| Two days ago I took our European visitors
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| | Estate Winery, a rather unusual
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| on a little driving tour of the Niagara
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| | combination offering delights for golfing
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| Peninsula, specifically to explore some
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| | and wine enthusiasts. We had a reasonably
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| of the 50 something wineries. My brother
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| | priced lunch of gourmet sandwiches on the
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| is a chef and very interested in
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| | patio, and appropriately strenghtened
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| exploring the authentic tastes and
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| | continued on our way along the wine route
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| flavours of Canada. So far my visitors
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| | towards our next destination: Niagara
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| have been very impressed with the quality
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| | Falls.After arriving in one of the most
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| of the Canadian vegetables, meats,
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| | popular destinations in Ontario, not to
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| spices, and even the various types of
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| | be missed for any traveller to Toronto,
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| beers that they have tried from different
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| | we parked our car on the main parking
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| microbreweries.We got going around 9:30
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| | lot, at $18.00 a little overpriced,
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| am to avoid the brunt of rush hour
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| | although it offered unlimited parking
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| traffic and made our way west on the QEW
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| | until midnight. As we approached the
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| highway on another day of perfect
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| | falls from the south, my guests were
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| weather. We drove through the industrial
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| | astounded at the width of the river and
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| outskirts of Mississauga, Oakville,
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| | the quantities of water that were about
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| Burlington and Hamilton, where they were
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| | to drop down the steep precipice. We
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| particularly fascinated by the huge
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| | stopped for a while at a spot right where
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| industrial complexes of Ontario's steel
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| | the water starts to hurl down the rocks.
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| industry. Just about 20 minutes south of
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| | The amount and force of the water is
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| Hamilton we turned off the highway onto
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| | awe-inspiring, and the thundering sound
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| local Highway Number 8, Ontario's wine
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| | of the falling water provides an
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| route, which follows the outline of the
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| | appropriate backdrop to this natural
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| NIagara Escarpment.Our first stop on our
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| | wonder.The waterfall produced the most
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| wine tour was Peninsula Ridge Estates, a
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| | amazing complete rainbow inside the gorge
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| very impressive winery built around a
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| | that I have ever seen, offering many
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| Victorian farmhouse with several modern
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| | scenic vistas of the Niagara River set
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| buildings that have been added to
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| | against the appropriately named Rainbow
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| faciliate a wine tasting facility and
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| | Bridge which connects Ontario with New
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| gift shop. The wine testing area is
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| | York State.Several Maid of the Mist
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| housed in a beautiful barn-like structure
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| | sightseeing boats holding curious
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| with lots of wood and high ceilings, and
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| | visitors dressed in blue plastic capes
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| all the wines and gifts are presented in
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| | were floating dangerously close to the
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| a very attractive way. My European wine
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| | bottom of the waterfall, providing a
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| conoisseurs tasted 4 varieties of white
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| | great photo opportunity.Naturally, after
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| wine and admitted that they were duly
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| | taking in all these sights we had to take
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| impressed. They commented that some of
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| | in a refreshment and we rested a bit on a
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| the wines had a more distinct flavour
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| | restaurant patio overlooking the falls.
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| than what they are used to back home and
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| | After our brief respite we drove along
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| indicated their surprise at the quality
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| | the scenic Niagara Parkway towards
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| of wines from Ontario. Of course my
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| | Niagara-on-the-Lake, stopping several
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| brother also examined the menu of the
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| | times at various lookout points, such as
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| dining room and confirmed that the
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| | the Aero Car tram crossing the gorge, and
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| establishment was indeed an upscale
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| | the immense power plants located on both
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| gourmet restaurant, featuring finely
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| | sides of the river, generating clean
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| crafted cuisine.We had a beautiful day
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| | hydro-electric energy.The bucolic
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| with absolutely no humidity, so we had a
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| | countryside along the Niagara River
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| clear view of downtown Toronto's
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| | features a large number of wineries and
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| skyscrapers from the Peninsula Estates
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| | orchards and the road is lined with fruit
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| winery. After a little photo tour of the
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| | stands, featuring fresh Ontario produce.
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| premises we made our way to the next
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| | Finally, we parked our car next to a
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| stop: Eastdell Estates, winery located
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| | beautiful park, right where the Niagara
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| high on top of the escarpment with a
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| | River flows into Lake Ontario. By this
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| perfect lookout point. The restaurant,
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| | time, the Niagara River has turned from
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| called the "Bench Bistro" offers simple,
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| | an angry and wild river with churning
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| yet innovative dishes that pay homage to
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| | waters and rapids into a mild-mannered
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| the area's bountiful harvests and local
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| | waterway, ready to merge with on the
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| producers. Reasonably priced, two can
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| | Great Lakes.We had a little stroll around
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| dine, with a bottle of wine, for about
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| | this charming Victorian village, admiring
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| $80 (CDN).Our next stop was a relatively
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| | the beautifully kept houses and gardens,
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| new winery called Angel's Gate Estates,
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| | and since it was getting late we headed
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| with a beautiful main building that
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| | back into the car to continue our drive
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| included a wine boutique as well as an
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| | back to Toronto. The last leg of our trip
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| indoor and outdoor dining area
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| | was a drive through St. Catharines'
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| overlooking Lake Ontario. We did not
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| | beautiful little lakeside village, Port
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| taste any wines here, but definitely
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| | Dalhousie, which on this day featured a
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| enjoyed the view. Again, the facilities
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| | younger crowd than
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| and surroundings hosting the wine tasting
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| | Niagara-on-the-Lake.Filled with a
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| were impressive.Then we headed further
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| | multitude of impressions of this gorgeous
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| south to Vineland Estates Winery situated
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| | day, we arrived back in Toronto, sharing
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| on the slopes of the Niagara Escarpment
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| | our various impressions. My European
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| with Lake Ontario in the distance. This
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| | visitors, who had never been to North
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| winery has sometimes been referred to as
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| | America, were truly impressed with the
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| "Ontario's Most Picturesque Winery" and
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| | Niagara Region and I was glad I was able
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| we certainly enjoyed the location. It is
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| | to give them a little taste of Ontario's
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| another winery that features a restaurant
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| | wine country.Susanne Pacher is the
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| as well as a wine boutique, located in an
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| | publisher of a website called Travel and
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| 1877 historic barn. The boutique features
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| | Transitions( Travel and Transitions deals
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| wines, fine glassware and local
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| | with unconventional travel and is chock
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| preserves, and my European travellers
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| | full of advice, tips, real life travel
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| embarked on their second tasting of the
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| | experiences, interviews with travellers
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| day, this time enjoying both red and
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| | and travel experts, insights and
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| white varieties. The winery offered
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| | reflections, cross-cultural issues,
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| various types of crackers and cheese,
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| | contests and many other features. You
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| combined with grape jellies, providing a
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| | will also find stories about life and the
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| little snack to a group of hungry
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| | transitions that we face as we go through
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| pilgrims on Ontario's wine trail. We also
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| | our own personal life-long
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| noted that the staff in the various
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| | journeys.Submit your own travel stories
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| wineries was extremely welcoming and
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| | in our first travel story contest( and
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| friendly, an impression that got
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| | have a chance to win an amazing adventure
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| reinforced throughout the day.Our lunch
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| | cruise on the Amazon River.
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| stop was at Rockway Glen Golf Course and
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