(More) Snapshots from Sip & Sizzle

Published on May 19, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Niagara-on-the-Lake Region

I was at Sip & Sizzle in Niagara-on-the-Lake again on Saturday. (Hats off to the NOL wineries for making the passports valid on any of the event days and for making them transferrable — that way you don’t have to feel that to “get your money’s worth” you need to stop in to an unreasonable number of wineries on one day or on one weekend! You can double your pleasure by spending time in NOL on different May weekends.)

There’s one more weekend for Sip & Sizzle 2014 and if you haven’t yet been to any of the participating wineries, here are some photos of what you’re missng…

Reif’s Taste the Terroir Experience

Published on May 16, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Niagara-on-the-Lake Region, Tasting, etc.

As I noted recently, last Saturday a girlfriend and I were taking in Sip & Sizzle and one of our stops was Reif Estate Winery. The winery was hopping but the tasting room/retail area was large enough to handle the crowd, and they had plenty of knowledgeable staff on hand.

To round out our day, we had booked a formal tasting with Archie Hood, one of Reif’s sommeliers. I’ve had the pleasure of being guided by Archie on a tasting at Reif before and I thought my friend would enjoy it. Reif has a few different tastings to choose from and the one we were doing was Taste the Terroir.

The formal tastings are set up on the back side of the tasting bar, which is nice because you have a bit of privacy to chat with Archie, but at the same time you have the relaxed buzz of people enjoying the winery. Archie started by explaining that we’d be sampling four wines paired with four different Ontario artisanal cheeses. The wines – the 2010 White Meritage (paired with Mountainoak Wild Nettle Gouda), the 2011 Chardonnay Reserve (paired with Gun’s Hill Farms’ Five Brothers, which is kind of a gouda/Swiss blend), the 2010 Merlot Reserve (paired with Thornloe Cheddar), and the 2012 Vidal Icewine (paired with Glengarry Celtic Blue Reserve) – were chosen because they’re representative of the terroir on which Reif’s grapes grow.

Archie gave us very specific instructions about the process he wanted us to follow in terms of tasting the wines and then the cheese – I’m not talking about the usual directions about holding up the glass and looking at the colour, then swirling it to open the bouquet, then smelling the nose, and so on. First we were to take a sip of the wine. Then we were to take a nibble of the cheese, chewing it for about 10 seconds. We were to then leave the cheese on the roof of our mouth and then take another sip of the wine, noting how the taste of both had transformed.

I don’t mind telling you I found the process a bit challenging and it took me a few tries before I got the hang of it. (My friend either fared batter, or was too embarrassed to admit finding it tricky.) As we proceeded through the flight, Archie explained different things about the wines, the cheeses and the science of what was going on with our taste buds and about why we were noticing different things. He was also more than willing to answer all matter of questions. For example, I asked about the selection of glassware, especially the fact that the Chardonnay was in a balloon glass.

The most delightful part of the tasting was the Ah-Ha moments each of us experienced. My personal Ah-Ha came when I had a mouth full of wine and cheese and I was clearly trying hard to notice the taste differences and Archie pointed to my mouth and encouraged me to swish the wine around. (I had kind of just been holding it in my mouth.) I did as he said and – oh man – what a difference! After swallowing I commented on it and Archie knowingly nodded. I knew immediately that this new “technique” (however simple it is) is something that would change my way of enjoying wine. Talk about a terrific learning experience!!

My girlfriend’s Ah-Ha moment came when she tasted Reif’s Magician, which Archie served us after learning that my friend and her family normally drink reds. The Magician is a Pinot Noir-Shiraz blend (60/40) with 30% of the grapes kiln dried. The way my friends face lit up on trying the Magician was nothing short of (pardon the pun) magic. When I saw her reaction, I had to spill the beans to Archie: I knew my friend liked reds but that she had a bias against Ontario reds. When she announced she’d be buying some to take home to her family, I knew that she was going to have to re-think her moratorium on Ontario reds. Talk about gratifying…

When we finished, I thanked – Archie for turning what could have been a very straightforward wine and cheese tasting into a memorable experience that I’m sure both of us will remember for a long time.

P.S. Don’t Forget: Sip & Sizzle continues this weekend and the last weekend of May!

