This past Saturday I had a chance to join the iYellow Wine Club on a tour of three wineries. We stopped at Peninsula Ridge, Southbrook and Reif. It was nice to be able to hop on a bus and not have to worry about driving around Niagara, especially since I am usually the one behind the wheel on my frequent excursions to wine country. But there is much more to doing this sort of tour than simply having someone be the designated driver. I would highly recommend this sort of tour for people who are interested in getting into wine. The thing about filling a bus full of like minded people (who also, for the most part, don’t know where to start when it comes to wine) is that it really helps de-snob the whole experience. You don’t have to worry about reading labels wrong, pronouncing grape varieties incorrectly, or tasting the wine wrong (Sight, Swirl, Sniff, Sip, Swallow… but to be honest sometimes I prefer simply to say wine goes in herepoints to mouth).
On a separate note, you get A LOT of bang for your buck on these tours. Peninsula Ridge served us a wonderful lunch featuring locally crafted cheeses and locally grown fruit. Southbrook was really the highlight of my afternoon, but it usually is. We got treated to a tour of the production facilities led by winemaker Bill Redelmeier and taste wines right out of the barrel (a Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay). I did not leave empty handed and I would highly recommend to anyone that you check out the 2010 Whimsy! Cabernet Sauvignon Lot I, it comes in at $35.95 but it is well worth the money.
Needless to say I am very much looking forward to the next iYellow event and you should too.
