If you missed the first installment of the blog tour of my recent trip to Niagra-On-The-Lake, catch up by going to blog 10/09 and learn about this most perfect little town and surrounding area.
After spending 3 fun-filled days in NOTL, our birthday-party-group ventured outside the town limits to tour the gorgeous countryside. Our first stop, Peller Winery. This fabulous, butter- colored, french chateau is home to a world class winery and restaurant. Oh, Joy!!!!! Some of my favorite things; yellow, french and great food and wine! It did not disappoint!!!!
The inside was as beautiful as the outside. The wine tasting room was lovely and inviting (Pictures in next blog).The staff was friendly and knowledgeable and offered us fleets of delicious wine. Starting with light whites and moving to full bodied reds, wine experts instructed us on different wines, wine etiquette and how to taste wine properly. I am not much of a drinker, so I tasted in moderation… but you could go hog wild! The aftermath of the later would not be so desirable.
For $5.00 we participated in a tour of the vineyard and wine cellar where we had another wine tasting lesson and more wine tasting… more moderation…just sips at this point.
This part of Canada has its own special micro climate. Very interesting, (too complicated for me to go into) because this special climate makes the area agriculturally prolific. And grapes grow like weeds!
We were taken into a field where the grapes were left on the vine, for Ice Wine.
If you look along the horizon, you can see a very white cloud in the center of the picture… that is the mist from Niagra Falls.
The first time I had heard of Ice Wine was last year during my first trip to NOTL. Grapes are left on the vine until the temp reaches -10 degrees Celsius for 3 consecutive days and then they are picked. The constant freezing and rethawing before they are picked concentrates the juice to one sweet, syruppy drop of goodness. The winemaking process begins right away and eventually…ice wine. I am not much for sweet wine, but I am a huge fan of this magical libation. It is sweet and velvety smooth. And very, very yummy! A most excellent dessert wine.
I was struck with the thought, among the vines, only God could have made something so beautiful and useful!
The wine cellar at Peller: The wine stains on the top of the barrels are so intriguing. A little hint of the prize inside. Could this be a part of the “angel portion” they talk about?
Setting up for a dinner in the cellar- wouldn’t you love to have been invited? Me too!
Our next stop- Inniskillin Winery- Famous for being the first winery in Canada to actually produce Ice Wine.
This winery was rustic, yet modern. Much more informal than Peller, but every bit as lovely and the wine was excellent, too.
We took a tour there as well. We went out to the vineyard and saw grapes for Ice Wine… but these were green grapes.
Old barrels
Wine cellar: I am taken by the barrels, there is something simple yet stylish about them.
This is such beautiful countryside, and such a worthwhile trip!There are so many wineries in the area, next year we will tour a couple more. NOTL offers bike tours of the wine country and wineries. But, I can’t imagine drinking and bicycling. That mental picture makes me hysterical!!!!! Ha! (We did not drive, we used the limo service at our hotel just to be on the safe and sensible side.)
The next and last, installment of this blog tour is about one of the most fun things I have ever done! A "Chef's Table"-An eight course dinner and paired wine at Peller Winery with chef Jason Parsons, Canada’s culinary rock star!
And on top of that we had complete access to the kitchen during dinner. If you are a foodie, you are going to LOVE this!
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