Ice Wine Festival, Niagara, Ontario

Last weekend, we took Sawyer along for a little excursion to Niagara-on-the-Lake to case out the annual Ice Wine Festival.  What a superb way to experience the delicate & ultra-sweet flavour of Ontario ice wine.  

Our first stop was the Chateau des Charmes winery on the outskirts of town.  Sawyer needed to stretch and have a romp in fresh snow.  While Papa W popped in the winery to stock up on a 2008 Gewürztraminer  and an estate bottled 2007 late harvest Riesling, Sawyer and I explored the vineyards backing on to the winery.

Mommy's favorite grape!

We ended our adventure by visiting Southbrook Vineyards.  Sawyer was content staying in the car while we explored the choices of wines.  This minimalistic wine boutique offered three unique ice wine tastings for a nominal fee of $3. For $10, one could pare the tasting with a fresh ice wine whipped in ricotta cheese in a cannoli...  How decadent!   We treated ourselves to a bottle of 2005 Vidal ice wine which is temptingly chilling in the fridge as we blog....hmmm

A Berner Christmas

We're a little late for this post, our excuse being that Sawyer was away enjoying New Years with his foster family in the Haliburtons (stay turned for that blog!)

Sawyer thoroughly enjoyed his Christmas - let the photos speak for themselves.

(they made me wear this...geesh!)

(WOW Santa, for ME?)

Lazing on the porch after an amazing ground lamb Christmas dinner.  Thank you Santa!