Stephanie's Wine Tour in Niagara County

Stephanie and her group could not have picked a better day for a wine tour. It was warm and sunny with a pleasant breeze.

After picking up the group of 17 in Buffalo, we headed for the Niagara Wine trail, which has really become popular as of late. I believe this is for 2 reasons; 1-the trail has successfully marketed itself to the Buffalo region and 2-the proximity to Buffalo is close , plus there's no need to deal with the border.

Our first stop was the Honeymoon Trail Winery on Ridge Road in Lockport. This is a pleasant winery with a very homey atmosphere in the main tasting room. Our group purchased more than a case of wine here. We also posed for an outdoor picture, as seen in the slide show above. Next we headed North to Marjim Manor in Appleton. Although the Bittner family does not actually make wine at this location, their wines and juices are made from local fruit. If you're looking for some unique vintages, try the wines made from apricots, cherries or apples--you won't be disappointed. Another differentiator of Marjim Manor is the resident ghosts. On this tour Margo Bittner entertained us with specters that are thought to frequent the manor (do spirits enjoy spirits?). The house and grounds have a storied past, which is well worth a visit.

We stayed the longest at the Freedom Run Winery, and for good reason. Their tasting facility boasts a set of luxurious leather couches that envelope you. The interior design of the winery is by far the best on the Niagara Trail, providing a spacious, contemporary venue for tasting. Our extremely friendly guide for today was Kurt. Kurt had the knowledge of a professor and the demeanor of a laid back grad student. His colorful vocabulary helped bring out the subtleties and nuances of each wine. He was engaging enough to captivate everyone of our 17 guests, which is no small feat. The winery is also a showplace for art by Sean Manning, which you have to see to appreciate.

Our last stop for the tour was the Niagara Landing Winery. The atmosphere here is much more 'country' when compared to our previous stop. When I've visited here before, several small airplanes were parked around the perimeter of the parking lot. Unfortunately, there were no planes available on this day. The wines here are uniformly good, with the fruity Boxer Blush receiving an exceptionally warm reception from our group. It is also wonderful to see this winery's brand of Ice Wine which proves that we can do what the venerable wineries of Germany and Ontario can do.

All in all, a great day to be out with a great group of people. If you're interested in scheduling a winery tour, we can help. Head over to our main web site or call 716-835-4997 to schedule your winery trail tour.

Hillary's Wine Tour May 2008

This winery tour was picture perfect, and we have the pictures to prove it. The group was celebrating Hillary's bachelorette party. Friends and family decided that a winery tour aboard a Buffalo Limousine Limo Bus was a great way to travel in style.
We could not have asked for a better day. The sun was out and there were no delays at the border. We targeted wineries along the Lakeshore in the Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) area and were able to visit four of them.

Our first stop was Stone Church Winery. We were able to have a tasting room set aside exclusively for our group. This was a relaxed environment in which we could taste and learn.
Our second stop was the venerable Konzelmann Winery. Hillary was treated to tasting the wine from a special crystal slipper. The staff here were loads of fun and kept our spirits high. The winery is quite picturesque and provides a viewing platform for better appreciation of Lake Ontario. We saw a four- masted schooner on the water, as well as an impressive lake freighter.
Not too far away, the Strewn Winery offers a connoisseur's delight. Strewn is a respected winery cooking school as well as a traditional winery. Strewn offers hands-on winery cooking classes in a beautiful contemporary facility. Our guide took us to the barrel cellar, treating us to a 'behind the scenes' tour of wine making.
The wonderful people at Palatine Hills Estate Winery greeted us at the last stop on our busy tour. For many years Palatine produced grapes, but did not make wine. Now they craft award winning wines and provide grape juice to home brewing enthusiasts.
Then it was back aboard the Limo Bus for the ride home. All the best of luck to Hillary and her sister Aubree in the upcoming months. thank you for choosing Buffalo Limousine for your bachelorette winery tour. I hope you had as much fun as I did.

Niagara Guides Now Available

Just in time for Spring, a new Niagara Visitor's Guide is available. The new publication will be given away at key gateway areas to Niagara, as well as through a US-Canadian distribution in newspapers. Here's more on the guide:

“Niagara Seasons” and “Les Saisons” guides highlight Niagara accommodations, Niagara-on-the-Lake wine tours, and so much more! Niagara Falls, ON – April 22, 2008 -Tourism Niagara, a division of Niagara Economic Development Corporation, is delighted to announce that the 2008/2009 edition of “Niagara Seasons” and the 2008/2009 “Les Saisons” are available for visitors looking to experience the best of Niagara Falls, Ontario. The attractive guide highlights Niagara as a destination with experiences that cater to many different interests. The guide has a special emphasis on popular Niagara Falls attractions and services such as the Niagara on the Lake Heritage District and Niagara hotels. The annual visitor guide features articles on topics such as Natural Outdoors with the Welland Canal and Niagara River; Food, Wine & Drink with Niagara-on-the-Lake wine tours; Niagara’s Culture and History; Fun with the Family; and Shopping & Antiquing such as at the Niagara falls outlet mall. This year the magazine’s Festivals and Events section has been expanded with more than 100 events from all of Niagara’s communities.

There are two ways in which you can order a copy of the guide. Call 1-800-263-2988 or contact Gateway Niagara via e-mail at gateway@tourismniagara.com . The publication is free. As always, consider using Buffalo Limousine to take you to all the exciting places and events in Niagara including our winery and scenic tours.

Niagara Wine Tasting Events

Looking for something unique to do in May? Buffalo Limousine suggests that you check out the Wine and Herb Festival going on at select Niagara-on-the-Lake wineries. We'd love to take you there in a sedan, limousine, or limo bus driven by one of our chauffeurs. See below for more information on the festival:

WINE AND HERB FESTIVAL
Four weekends in May
May 3/4, 10/11, 17/18 and 24/25, 2008
11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Enjoy these Wine and Herb pairings (available only to pass holders):

Marynissen Estates Winery 2003 Cabernet and Oregano Niagara College Teaching Winery 2006 Gewürtraminer and Cilantro Palatine Hills Estate Winery 2007 Chardonnay and Parsley Peller Estates Winery Ice Cuvée and Chervil Pillitteri Estates Winery 2006 Pinot Grigio and Fennel Reif Estate Winery 2006 Gamay Rosé and Lavender Stonechurch Vineyards 2005 Shiraz and Garlic Chives Strewn 2006 Cabernet Rosé and Caraway Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery Strawberry Wine and Mint Cattail Creek Estate Winery 2007 Sauvignon Blanc and Savory Château des Charmes 2006 Aligoté, Estate Bottled and Thyme Coyote's Run Estate Winery 2007 Unoaked Chardonnay and Lemon Basil Hillebrand Winery 2006 Trius White and Tarragon Inniskillin Wines 2004 Inniskillin Reserve Pinot Noir and Dill Jackson-Triggs Niagara Estate Winery 2005 Proprietors' Reserve Meritage and Sage Joseph's Estate Wines 2005 Riesling and Lemon Grass Konzelmann Estate Winery 2006 Shiraz and Basil Lailey Vineyard 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon and Rosemary

Advance Ticket Price: $25 until April 30; $30 as of May 1. Plus applicable taxes.
Tickets may be ordered online at www.niagaraonthelake.com or by calling 905.468.1950.