This weekend Spencer planned a fun little trip up to Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario to go wine tasting. It’s only about an hour away from Buffalo so it makes for a really fun day trip. It’s a nice getaway that makes you feel like you’re somewhere far away without actually being that far away. The border can sometimes be a hassle, but very rarely have we had a problem, not even while crossing with a case of wine in our trunk!
Our first stop was at frogpondfarm Organic which was situated in a rustic setting with chicken coops and sheep abound (we even saw a yak!). There we sampled organic wine and grape juice and learned that they were the only certified organic winery in Ontario. We also learned that the name was significant for clean living because frogs need clean water and air in order to live. Pretty interesting! Next we visited Between the Lines. They’re still pretty new, but the tasting room was nicely done in a converted barn and had a rustic, yet modern feeling to it. We sampled a few of their wines and purchased a nice Merlot-Cab blend. We also learned the meaning behind their name, which had absolutely nothing to do with flipping the bird as I had originally thought. Ha! It’s actually just about their geographic location in the Peninsula. After that we stopped at Diamond Estates which we’ve been to several times before. Spencer really enjoys the Dan Aykroyd wine that they sell there and I enjoy the large variety of tastings available. There we found out that 2007 and 2010 were the best years for wine the in area, which would explain why he wasn’t as fond of the 2008 Cab Shiraz as he was the 2007 version. Next we stopped at Hillebrand which was the fancier of the wineries so far. Tastings cost $7 for three, which seemed overpriced compared to most other places, but they did refund you if you bought a bottle. That being said, the wine there was just okay. It all tasted very bitter to me and we opted against purchasing any. This was the only winery we didn’t buy a bottle from. The last stop on our tour was to Jackson-Triggs which was by far my favorite. The building itself was really architecturally interesting and the staff that worked there were super friendly and not snobby at all. For $5 we were able to take a tour of the facilities (pictured above), taste four samples of wine and get $5 off our purchase. Needless to say we ended up leaving there with three bottles and big smiles on our faces.
Overall it was a really fun Saturday and I’m so proud of my hubby for taking the initiative to plan something different.
the kitchen creative 