The Restaurant at Peller Estates Winery in Niagara

One of the grand dames of Niagara, Peller Estates Winery holds a special place in my heart as it was the first winery I ever visited. I’ll never forget my parents casually strolling up to the wine bar, eager to sip through Peller’s newest bottles. They swirled their glasses in search of thick legs, followed by a sniff, chew and sip of a luxurious liquid I was only just beginning to wrap my head around. My teachable tastebuds were experiencing a budding enthusiasm for oenophilia.

After spending a warm summer morning peddling your way through Niagara on the Lake’s postcard-perfect wineries there’s no better way to celebrate an inspiring cycle than by tucking in to a wine-sloshed lunch at one of the best Niagara on the Lake winery restaurants.

The white tablecloth-adorned restaurant is lauded as one of Niagara’s top drawer fine dining rooms, featuring an elegantly appointed golden interior reminiscent of sweet honey and clotted cream. The restaurants most coveted space on a sun-soaked afternoon? A pretty al fresco patio decorated with freshly bloomed flowers which overlooks row after row of dangling grapes.

Chef Jason Parsons FeastOn approved menu ebbs and flows with the bounty of each season. The kitchen sources 65% of its products from Ontario and 98% from across Canada. Chef Parsons also takes trips to the winery’s own farm, a small organic outfit just 3kms up the road, allowing his culinary brigade to swap out freshly plucked fruits and vegetables for signature dishes based on what’s ripe and ready. One week the creamy house made ricotta may be adorned with snap peas, while later in the season you might encounter a ruby red beet.

Wag your finger down the menu and you’ll see that resident Winemaker Katie Dickieson has thoughtfully paired her wines with each dish. Sit back and relax as a parade of pretty plates sails out of the kitchen and plops under your nose. That sweet sound of fine wine sloshed in the glass – music to my ears.

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