Today Leah and I headed to Niagara-On-The-Lake to visit a few wineries. We started at Reif Estates and took in a quick winery tour and some sampling. The samples were so good that we picked up two bottles (2004 Gamay Noir & 2004 Vidal Icewine). We could’ve spent a lot more time (and money) at Reif, but the hunger bug was taking over so we made our way into town for lunch.
This was my first time in Niagara-On-The-Lake and it was much nicer (and touristy) than I had imagined. After lucking into a parking spot – they seem to be a real rare commodity in town – we settled on the Old Town Restaurant for lunch. Compared to the street outside, the restaurant was busy but not packed.
After lunch we wandered the main strip, grabbed a cone at Cow’s, stopped in at a Christmas store and watched the throngs of people enjoying the beautiful day.
As we headed for home, we stopped in at Konzelmann’s and picked up a really good tasting 2005 Riesling. The winery is under construction so there wasn’t much to see; but the staff were friendly, and the wine was good.
Our final stop for the afternoon was Stonechurch Vineyards. The atmosphere was great, and the setting was very relaxed. I almost wish that we had started our day there as they had a barbeque fired up and were serving burgers. We tasted six wines and left with two: a 2005 Sunburst (Pinot Grigio~Shiraz) and a 2003 Riesling. Although it tasted great, the description for the Sunburst is what really sold it for us. “Pair with a light salad or an afternoon on a patio.”
I think that our first, but not our last, trip to Niagara was a success. Our next wine adventure is going to be to Prince Edward County; anyone want to come along?
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