One would think that January in Niagara would be dull with nothing much to do but stay warm and wait for spring. That is certainly not the case anymore. I have started to really look forward to January because there seems to be all sorts of things cropping up each year.
The Niagara Wine Festival Discovery Pass is good for all three weekends and I honestly like to pace myself so we stop at just a few wineries each weekend. I love the feeling of not being rushed and being able to stop and chat to everyone and savour the experience.
The first weekend we concentrate on Twenty Valley home to Winter Winefest in downtown Jordan and Ontario VQA wine sub appellations, Beamsville Bench, Short Hills Bench, Twenty Mile Bench, Lincoln Lakeshore and Creek Shores.
We’ve chosen carefully, we’ve read the Icewine Festival Guide and we have planned our stops. Our first stop is at Mike Weir Wines where the Yellow Pear and Scratch Bakery are serving food.
Next we move on down the road to Fielding Estates Wines. We are in luck as our gracious host Heidi Fielding is there to say hello.
We haven’t been into the new retail space at Megalomaniac since the renovation was finished. It certainly doesn’t disappoint with just the right amount of opulence and glamour. They are serving three different icewine martinis because you can’t have just one.
Winter Winefest’s Icewine Village in Jordan is like the fun little sister of the festival. Here you will find music, a European outdoor market style setting, one pot cooking challenges, barrel rolling, wine, food and even a Speak Easy after party. This year they had a sold out dinner and brunch with Chef Lynn Crawford. Here no one takes themselves too seriously but they don their parkas and Sorrels and celebrate wine and winter. This particular event just gets better and better and I honestly can’t wait to see what they do next year to top this one!
One weekend down only two more to go!
culinaryniagara 