The Upper Portion of the Beamsville Bench Vineyard Trail

Published on October 18, 2013May 19, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Beamsville Region/Grimsby, Out and About

In July a friend and I set off on the Beamsville Bench Vineyard Trail but it was so hot, we only completed the “Lower Loop”. (See my July 20, 2013 blog post about it.)

So, a few weeks ago, on a glorious autumn weekend I set out to walk the “Upper Loop”, which isn’t a loop per se. According to the trail map, the upper portion includes Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery, The Organized Crime Winery, and Fielding Estates Winery.

I decided to start at the top, so I parked at Fielding Estates. It so happened that weekend was one of the Niagara Wine Festival weekends, so the place was hopping, which is always nice to see. Fielding sits high atop the crest of a hill and from the top looking down toward the vines I easily spotted the unmistakeable yellow diamond Vineyard Trail marker and I headed toward it.

Once I hit Locust Lane I couldn’t see any trail markers on The Organize Crime Winery’s property. So, rather than roaming through the rows of vines I decided to stick to the road. I figured if I didn’t see a trail sign, eventually I’d end up at Hidden Bench’s main driveway, which is what happened.

Hidden Bench was a beehive of activity, with about a half dozen folks sorting just picked grapes. It was fun watching them and knowing that the grapes were full of the summer sunshine and that before long the summer’s work would pay off in the form of the next vintage.

I popped into the tasting boutique to see what was going on and to find out where I went wrong on the Vineyard Trail. It turns out the reason I didn’t see any trail signs from Fielding Estates to The Organized Crime Winery was because they had been taken down. Apparently The Organized Crime Winery has decided to pull out from the trail, leaving a bit of a gap.

Since I had left the car at Fielding Estates, I asked at Hidden Bench if the trail continued back through their vineyard toward Fielding. I was told that it does, but because they were picking that day, they didn’t want visitors walking around back there. So, they directed me across a different (un-marked) part of their property and, though I was frustrated, I went the way I was told to.

I found it frustrating that none of the information about the trail indicates that they don’t want people on it at what seems like the best time of year – the autumn. Perhaps they’ll make that a bit clearer so that folks visiting can plan accordingly.

Kid Friendly

Published on September 10, 2013May 19, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Miscellaneous Musings

I don’t have children, so maybe I shouldn’t admit this – but I’m surprised at how many wineries are kid friendly. It’s not that I figured wineries are like bars because they serve alcohol, so it’s not the kind of place you’d bring children. It’s more that I thought it might be kind of boring for kids to be brought to a winery.

Well, through my many winery visits, I’ve come to realize that many winery owners are parents – and grandparents – and so they’re tuned into what it takes to entertain children while their parents are enjoying their winery visit.

The first thing I noticed, for example, at Black Bear Estate Winery was a sign urging people to slow down and drive carefully as there are grandchildren around. And out back at Cooper’s Hawk there’s a swing set that Tom O’Brien’s grandkids enjoy, as I’m sure other kid-size visitors do. Sally Peck of Sugar Bush Vineyards keeps a stash of dinosaurs that she says are Very popular with certain pint-sized visitors. Fielding Estates also prides itself on being Kid Friendly.

So – if you’re like me and assumed visiting Ontario Wineries is pretty much an adults only activity – think again. Or, to put it another way – if you’re interested in exploring Ontario Wineries and you’ve got the kids in tow, don’t worry – chances are there’s lots to keep the wee ones busy while you enjoy other pleasures the wineries have to offer.

Just Back from the Shores of Erie International Wine Festival

Published on September 8, 2013April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Lake Erie/Pelee Island Region

On Friday night I was at the Shores of Erie International Wine Festival (SOE for short), in Amherstburg, Ontario.

The SOE is a four-day festival showcasing wineries from the so-called EPIC region (Essex, Pelee Island, Coast) along with food prepared by well-known restaurants from the area and live bands.

This year is the 9^th edition of the popular festival, with tickets selling out in advance for the Friday and Saturday festivities. The festival is on the grounds of historic Fort Malden, which overlooks the Detroit River.

