Hi there,
In an ode to summer and to good times, I thought I would post about a trip I took to Niagara on the Lake where there exist some of the best wineries in southwestern Ontario. I was never really interested in buying Ontario wines but after that day I definitely became a fan. The Niagara Escarpment, besides its natural beauty, is home to some fairly exquisite wineries including Between the Lines, Diamond Estates, Caroline’s Cellars and the Niagara College Teaching Winery. Not all the wines produced here are sold locally so it was quite a treat to taste some pretty spectacular varieties.
At the Niagara College winery rows and rows of vines were smothered with ripening grapes, almost ready for picking. They introduced us a to the wine making process from the field to the storage barrels. From Baco Noirs to Sauvignon Blancs to Roses and Ice Wines the varieties seem endless and learning about the how wine is created made the experience that much more amazing.
An appreciation for interior design also led me to relish in some great design ideas. Here is a table designed and constructed by the Wertsch brothers, owners of the Between the Lines Winery (this one was my absolute favourite winery) I thought this was a really cool idea – they use these tables for displays and to present their wine tastings to visitors.
Caroline’s Cellars was another fantastic winery with several gold medal winners on their wine list. I couldn’t help but revel in this rustic barn complete with old style wagons and buses.
My discoveries on this day trip included a really great red and white wine from Between the Lines Winery: the Cabernet Franc and the Gewuerztraminer. Last but not least a stop at Niagara on the Lake’s Maple Leaf Fudge will leave you with the best Canadian fudge ever. Irish cream fudge and double chocolate fudge were two of my favourites. It was certainly a day of decadence and I would highly recommend a stopover if you just happen to be in the area of Niagara on the Lake.
Happy travels!
Lori