Thirst Thursday Series Ravine Vineyard

A tour of Ontario Vineyards now who isn’t interested in that??? Kent and i are fans of wine, and vineyards and heck all things wine related. It can sometimes be said that we plan vacations around areas that we know will have Vineyards we can visit because who isn’t interested in Vineyards right?? ( and sometimes breweries but today it’s all about the wine)

Little known fact to many of you I am sure is that Ontario has many world famous wines and vineyards that are pretty spectacular.  My first visit to the Niagara on the Lake/Beamsville/Jordan Areas was 2009, followed by another trip in 2011 and then again this year,  honestly I cannot tell you why I have waited so long to go back ( except maybe the visits to prince Edward County in between).

For 2014 I managed to take a gazillion pictures of the vineyards and I thought over the next few weeks I would educate you on Ontario wines and the Vineyards you should put on your must do lists.

Our 2014 tour starts with Ravine, one of my favourites that I confess I have to visit every time,  seriously there are still a ton of Vineyards I have yet to see but this one…. during our first visit in 2009 they had really just opened the tasting room,located in the 200 year old Loyalist Georgian Wm. Woodruff House

In 2009 they had a small deli catered to by Anna Olsen but in 2011 when we returned there was a full restaurant, so of course our first stop in 2014 was the restaurant. We all sampled different dishes paired with the recommended wine, for me Mussels & Frites paired with the Sand & Gravel Redcoat . Kent went with the Burger paired with the Merlot

After a filling meal we sauntered over to the tasting Room and what a surprise,  not only was the original Tasting Bar still there but they had opened a second tasting room.  ( Sorry I did not get a picture of the room in it’s entirety but the few random shots I did get should give you an idea of the room).  Such a lovely experience, sitting in the 200 year old home tasting wine.

I could not find a picture from 2009 but in 2011:

to today:

Back in the Main tasting area, the random glimpses of by gone eras and what used to be intermingled amoung the wine grown today..

2011:

Today:

Ones experience does not stop at the Tasting room nor in the restaurant, scattered around the property are oicnic tables to allow you to sample a glass of Vino while enjoying the sunshine and the vines. 

It is truly wonderful to watch a vineyard grow in popularity yet still maintain their originality.

Today you may find a few bottles of Ravine at the LCBO but the majority are available only at the Vineyard.

For a full selection of what is available follow this link Ravine Wines. I can promise you will not be disappointed and I speak from experience because we have many of these bottles in our wine cellar. I highly recommend the Sand & Gravel Riesling, the Meritage and the Reserve Merlot. 

Forgive us while we now try and figure out where we should head to next and how best to get there

Next stop, SouthBrook, one we have not yet visited.

Now I am going to go way out on a limb here and do something totally unexpected and not even planned, I am going to ask you if you have any wines posts or stories or maybe just anything booze related to link up with me today heck, even if its a post of the outfit you wore while out drinking you are welcome..

So for now, now rules but it would be great if ya linked back to me, let’s try this out folks.

An InLinkz Link-up