Well, our midsummer detox came to an end last weekend thanks to a tour of the Niagara wineries. The detox went quite smoothly, and we felt great in terms of energy, no cravings and fantastic internal plumbing, but it definitely was nice to end it with some wine tastings in the company of good friends.We took the Niagara Wine Route to try out a few wineries, including Frog Pond Farm, which is small, but is the only certified organic winery in Ontario and uses green electricity. They have a selection of organic reds and whites, a Riesling icewine, as well as pure organic grape juices.
Two other amazing wineries we visited used a gravity-fed process, which, as far as I understand, prevents oxygen from being introduced during the more conventional pumping, leading to a better quality wine. Flat Rock Cellars was incredible as was Tawse Winery. Flat Rock had amazing Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gewurztraminer. Tawse wines have a higher price point, but many of them are not only organic, but also biodynamic wines, such that they are chemical-free and incorporate sustainable farming methods. Definitely worth mentioning the very nice Sketches Chardonnay and the full-bodied Meritage from Tawse.
I am definitely no sommelier (but am a seasoned beerelier) but I think almost everyone leaves Niagara with a renewed appreciation for wines and the uncanny ability to pick up notes of tobacco, mushrooms, and butter in their next glass of wine.
