Wine and Herb 2013 : Friends and a Baby on a wine tour

 

424732_10152830015750043_509644572_nIt was  Wine and  Herb festival time once again and as I mentioned in my giveaway post, this year we IMG_2383were only going to be able to visit half the wineries (if we were lucky). This past Saturday a group of us ventured out in style in our limo with the Little Monkey and was able to visit 16 wineries in one day! Quite the achievement. The weather was gorgeous and everyone was in great spirits. Overall I did find it slightly disappointing that there were so many whites on feature… don’t get me wrong, I like my whites but reds are my go to. Ofcourse since I’m preggers I was mainly eating the pairings and only taking a quick sip at each spot. Even with that by the time we hit our fifth white I was desperate for a gulp of red. Many of the wines had received bronze awards just two weeks prior at the Ontario Wine Awards (don’t think we stumbled upon any of the silver or golds though). Lots of new discoveries once again and if you’re wondering how I narrowed down the 16 we’d visit – I looked at last year’s post and narrowed down the ones that always seem to impress us or wineries that were participating for the very first time.  A huge shoutout to our lovely limo company who did a fantastic job, being  chauffeured  by Olympic Limousine was the perfect option for us. The Little Monkey was shockingly impressive with her top notch performance but I’ll share more on that on our Wacky Wednesday post this week.For now, here’s my thoughts on  the pairings.

 

Palatine Hills Estate Winery

IMG_2374We started our day here with their 2011 Quatro paired with Mango Jerk Chicken and Garden Sage. A refreshing blend of  of Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, and Riesling with a smidge of Gewurztraminer. The pairing definitely conjured up a good patio or bbq session. A bottle was purchased for the limo ride and let’s just say, the purchasee was gutted he didn’t buy more for his wine rack.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hinterbrook Winery

IMG_2375Here the 2011 Riesling was paired with a cold Potato Croquette with Saffron Aioli. I love Aioli and a saffron one? Beam me up scotty! The wine was crisp, fresh and had strong notes of granny smith apple. It was quite tart which makes me think it would be great to accompany a thick sweet soup, such as butternut squash.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Stratus

IMG_2380This is one of our favourite wineries and continue to impress us. A fantastic 2010 Mosaic, a dessert wine, was paired with a lovely hot Coriander Carrot soup. It was definitely one of my favourite pairings of the day. The Mosaic is a late harvest wine combining Riesling and Gewurztraminer with citrus and lychee notes. Fab on its own as it wasn’t overly sweet. I only wish our host was a tiny bit friendlier and shared the recipe with us. That soup was honest to goodness delicioso!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery

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Yet another of our faves and we had high expectations here. They had paired their 2010 Silver Series Chardonnay with a Pennyroyal Tea Hodge Podge. It was a definitely a fancy pairing and the presentation in a bamboo bowl was a lovely touch. Yet I found the dish and pairing to fall short of our expectation (overly high expectations perhaps?). The dish of snap peas and house smoked spring Salmon was too fishy and the wine was a bit too acidic and “metally” in taste. Lovely patio set up as we enjoyed the view of the vineyard and the Little Monkey took to the mini stair setup.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Peller Estates Winery
IMG_2392This was one busy spot come noon so we were in and out pretty quickly. A 2011 Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc was paired with a Halibut, Spring Asparagus and Estate Tarragon Roulade. Our host jokingly called it a puck, guess he’s got hockey on his mind! I loved the roulade as did the Little Monkey. My wine was quite warm so I wasn’t able to enjoy it but the hubs and my friend’s glasses were better chilled and they both enjoyed the pairing. They mentioned it being light and fruity. Another patio wine perhaps?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lailey Vineyard

IMG_2396Given the lunch time rush we were once again in and out pretty quickly here. The 2011 Vidal, yet another white, was to be paired with a Braised Fennel Sausage on a Bun.  The bun was missing but it was a cute lollipop presentation. While the wine was a bit musty and damp on the nose, the sausage had a lovely touch of spice to it and we all enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately I was not a fan of the white, in their defense some of us were getting quite tired out by the whites at this stage. Definitely something to factor in as we plan our tour next year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Reif Estate Winery

IMG_2399Always a favourite and our go to spot for our group shot. They had changed it up a bit and the lovely barrels in the back room which opened to the fresh air were no more, but they delivered yet once again. Lovely pairing of the 2011 Empress Chardonnay with an Italian Parsley and Grimo Walnut Pesto Pasta Salad. The pasta had hints of lemon and it paired well with the unoaked Chardonnay. I recall it being quite reasonably priced (dare I say cheap?) which makes it an even greater find. The Little Money downed our pasta here and the hubs and I barely took a couple bites! Most of us spent a good while at the tasting bar sampling the many reds on offer and quite a few bottles were purchased including one of their higher end reds. The First Growth Series Cabernet Merlot was purchased for a future special occasion.

