

Andrews Caffinating before its time for wine. With @CitizenSwell

Topping up the wine fridge with extra snow.

Sabering some Hinterland Champagne Method to kick off the evening. Credit: Katie Worobeck

Outside looking in. Guests getting seated for the big dinner.

Prep for course #1 from Matt Shepard, Mariposa's resident chef.

The country dining room and chef wall of fame at Mariposa Farm.

Chatting wine in between courses.

Course #1: Matt Shepard's Mariposa Maple butter wrapped foie gras parfait, brioche, local grape jelly with Tawse 'Echos' Riesling from Niagara.

Course #2: Jamie Stunt's duck fat bannock with Alska Farm Maple Syrup cured trout, smoked crème fraiche, beets, chives, candied lemon with Thomas Bachelder's Niagara Chardonnay.

Course #3: Jon Svazas' Maple soy cardamom glazed Mariposa duck breast, root vegetable pave, brussel sprouts with Norman Hardie's Unfiltered Cabernet Franc from Prince Edward County.

Matt Shepard and Jon Svazas looking over the cheese course before it goes out.

Quebec cheese course: Riopelle, Zacharie Cloutier, Bleu d’Elisabeth, Moutier, Baluchon.

Desert course: Mark Currier's Pudding Chomeur, sarsaparilla cream, Mariposa Farm sweet cured foie gras shavings, smoked apple puree with Hinterland's Ancestral.

Chefs: Jamie Stunt (OZ Cafe); Mark Currier (Hintonburg Public House); Jon Svazas (Fauna); Matt Shepard (Mariposa Farm). Credit: Katie Worobeck