A happy souvenir

There are so many wonderful things about visiting a wine region. The glorious sight of rows upon rows of tidy grape vines. The musty smell of grapes as you tour a winery operations. A fun tasting with a friendly server.

However there is one feature I am most appreciative at this moment: the tangible souvenirs you take home to enjoy later.

And that is exactly what I am doing now. Savouring a memento from one of my visits to the Twenty Valley this fall. If you are imagining me sipping a wine, this is completely understandable. A fragrant rosé or a crisp Sauvignon Blanc are excellent choices on a warm spring evening. I have enjoyed both recently, from wineries I visited in the fall (and since replenished via home delivery!)

Except I am not referring to wine. I am sipping a classic Gin & Tonic.

I was delightfully surprised myself when I entered Tawse Winery in October. Is that gin on the shelves? Sure enough, it was. While Tawse is known for Chardonnay, the winery has recently added Gin, Vodka and La Pressatura (similar to a grappa) to its line-up.

But gin is not made from grapes? You may ask, as I did. That’s right. This dry gin is corn-based. And luckily Ontario has a good supply of corn. With the addition of some 10 botanicals, such as orange, lemon, cinnamon, and liquorice, it all adds up to one tasty Ontario gin. And this is the inaugural batch.

From the tasting area I got a peek at the steel drums in this gravity-flow designed winery. Tawse uses organic and biodynamic methods in all aspects of production. Outside I saw sheep, which apparently munch on lower levels of the vines to expose the grapes to the sun. There is also a large pond which is lovely to gaze at but also serves as a wetland bio-filter.

As I left with my gin, the server handed me a free tasting coupon for a new winery opened by the same owner. So I meandered over to Redstone Winery to check it out. I knew nothing about this winery, but my enthusiastic server soon rectified that.

The winery, named after the red clay soil of the area, is fittingly known for its reds. Her enthusiasm was infectious and she led me through a really fun tasting. The wines were served in elegant titanium infused glassware. Apparently the previous glassware was breaking too easily. After my tasting, I took a quick glance into the restaurant area (closed when I visited) and made a mental note to come back another time. The sleek dining area has huge floor to ceiling windows with gorgeous views overlooking the vineyards. The views from the seasonal terrace would be stunning too.

We know a taste can trigger a happy memory. My Gin & Tonic this evening is a nice way to reflect back on that pleasant October day touring wineries. I am certainly glad I brought a bottle home with me. And I am thankful to have my backyard terrace to enjoy the refreshing beverage on this warm evening.