On the Road with the Grape Guy
Days of Wine & Chocolate 2017 (NOTL)
28 Feb 2017- Details
- Category: On the Road with the Grape Guy
There was a time during these Niagara-on-the-Lake events when I would rush to every winery to try every single pairing in the hopes of garnering a top 10 list – then as I aged I realized there were things I just didn’t like: chocolate and orange (sorry Small Talk), chocolate and spice (sorry Stratus) or any long complicated names that made the tongue twist just trying to say them (sorry Strewn) … and thus the culling of the herd began.
I want to enjoy the experience of the Days of Wine & Chocolate, not rush through it … so over the years, the wife and I started to get selective with our choices of venue – picking stuff we liked the sound of and were in agreement that it sounded “try-worthy” (instead of choking down chocolate covered orange peel and nodding how good it was but secretly wanting to spit it out the moment we got to the parking lot) …
With all that said we stopped by a dozen wineries during the Days of Wine and Chocolate and these were our top 5 taste sensations – in no particular order.
Coyote's Run: 2013 Black Paw Cabernet Sauvignon paired with a dark chocolate and bacon brownie
Niagara College: 2011 Dean's List Meritage paired with a milk chocolate and coffee brownie bar
Pillitteri Estates Winery: 2013 Cabernet Merlot paired with a dark chocolate cup with milk chocolate mousse
and Cabernet Merlot raspberry compote
Pondview Estate: 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon, Bella Terra, paired with succulent ribs
smothered in a delicious chocolate concoction
Riverview: 2013 Pinot Noir paired with season pulled pork on a chocolate crustini
with chocolate balsamic drizzle
And the days best wine goes to ...
Trius 2015 Gamay Noir