Great links, and the reasons why.
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My favourite restaurants
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We met Chef Ryan Crawford in his Stone Road Grille days. Now he has his very own resto on the same site. This EnRoute People's Choice Award Winner opened in 2015.
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On the main street in quaint Niagara-on-the-Lake. There is also the nearby The Gate House for events. Entrust your wine selections to sommelier/co-owner James. You'll be delighted.
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Casual in an upscale sort of way. Great stuff coming out of the kitchen of Chef David Watt. Outstanding beer and wine list.
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Chef Erik Peacock raised the bar when he opened his intimate resto in downtown St. Catharines 20+ years ago. Still a must!
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Steve Beckta delivers hospitality to the max. Menu and wine list both more than hold up their ends!
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Super wine list. Great events. Another in the Beckta hospitality family.
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Don't worry about pronouncing it - just enjoy it! The third jewel in Steve Beckta's crown.
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The site of the single greatest dining experience of my life, celebrating my mother's 80th birthday. Where the book on service was written.
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Crowded, run down, rude service. A strange choice for my faves list? Let the owner choose your meal, and you won't be sorry.
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Tiny place so book ahead. We stayed at the Inn - a great mid-week package.
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The absinthe experience is not to be missed.
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My favourite wineries - NIAGARA, ONTARIO
(really hard to keep the list this short!)-
I'm enamoured of their sparkling. This winery has also brought a new respectability to Gamay that is more than deserved!
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Their cellars aren't open to the public except by appointment, and their wines are released twice annually online. (Full disclosure - I help out around Bachelder from time to time.)
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David Johnson and Louise Engel are really good people making really good wine. David's a Grape King AND Winemaker of the Year! (And a client!)
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Tastings are in the warm, welcoming Wine Lodge. Home of the 2012 Grape King.
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They know how to bring food and wine together. Plan to be here around lunch time! Or book a cooking class.
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Buy what you love while you are there, because it will sell out before you get back!
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The original gravity winery in Niagara - I have a real soft spot for this one. It was my "ground-floor" opportunity in the wine biz.
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Primo food and wine destination in the Niagara-on-the-Lake area. Bistro, food shoppe, entertainment. Oh, and the tasting room, of course!
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A very popular stop on the Niagara-on-the-Lake route, this winery offers the friendliest of greetings. Lots of tour and tasting options for all levels of experience. Check out the Outdoor Kitchen in the summer. (Full disclosure, Reif is a client.)
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Proud moment - I helped to create the "customer experience" at this landmark LEED winery, so obviously this one's a must-visit!
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Groundbreaking winery. First LEED-certified winery in the world and first LEED-certified building of any kind in Canada. Perfecting the art of assemblage. Stunnng to look at, and to taste. (Full disclosure, Stratus is a client.)
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Niagara Wine Country hands-on cooking classes. Best kept secret and I'm trying to ruin it!
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Stunning grouping of historic buildings. Love their Riesling and Cabernet Franc. Four Diamond dining. Winemaker Brian Schmidt @benchwineguy is a great follow.
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My favourite wineries - PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY, ONTARIO
(so many more here I need to visit!)-
Vicky and Jonas sparkle, as do the wines they produce.
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Check out the "port." And the dry stone bridge - very unusual.
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Warm hospitality, cool wine. Fun, affordable bubbly. Serious about Pinot Noir.
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TO escapees James, Victoria and Steven are producing wine with great passion.
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Dan and Lynn Sullivan are the salt of the earth. Their wines are the fruit of the earth.
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My favourite wineries
Lake Erie North Shore, South Coast, Napa, Sonoma, Willamette Valley, Argentina, Yarra Valley, Rutherglen, Mornington Peninsula, McLaren Vale, Barossa Valley, Coonawarra, Hunter Valley to come ...