Spring Fever Meets Sip & Sizzle

Published on May 11, 2014May 19, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Niagara-on-the-Lake Region

A friend and I were down in Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOL) for Sip & Sizzle yesterday and it was obvious we weren’t the only ones who were so happy to finally see the first sings of spring! The weather was lovely – breezy and mainly sunny – and the fruit trees and forsythia have just started to bloom. We stopped at about a half dozen wineries (there are 26 participating in the passport event) and everywhere we went the wineries were hopping – it was SO nice to see.

The Sip & Sizzle event was clearly a draw – and rightly so. The food and wine pairings were truly inspiring. At Reif Estate Winery, for example, it was quite amazing how well their 2012 Empress (unoaked) Chardonnay paired with the mussels – if you don’t believe how the great pairings of food and wine bring out the best in both – Sip & Sizzle will convince you. (Another one of our favourite combinations was at Ravine Vineyards – they were serving the 2011 Sand and Gravel Cab Franc with a grilled lamb kabob.)

While Sip & Sizzle might have been what brought people out – it was clear that it wasn’t just a case of eat and run. People were taking their time to stop and enjoy other wines – sampling different new releases and old favourites. My friend and I also had a wonderful tutored Terroir Tasting at Reif with Archie Hood, one of their resident sommeliers – I’ll do a blog posting about that soon (no time today, as it’s Mother’s Day) – it was so much fun and quite memorable – so stay tuned for that.

Anyway — if you don’t already have Mother’s Day plans, or if you’re looking for something to enjoy with your Mother – head out to a few wineries, where spring is (finally) in bloom!

Sip & Sizzle – No Strategy Needed, but…

Published on May 6, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Niagara-on-the-Lake Region

A girlfriend and I are headed down Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOL) this weekend for Sip & Sizzle and I can’t wait! It’s a new event with 26 participating wineries serving passport holders one of their VQA wines paired with sampling fresh off the grill (hence the sizzle).

We’re only going down for the day, so we’ll only have time to stop at five or six wineries. Fortunately, the event takes place every weekend in May so I’ll probably pop back down there later in the month to take in some others. This particular friend isn’t that familiar with the wineries down there and so I’m in charge of planning the day.

I’ve come up with a few different strategies and I’ll let her choose. Here are the ideas I’ve come up with for organizing the day:

By colour: I was looking at the list of what wine each winery is serving and I was pleasantly surprised by the split – looks to me like 12 are serving whites, 9 are serving reds, and 5 are serving rosés. Since rosés are such a terrific summer sipper, it’s tempting to focus on rosés, with a view toward picking up some bottles for sharing with friends over the summer. On the other hand, the list of whites being poured include some wines my friend might not be familiar with, or maybe is especially fond of – so that’s another option. Of course, if she’s looking forward to firing up the BBQ for some burgers, brats, chops, or steaks, maybe she’ll want to find a few reds to take home for enjoying with her dinner guests.

By Location: Planning the day based on a particular route may sound odd, but it is really fun. You’ll put your day in fates hands in terms of the wines and food you’ll sample, but in doing so, I’m sure you’ll discover lots of new favourites. The wineries in NOL tend to be clustered and so it’s really easy to hit five or six that are all near each other. For example, you might try wineries along the Niagara Parkway, or on Niagara Stone Road (aka Highway 55), or along the Lake.

By what they’re grilling: If you’re into grilling, or if you’re looking for new ways of serving some of your favourite BBQ foods, why not pick the wineries based on what they’re grilling up? You might be inspired to try different recipes this summer and you’ll find some great wines to serve with your summer BBQ creations.

By wineries you’ve never been to: Unless you’re a regular (or you’ve written a winery guide), chances are there are at least a handful of wineries in NOL that you’ve not stopped at. Well, why not use Sip & Sizzle as your reason to try those wineries you’ve never been to before.

By favourite: If you’ve got some favourites – and most of us do – Sip & Sizzle is a great way to reconnect – see how they fared during the winter, raise a toast to their wines, and see what they suggest goes well with something on the grill.

Sip & Sizzle is happening every weekend in May (Fridays-Sundays 11-5 p.m.). Passports are $43+HST ($35+HST for designated driver passports). You can order them on-line and pick them up at the Chamber of Commerce in downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake, 26 Queen St.

Special App Promo on Now!

Published on May 1, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: App Info

Download the Ontario Wineries Guide for FREE on iTunes from May 2-4, 2014.

Please help spread the word – mention it on your Facebook page, Tweet about it, put it on Google+, mention it in an e-mail – or just good old word-of-mouth.

