It feels like summer in Southern Ontario. The sun is shining, the flowers are blooming and the air is hot. Perfect weather for celebrating my parent’s 60th wedding anniversary!
We rented a stretch limo and took the family for a tour of the wineries around the Niagara Escarpment. My sister and I had scouted out the area and chose three beautiful locations: Angels Gate Winery, Stoney Ridge Estate Winery and Vineland Estates.
We had chosen Angels Gate because of its beautiful landscape and pond. The pond was filled with frogs and animals which we knew would keep the kids interested while the adults sipped their wine. The estate also had a lovely patio overlooking the vines. Unfortunately, due to traffic, we had to miss this stop in order to keep to our schedule.
TIP: If you’re on a schedule, always build in extra time for QEW traffic.
Our first stop was the privately owned Stoney Ridge Estate Winery which just happened to have a complimentary chocolate, cheese and wine sampling weekend event scheduled. We called ahead to make a reservation for our group of ten. The gardens were lovely and the friendly staff outdid themselves. Three umbrella covered tables in one of the gardens were prepared for us. Mike, our knowledgeable host, paired our wines with three different types of cheese and chocolate. He instructed us on the best way to enjoy the qualities of the white, rose, red and ice wine. Delicious!
Our next stop was the elegant restaurant of The Inn on the Twenty in the town of Jordan. The lush escarpment view from the restaurant added to the pleasure of a good meal.
Our last stop was Vineland Estates Winery where for $3.00 per person you can sample four different wines. Once again, we were surrounded by breath-taking views of the vines and countryside.
One can easily spend a whole weekend in this winery filled area. It’s the perfect place for a romantic weekend or to celebrate a special occasion. For more information check out the Wines of Ontario web site.