"WINE YOUR WAY THROUGH NIAGARA"
When I have friends and family visit us in the summer and fall, we love to grab our bikes and "wine" our way around the beautiful area around Niagara On The Lake. The bike paths and flat country roads make it easy to see my area up close and personal.
As you ride your bike down the country roads, you can view the young bunches of grapes basking in the sun waiting to ripen and be picked to become a lovely glass of extraordinary Niagara wine.
One of the most beautiful larger wineries in the area is Peller Estates.
Just off the bike path is the main gate and road that leads you to one of the most lovely of all wineries in Niagara. Surrounded by vineyards, this beautiful entrance welcomes you into the world of fine wine and dining.
Of course, one can't go to visit the wineries without tasting some of the "fruits of their labor."
On Sunday, the wine that Peller Estates offered for free tasting was Sparkling Wine with a hint of ice wine. What a perfect drink for those hot summer nights sitting in your garden.
Niagara on the Lake is world famous for it's Ice Wine and this sweet delight is exported all over the world. Many of the chefs in our area use ice wine in their wine enhanced gourmet dishes.
Chef Jason Parsons is the Executive Chef at Peller Estates. He is a very well known figure in the culinary arts in Canada. He is seen on television regularly demonstrating his artful skill of
cooking with wine and local fresh Niagara produce.
The dining room at Peller Estates is a lovely way to spend a quiet Sunday afternoon. I arrived at the winery early so I could take the pictures before all the diners arrived.
Jason Parsons and Winemaker, Lawrence Buhler have put together some delicious tasting menus both for lunch and dinner. When you leave their restaurant, you have sampled some of the best food of Niagara.
This is where I love to sit, if it's not too hot and humid. I love the dining area on the terrace that overlooks the vineyards. It is a lovely experience for all the senses.
Next weekend, I will be heading out on my bike to show you some of the wonderful smaller wineries. We will have a picnic along the Niagara River with the wine and food we buy along the way and we will gaze across the river to our neighbor, the United States. Because it is Canada Day (our country's birthday) and July 4th (America's birthday), there will be art shows, music and lots of fun activities to visit on our bikes.
Get yourself in shape this week so you can keep up with me next weekend,
and if you don't want to bike, you can sit in my basket.
All photographs taken by Meg Mitchell