The crowd on Friday night was big, but it didn’t feel crowded because all the wineries had two booths and there were plenty of tables of all sorts where folks could sit and socialize. It was clear that many of the people there make it an annual event – a place to go with friends and enjoy great wines and tasty food at reasonable costs.

To get wine you purchased poker tokens for $5. A 5 oz. glass of wine was 1 token at all the wineries, and entire bottles were 5 tokens. You paid for food directly at the individual booths.

App Update Coming Soon!

Besides going to the wine festival, I also stopped in at some EPIC wineries I hadn’t been to before and I’m working on entires for those wineries. So, watch for an update of the App soon!

The Gossip on Stone Church – It’s Small Talk

Published on August 29, 2013April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Niagara-on-the-Lake Region, Winery-specific News

On a recent visit to Niagara-on-the-Lake I set out to find Small Talk Vineyards . As I headed along Lakeshore Road I saw the sign for Irvine Road and I thought, “Oh, Small Talk must be near Stone Church, which should be right around here”. When I saw the sign for the Stone Church Warehouse Outlet, I figured I was right.

But I became quite confused when I saw the Small Talk Vineyard sign on what I thought was Stone Church’s property. I pulled in and headed into the winery’s boutique. As soon as I saw the bright green painted wine barrel I realized something was different. I had seen a bunch of brightly coloured wine barrels along the edge of the vineyard property – they’re quite whimsical and hard to miss – and here was one in the boutique.

The confusion was put to rest when I spoke with staff who explained that Stone Church has re-branded and it is now Small Talk Vineyard. The Hunse family still owns the winery, but they’re shifting their focus to producing VQA and so they decided to re-brand.

The transition is on-going but they’re welcoming guests, so be sure you stop in and see the redesign – and try some of their VQA wines.

Shores of Erie International Wine Festival (Sept. 5-8)

Published on August 13, 2013April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Events and Festivals, Lake Erie/Pelee Island Region

It’s rare that I plan wine-related travel much in advance, but I’ve just confirmed my plans to attend the Shores of Erie International Wine Festival in September. I’ve heard lots of good things about the annual four-day event in the Lake Erie/Pelee Island Region and so I’ve decided to check it out. (The fact that tickets for Saturday, Sept. 7th are already sold out is a sign of just how popular the event is.)

According to the festival web site there will be 23 Ontario winery booths and 26 restaurants. Among the wineries that will be there are the following from the EPIC (which stands for: Essex/Pelee Island/Coast) region:

Aleksander Estate Winery,
Colio Estate Wines,
Cooper’s Hawk Vineyards,
CREW (Colchester Ridge Estate Winery),
D’Angelo Estate Winery,
Erie Shore Vineyard,
Mastronardi Estate Winery,
Muscedere Vineyards,
North 42 Degrees Estate Winery,
Oxley Estate Winery,
Pelee Island Winery,
Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery, and
Viewpointe Estate Winery.

I’m looking forward to the festival and to revisiting the region. (While I’m out there I’ll also take the opportunity to stop in at a few of the wineries that I’ve not yet visited, so keep your eye out for an app update with the new entries shortly after I return.)

So — if you’re wondering what to do the first weekend after Labour Day — why not head toward the western end of Lake Erie and check out the Festival. It runs from September 5-8 but tickets are selling fast, so make your plans soon.

For more information (and to order tickets) check out the festival website: www.soewinefestival.com/

See you there!

GreenLane Estate Winery’s New Location

Published on July 30, 2013April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Vineland/Twenty Valley Region, Winery-specific News

I was driving along King Street in Vineland (near Cherry Avenue) in June and I noticed a sign announcing that GreenLane Estate Winery would be opening soon — it was on what used to be Wayne Gretzy Estate Winery, for those of you who remember that. Anyway — I was in the area last week and noticed that the sign said GreenLane is now open, so I stopped in to see it.

GreenLane has remodelled the place — brightened it up — and have settled in. Though they still own the property down on Green Lane (near the QEW), their new location: 3751 King Street, Vineland, is where their tasting room is now located.

August 17, 2013 they’re hosting a music night featuring a bluegrass band, so if you’re looking for an excuse to visit, that would be a terrific time to see their new digs.