 

 

 

 

 

Riverview Cellars Estate Winery

IMG_2409IMG_2410Oh mint you truly are summer loving! Novel take here with a pairing of the 2011 Bianca Riesling Gewurztraminer with a Mojito Mint Pistachio Ice Cream. They were so friendly here that the Little Monkey  got her own cup of ice cream which she licked half clean. Perhaps a future Mojito drinker? The floral notes in the wine paired well with the sweet pistachio and mint ice cream. Hints of mint were at a minimum but the pistachio came through quite strongly. As you can see Bun came along for the trip!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Inniskillin Winery

20130525_140907These guy had quite the patio going on and there was a bbq set up with some tempting burgers and mixin’s coming out of the “kitchen”. Looked likes some sort of food event where tokens were exchanged for food or wine, great way to spend an afternoon if you’re in the area. Their 2012 Late Autumn Riesling was paired with Kent Farms Chicken Curry with Gomes Tomato and Cilantro. Food was awesome and the wine paired well with it-not too dry and not too sweet. Just perfect. Most wineries had a table set up so we were able to interact with the host/hostess but here they were behind a high tasting bar which made it very awkward and a bit unfriendly. I definitely missed the warm welcome from last year!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Marynissen Estates Winery

20130525_142550We love these guys year after a year. A small but personalized winery that prides itself on its work. This year they paired their 2009 Merlot with a Seared Sage Pork Belly in Merlot Soaked Cherries. Oh those cherries were decadently tart yet sweet. Loved them! Glad to have a red on offer we guzzled it down, albeit a bit lighter than I’d have liked, it was a good pairing to showcase the Merlot soaked cherries.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Between the Lines Winery

IMG_2421They were new to us and to Wine and Herb this year. All I was able to gather was that they’ve been around for 3 years and are just starting to branch out, unfortunately the owner and winemaker was busy with a large group so I wasn’t able to learn more about the winery as expected. A 2011 Riesling was paired with a crusty homemade bun with a chive filling. Overall a bit underwhelming, the wine was just okay and the buns too dry. Most of us dashed into the limo to enjoy some spicy bites and homemade cookies we’d brought with us. I’d like to return and sample their range in the future though, always have hope for new wineries just starting out. I expect their whites to be better than their reds but since the white didn’t fare so well, maybe they’ve got some tricks up their sleeves on their red!

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery

20130525_150558We knew we HAD to include Ravine in our list. Fabulous wines can be found here, a bit on the pricier side, but totally worth it. They had a mini patio set up so we were able to enjoy the outdoors as we sipped on the 2011 Sand & Gravel Cabernet Franc (YAY red!!) and munched on the Pork and Sage Meatballs with Tomato sauce. The full bodied red paired well with the pork that was raised on the Ravine (they  have a slaughter house and an organic garden where the sage came from). Well done Ravine. You never fail to disappoint!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chateau Des Charmes

IMG_2434This is one winery where we keep coming back more for the decor and grandeur that anything else. It’s true. A very nice welcoming space. I had already sampled (at the Cooking with CUTCO event) the 2010 Aligote that was paired with a Coq au Vin Chicken and Smoked Chili Lemon Emulsion, but once again it was refreshing and everyone seemed to enjoy it. We lazed around and soaked in the surroundings as we sipped our wine and enjoyed the backyard.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Coyote’s Run Estate Winery

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Another cute little spot that always feel very cozy, just by their setup. It’s almost like walking into a cabin in a small town. A 2009 Red Paw Vineyard Syrah was paired with an Adobo and Red Paw Syrah Braised Beef Tostada. It was a pizza base and not a tostado which disappointed me greatly but the lovely hostess informed me that it was because the tostados weren’t able to withstand the long wait times. Making it fresh on the spot was not an option I guess. The gamey red wine with eucalyptus notes paired well with the beef, and while not a tostada, the pizza was spicy and the Little Monkey was a huge fan!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Colanerie Estate Winery

IMG_2431We discovered this winery last year and were very curious to see how the construction was coming along. The space is still under contruction but we can easily see that this would be an awesome venue space. Can’t wait to see it all done. Impressive pairing once again with their  2009 Chardonnay alongside a Turkey Tetrazzini with a Roasted Garlic Cream Sauce. Yet again I barely ate any of it because the Little Monkey licked our pasta cups clean. Huge fan! The wine was a bit on the sweet side but the pasta stole the show so no one noticed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Niagara College Teaching Winery

IMG_2435We saved this spot as our last destination because we wanted to enjoy their lawns, laze around and also pop by the brewery before we visited their restaurant for dinner (click here for review). More on the Benchmark experience on tomorrow’s Tasty Tuesday post! Here the 2010 Sauvignon Blanc was paired with a Spring Asparagus (with Peppered Goat Cheese and Chive oil). The hostess was charming and ensured we knew all about the wine and the college but truth be told we were too eager to enjoy the outdoors and the boys eager to run to the brewery.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another fantastic visit to Niagara on the Lake, exploring wines, learning about the products on offer and enjoying the company of great friends!

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  • Dana
    May 28, 2013 at 1:58 pm

    this looks lovely!

  • MLV
    June 1, 2013 at 9:04 am

    I’ve only started to drink wine as of lately (I like whiskey and rum) We checked out Inniskillin and it was so much fun. My cousins and I were planning on doing a wine tour. Will use this as a reference 🙂

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