Spring means Rosé in wine country

A sunny April Saturday was all we needed for a day trip to the Niagara Bench area for some rosé and white wine tasting. We explored a new winery and visited some old favourites. I also took the opportunity to play with our new camera. We are still working with the auto setting but it is a start and we will progress from there.

I always find April to be such a magical month. One day we are looking at winter landscapes and magically, overnight, the brown turns green and the trees bloom and completely change the view. I can’t wait to come back in a couple of weeks and see the difference.

When planning a day of wine tasting, limit your choices to 3 or 4 wineries. This allows for plenty of time to properly visit each winery and really enjoy the wine tastings. More than that and my taste buds lose the ability to taste the subtle notes in the wine. As I have stated in previous blogs, I do not critique the wine. Wine is very subjective and what I like may not be what you like and I can’t try them all. I may mention a favourite or comment on my opinion but I have no sommelier training. I either like wine or I don’t.

On this day, we visited 4, 3 actual wineries and the Peller Wine Vintners store in Niagara-on-the-Lake. I was on the hunt for a nice rosé to serve with Easter dinner. I find a good rosé is a nice balance between red and white and keeps everyone happy. The rosés of today are not the sweet wine I remember, they have refined into a wonderful light, dry, easy drinking wine that I find I can serve with anything or just enjoy on it’s own. Don’t plan on saving your rosé it doesn’t really get better with age. Buy it and enjoy it.

Keep reading for my experience on this beautiful spring day.

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Feature Winery

Foreign
Affair
Winery

This was our first time to this winery and we were a little concerned about all the cars in the parking lot, however, upon entering the quiet and surprisingly empty tasting room, we soon discovered that there was an event happening in the back room. A private wine blending workshop with the wine maker. I took a peek back there and it looked very interesting and everyone looked to be enjoying themselves.

Back in the tasting room I was treated to a very informative wine tasting and run down on the history of the winery.

Pay attention to the charming labels. Canadian wildlife superimposed on Italian landscapes painted by a Canadian artist. Stunning.

The winery grounds are another intriguing feature. The winery is situated on the Vineland experimental farm property and the tasting room itself is in the old Stone Fruit research building. Very unique with beautiful old wooden doors and wine racks built behind old library doors. I can imagine the grounds will be absolutely spectacular in a couple of weeks as spring blooms.

The winery was started back in the early 2000’s by Len and Marisa Crispino after they fell in love with the appassimento style of wines while living in Italy. Appassimento is a process where grapes are dried before pressing. They were the pioneers to attempt this in the Niagara region. They imported several varietals from Europe and spent the first few years nurturing the vines until they were happy with the result. They now have quite a selection of reds and whites and I really enjoyed the whites I sampled. I really enjoyed tasting the difference between the 2012 and 2013 riesling. Subtle differences but I preferred the 2013 for every day drinking and would drink the 2012 with a spicy meal due to the sweetness of it.

The Foreign Affair Winery vineyards are located close to the winery property and they also have some acreage up in the Bench area. Their wines are all produced from their own grapes something I often wrongly assume about the Niagara wineries.

Apparently visitors have trouble finding the winery but trust the GPS and when you find the Vineland Research station and government buildings, just look for the signs to the Foreign Affair Winery. Be welcomed by the Moose and enjoy your wine tasting. Don’t forget to take a few bottles home.

Visit their website for more info: Foreign Affair Winery

More Wineries

Megalomaniac

If you want views I suggest you go visit Megalomaniac. Perched on top of a hill, you can see across Lake Ontario and on a clear day, you can see the mist from Niagara Falls. At this time of year, everything just looks a little dull and uninviting but come in the summer and the long driveway is surrounded by green vineyards and blooming trees. The winery is always busy and sometimes you have to fight for a spot around the large tasting bar. While waiting for a spot, admire the charming chandeliers and wood carved benches. The wines are uniquely named and labeled. Take a walk around and admire the creativity. You can probably find a uniquely named wine for a friend. Some examples include Coldhearted Cabernet Franc Ice Wine, Eccentric Savagnin, My Way Chardonnay. They have a good selection of red, whites and rosé. After you have chosen a favourite, take a glass out on the spacious balcony and admire that view. Check them out here: Megalomaniac Winery

Creekside

A very pretty winery that I love to visit in the summer as they have a fabulous back deck with outdoor kitchen where they serve very delicious backyard lunches. Sit on the deck next to the small pond and look out over the vineyards. Just beautiful. At this time of year, you can get a charcuterie plate to enjoy with a glass of wine in their comfortable, cozy tasting room. Staff are always friendly and helpful.

Bring your Tesla and charge it up while you enjoy your wine and your 4 legged doggy friends are always welcome.

I will likely feature this winery later in the year when the kitchen is open.

Find out more: Creekside Winery

Wine Country Vintners

This is not a winery but rather a pleasant store in Niagara-On-The-Lake featuring the wines of Andrew Peller. This includes, Peller, Trius, Gretzky and Thirty Bench. The store offers a collection of the wines as well as glassware, carafes and other wine related items. A lovely wine tasting bar occupies the back third. It was here I tried the rosés from Peller, Trius and Gretzky followed by the Peller Ice Cuvée, my personal favourite of their sparkling wines. I liked all the rosés for different reasons but I took home a bottle of the Peller.

If you are just visiting the town for the day and have no time for a winery visit, make a point of stopping in here. You can also find a store at the Outlet mall.

You cannot visit the Niagara area without tasting the wine.