Touring Tawse Winery

Published on July 26, 2013April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Vineland/Twenty Valley Region, Winery-specific News

Tawse Winery in Vineland has been named Canadian Winery of the Year by Wine Access Magazine for three years in a row. So, when I had plans to head toward Niagara this week, I contacted Laurie McKenzie, Hospitality Coordinator at the winery, to arrange a tour.

Because it was late in the day and mid-week, I was treated to a one-on-one tour. Bianca started me off with some of their 2012 Grower’s Blend Rosé, which I was invited to take with me on the tour. (I don’t tend to order rosé, but after tasting this one, I’ll re-think that. It was a luscious blend that was like biting into the tastiest strawberry you’ve ever had.)

I knew that Tawse is certified organic and biodynamic, so I didn’t need to see any of the sheep as proof. (Indeed, I didn’t see any sheep – they were off somewhere else in the sprawling vineyard. Only the chickens were around.) My main interest that afternoon was learning about the six-story gravity fed process they use. To get the full effect, Bianca walked me up and around the back of the sloping property to the crush pad.

On the way we stopped to admire the view. It was a lovely clear day, so the view of the lake and Toronto in the distance was spectacular.

Though it seems high on the hill, the crush pad is basically “at ground level”. The winery production facilities are stepped down from there, which means they don’t have to use any pumping to move the wine through the production process. Eliminating the pumps means there’s less manipulation of the product, and generally less aeration.

The tour takes you through the different floors (levels) of the facility and through the barrel rooms. One of the interesting things Bianca pointed out in the barrel room was that each barrel is marked with the vineyard the wine is from (Tawse has a number of different properties and they also get some grapes from other growers). As well, for the wines that are from certified organic vineyards, the barrels are clearly labelled as such.

The tour brought us back to the wine boutique for some additional sampling and final questions.

After touring and tasting, it’s easy to see why Tawse Winery is so popular and acclaimed.

Beamsville Bench Vineyard Trail

Published on July 20, 2013May 19, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: Beamsville Region/Grimsby, Out and About

Yesterday — one of the hottest days of the summer — a friend and I set out to walk the new Beamsville Bench Vineyard Trail. The trail, which was funded by the Friends of the Greenbelt Foundation and the Beamsville Bench Winery Association, opened June 1, 2013. The trail has two distinct segments that join six Beamsville wineries. The “Lower Loop” is a very easy walk that joins Rosewood Estates Winery & Meadery, Angels Gate Winery, and Thirty Bench Wine Makers. The trail is very well marked and this particular loop takes you directly through the rows of vines. It’s a terrific way of getting a close-up look at the trellising systems, the vines and, of course, the grapes.

You can leave your car at any of the wineries and you can also pick up a trail map at all of them. We started at Rosewood and when we set out we looked at our watch to see how long it might take to hike the loop. Of course, as soon as we got to Thirty Bench we popped in — to cool off — and to try some of their newly released Riesling and Rose — and to shop a bit.

After that, we headed back out to the trail and forgot to look at our watch. But, the Lower Loop is a pretty walk and really, the point of the trail isn’t so much about hiking, it’s about stopping in at the different wineries for tasting, buying, and enjoying!

Because it was so hot, we decided we’d leave the Upper Loop (which includes Hidden Bench Vineyards & Winery, The Organized Crime Winery, and Fielding Estates Winery) to another day. (I’m thinking it’d be especially lovely in the fall…)

In addition to the two “loops” of the trail, there are also two side portions — the Angels’ Walk Side Trail and the Bruce Trail Side Trail, which we’ll no-doubt check out too.

Watch for the latest App update!

Published on June 27, 2013April 20, 2014 by Ingrid Sapona Category: App Info, Miscellaneous Musings

I’m just putting the finishing touches on over a half-dozen new entries and so the App will be updated in the next few days — so watch for it. Because we use dynamic updating, most updates don’t go through the iTunes App store (which means there’s less delay).
You can always tell that the App information has been updated because the next time you open it you’ll be asked if you want to update the content. Then — when you say “yes!” — the new content will download and you’ll be up-to-date.

So — keep an eye out in the next few days for the update and let me know what you think!

Ontario Wineries Guide

Your Guide for Exploring Ontario's Wine Regions