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An autumn hike bookended by wineries
“You see that path over there?” our friendly server walks to the large window in the wineshop and points to the vineyard below. I follow his gaze out the pane of glass to a wide path that intersects the vineyards at Vineland Estates and ends at a dense cluster of red, orange and yellow trees. “There’s an entrance to the Bruce Trail there.” My husband and I were picking up a few bottles of wine at Vineland Estates, and hoping to combine it with a short hike on this sunny October day. The winery staff was super helpful in pointing us in the right direction. This short section of the…
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Curbside visits in wine country
Vineyards make a beautiful scene. In any season. In the fall, the bushy leaves change from deep green to rusty and golden hues. In the winter, the rows of barren vines take on a minimalist look. A dark gnarly silhouette against the white snow. Each day I visited the Twenty Valley this fall and winter was special. Winery tours and tastings with friendly servers. A cosy fireside raclette. Even a brewery visit in the midst of the vineyards. I was looking forward to returning in the spring to see the changing landscape once again. I assumed I could return. Again and again. Whenever I wanted. How wrong I was. Three…
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A grey day brightened by orange at Southbrook Vineyards
Red wine. White wine. Orange wine? The first time a waiter suggested orange wine, I was confused. The second time, I was curious. It was time to investigate. I thought it would be a solid use of my research and policy skills. Or “if I am 100% honest” (to use an expression from my teenager daughter), just good plain fun. What is orange wine? Orange wine is “skin-on” fermented white wine. The orange hue comes from contact with the skins. In Ontario, “skin fermented white wine” is a relatively new category approved by the VQA, Ontario’s wine authority. What does it taste like? I inquired at my local LCBO if…
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A rosy point of view at Back 10 Cellars
Sometimes it’s nice to look at the world through rose coloured glasses. If you need a little help to get into your positive POV (point of view) then I suggest the Rose Coloured Glasses Rosé from Back 10 Cellars. The intense shade of pink veers towards fushia. The deep shade is perfectly matched to the carefully designed label reflecting a “city folk living on a vineyard” vibe. When I visited the winery this fall, I learned the owner, Christina Brooks, intentionally matched the font colour with the first vintage of this beautiful rosé, a mix of Pinot Noir and Gamay. Ever since, the matching has been reversed, letting the grape…
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Fireside Raclette at Hidden Bench Estate Winery
“Who was sick in my house?” my mom asked rather sternly walking through the front door. This was many years ago. I had hosted a high school graduation party at our house. Just a small group of girlfriends. Not a big party. But I suppose it was a fair question. We were 18. We had the house to ourselves. It smelled terribly. Reminiscent of smelly gym socks. We were not a rowdy drunken teenage crowd that evening. Food, rather than drink, was our focus. We even got all dressed up for the event. We had a raclette party. And that cheese stinks. In a really good way. So when I…
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The Wind Goddesses at Alvento winery
It’s pizza night at our house. I stretch out the dough. My daughter layers on the toppings. My husband preheats the oven. We each have our designated roles. I open a bottle of wine to accompany our pizza: The Alvento East Wind. My husband asks, “Did you get this at one of the wineries you visited?” I proceed to tell him about how I found the winery. I was having brunch at Rev-a-lee Brunch Café in Vineland. My Bavarian plate with apple and sage sausage, zesty mustard potato salad and warm molasses rye bread was delicious. When the waitress stopped by my table to top up the hot water in…
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Food and wine at Pearl Morissette
“Let’s colour outside the lines for the food and wine pairing”, says Jenna, our server at Pearl Morissette. “It’s all about good food and wine.” Jenna is wine-savvy, but not afraid to experiment, to have a bit of fun. I was keen to try Pearl Morissette wines with my lunch. My husband and I were finishing our last savoury course and transitioning to sweet. So far, I had enjoyed the aromatic Irrévérence (my first taste of a skin-fermented or orange wine) and Lila, a blend of Cabernet Franc, Lemberger and Pinot Noir with lovely cherry and blackberry notes. At this juncture, Jenna suggested the Sputnik, a dry Riesling. Without hesitation…
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Touring Flat Rock Cellars and beyond
I am standing among large stainless steel drums at Flat Rock Cellars. The air is cool and smells of musty grapes. In contrast to the crisp air, the glass of wine in my hand, the 2017 Twisted, is bursting with luscious tropical fruits like pineapple and guava. It lives up to its nickname “Tahiti in a glass”. I am amazed at the bold flavours in the wine. Tate, my knowledgeable tour guide, tells me the owner carefully choose the specific varietals best suited to their unique plot of land on the Twenty Mile Bench. Three of these varietals (Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Chardonnay) are in this wacky twisted blend. Other Flat…