The App is freshly updated – with over 230 entries and 950+ photos, it’s crammed full of useful information about all there is to see and do at Ontario winerie.

And if you like the App, rate it on iTunes. How? From the main screen of the App (before you view a specific entry) you’ll see a Comment button on the lower right corner. Tap the comment button. That takes you to another screen where you see a “Rate on iTunes” button on the upper right. Click that (choose 4, or say, 5 stars!) and feel free to say you think this is the best travel app in the known world!

Terroir – a County Wine Celebration is Early this Year!

Published on April 19, 2014April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Prince Edward County Region

Terroir is a Prince Edward County (PEC) event in the charming Crystal Palace in Picton. A friend and I attended last year and had a terrific time. Most of the PEC wineries are there, as are some local restaurants and food purveyors, and it’s a great way to kick off the summer.

It’s normally on the Saturday after Victoria Day, which means the County’s lilacs are in full bloom and riding around the County is even lovelier than usual. Since Terroir is on the Saturday, if you go to the County for the weekend, you have all of Sunday to stop in at wineries before heading home.

Well, this year it seems they’ve moved the event up to the beginning of May – Saturday the 3^rd, to be exact. This change came to my attention last week when I was updating the app and I noticed that Keint-he Winery & Vineyards mentioned on their website that they’ll be at Terroir on May 3^rd. When I read that, I honestly thought the date was a mistake, so I checked Terroir’s official website and saw that it wasn’t a typo. I don’t mind saying that I’m kind of bummed out because I won’t be able to attend on May 3^rd.

When I saw Bryan Rogers of Keint-He at the OWS 5 Star event last week I asked him about it and he said that the Terroir organizers (and apparently he’s one of them) moved Terroir up because they want a bit of time between Terroir and the County’s well known Great Canadian Cheese Festival, which is always the first weekend in June. Rogers also noted that they’ll see how it goes this year, and they may move the data again – until they figure out what works best.

Anyway – the date for 2014 is set – and it’s right around the corner (Saturday, May 3, 2014 from noon to 5 p.m.) – so start making your plans. Tickets are the same price as last year: $35 in advance and $40 at the door (if still available). I’m sure it’ll be a terrific event – and I guess those who are lucky enough to attend will just kick off their summer a bit early – nothing wrong with that!

Easter Dinner at a Winery?

Published on April 12, 2014April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Dining

Don’t feel like cooking this Easter? Why not celebrate Easter at one of 20+ Ontario wineries that have restaurants – most of them will feature special Easter menus.

For a list of wineries with restaurants, check out the Dining at Wineries category in the App.

Brix … but really?

Published on April 8, 2014April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Miscellaneous Musings

When I dropped in at North 40 Degrees Estate Winery last fall owner/winemaker Martin Gorski was measuring the sugar content of some of his grapes using a Brix Refractometer. I had always wanted to see how you use one, and he showed me. Very cool, I thought.

Well, last week I was leafing through one of the new Lee Valley catalogs when a “Sugar Tester” caught my eye. Sure enough – it’s a Brix Refractometer! Though I do find the topic of Brix quite fascinating – since I don’t grow grapes, I can’t imagine what use I would have for one. (I’m sure I fall within Lee Valley’s demographic – why else is there one on the trendy King West strip in Toronto!)

Anyway – based on the description, the Brix Refractometer “… can be used to judge when fruits and vegetables are at their peak for harvesting. … Very useful…” Damn, I thought maybe I could use it to test for the ripeness of the melon or pineapple I’ve got in my fruit bowl.

That said, it does look cool – and if you can’t have a vineyard – for $59.00 you can at least have some of the gadgets…

Something different for a change?

Published on April 1, 2014April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Miscellaneous Musings

The California Wine Fair 2014 is coming to Ontario this week – it’ll be in Ottawa on Friday, April 4 from 7-9:30 p.m. at The Westin Ottawa and in Toronto on Monday, April 7 from 7-9:30 pm. at the Fairmont Royal York.

Apparently this is the 35^th annual tour and it will feature wineries from all of California’s major wine-growing regions. I’ve been to this event in the past and it’s always fun – a great chance to try varietals that we don’t find often here (I’m looking forward to some California Zins) or compare how your favourite varietals do under the California sun (or drought?).

You can get more information – including a list of participating wineries (an impressive list with over 85 wineries) – and purchase tickets on their website.

See you there!

Your Guide for Exploring Ontario's Wine Regions