Wine Tour & New Friends

Last week I mentioned (here) that I was heading to the St. Catharine's area to present research at the 13th Canadian Congress on Leisure Research. Well my mom went with me, and we started off the trip with a wonderful wine tour. The tour company was Crush on Niagara Wine Tours, and our tour guides name was Jerry. We had such a fantastic time, and I learned a lot! I have always liked wine, and thought I preferred red, but I decided to try mostly white, because I didn't know much about it. And I loved it! I will tell you which I preferred later on.

Our first stop on the tour was the Henry of Pelham Family Estate. It was a beautiful place, where the tasting bar was decorated as an old wine cellar. This winery is owned and operated by the Speck Brothers. Their line of Sibling Rivalry wines are the most recent additions to their vintages (if you live in Ontario, you might have seen these in the LCBO).

 A little wine-cellaresque, don't you think?

 

 

 The whites lined up for me to taste! And for others also :)

 

 

 Mom, enjoying the Sibling Rivalry Rosé.

 

The next stop on our tour was Flat Rock Cellars, a new winery founded in 1999 they have an eco-conscious look at the production of wine.

The tasting bar and sales area is located high on a hill, overlooking the acreage.

 

And our final stop was Vineland Estates. A very well established, and much larger winery than the previous two.

 

My first taste of Icewine was at Henry of Pelham, but at Vineland I tried the Cabernet Sauvingnon Icewine, which is a pretty pink colour, and tastes of Strawberry-Rhubarb and warm spice.

Many people have weddings, or at least wedding photos taken at Vineland Estates, and you can tell why.

 

 So all in all, a lovely day, full of new experiences, tastes and friends!

And my favourite wine of the day? It's a tie between the Henry of Pelham Reisling and the Vineland Cabernet Sauvingnon Icewine. Each for very different purposes of course!

What is your favourite wine?