Molarchae and I (and maybe a couple other Toronto people) will be up doing some winery hopping either Saturday April 16 or Sunday April 17. Buffalo folks and others who are within driving distance...want to join us?

EDIT: 20 March, 2011, 13:24 PDT

The date has been finalized to Saturday, 16 April. We still need to pick a start time and location. Chime in below, but I'm going to suggest 11am at Harbour Estates Winery in Jordan Harbour. Just off the QEW about 20-25 min into Ontario.

Yes! Crossing the Queenston/Lewiston Bridge is on my list of things to do!
klezman +2 (maybe 3)
bawhm
ddeuddeg
tiger7610
justinrsanderson

Maybe crossing the Rainbow Bridge
cheron98

Now is the time to switch bridges and stake your claim to wineries to visit! If we start at Harbour Estates, we can either head west/Toronto-wards or head back towards Niagara-on-the-Lake along the QEW and pick and choose as we go.

Possible wineries (mostly places I've never been):
Pilliterri
Stonechurch
Palatine Hills
Frogpond Farm
Cave Spring
Flatrock
Rockway Glen

Wineries to not visit:
Inniskillin
Hillebrand
Jackson-Triggs
20 Bees (unless they have Lakeview Cellars to taste)

Get some wineries on the list, veto some if you like (but please don't veto Pilliterri...we may not go but I don't want to exclude them up front.)

I'm in, I think. What wineries?

We'll be at church Sunday AM, free around noon. Saturday should work all day. Love to join you.

ddeuddeg forgot to mention that the 16th is my b-day! We could do touring on Sat. and then pop over to Stone Road Grille for a really nice dinner and wine pairing opportunity.

bahwm wrote:We could do touring on Sat. and then pop over to Stone Road Grille for a really nice dinner and wine pairing opportunity.

I guess I assumed that part would be obvious enough.

ddeuddeg wrote:I guess I assumed that part would be obvious enough.

Dare I assume that's on Niagara Stone Road?

Dinner in Niagara vs. heading back to Toronto will need to be a later decision, since parents and family may also want to see us. If we can wrangle that time, though, it sounds delicious and it'd be great to have some leisurely time with you guys.

Would love to join you! Assuming work doesn't get in the way. Again.

w.w GTG's go international!!! Cool! If it wasn't Palm Sunday, I'd really think hard about joining you all!

cjsiege wrote:w.w GTG's go international!!! Cool! If it wasn't Palm Sunday, I'd really think hard about joining you all!

PM for you.

Bumpity bump bump!

Only winery I definitely want to hit is Pillitteri. It'd be strange if I went to Niagara and didn't go there. Other past favourites in no particular order: Stonechurch, Reif Estate, Palatine Hills (had a long talk with the owner last time...nice guy), and that's all that's coming to mind at the moment. It's been so long since I've gone I don't remember all of them.

I'm a maybe, it will depend on what else is going on this weekend. Is there a chance to carpool with some Buffalo folks?

Oh, let me get in touch with my cousin and see if he's performing that weekend (stand-up comedian), maybe we can get in for VIP seating or something

... He is unsure, generally doesn't get booked until much closer to the date, so he'll let me know as the date approaches. If he ends up having a show on the 16th, wanna go? Usually later at night, so it could be after dinner.

Bump. Can't fall off the page!

Agreed, so do we have any more definite plans for this gathering, because its looking more and more like I will be able to make this gathering but not the June buffalo gathering.

tiger7610 wrote:Agreed, so do we have any more definite plans for this gathering, because its looking more and more like I will be able to make this gathering but not the June buffalo gathering.

All that's really left to do is pick whether to do Saturday or Sunday and also pick a starting location. I suspect Sunday will work better for me, but that's not definite.

tiger7610 wrote:Is there a chance to carpool with some Buffalo folks?

Should be able to.

klezman wrote:All that's really left to do is pick whether to do Saturday or Sunday and also pick a starting location. I suspect Sunday will work better for me, but that's not definite.

I personally would prefer a saturday, because I have an early morning class on monday, and would prefer not to try to drive back 3 hours after a day of wine touring, but you are the organizer so its up to you.

klezman wrote:All that's really left to do is pick whether to do Saturday or Sunday and also pick a starting location. I suspect Sunday will work better for me, but that's not definite.

I'd prefer Saturday, but that's just me. Easier for me to take off after work Friday to drive out there, hang with you all on Saturday, then drive back Sunday afternoon.

'Course, that's if I actually go. I hope to, and I'll be near the end of my psycho crazy diet thing, but still on it, so I won't really be able to do much besides hang with you all.

I vote Saturday.

Seems like a landslide vote for Saturday. That'll be slightly more difficult for us since we're not arriving to Toronto until 8pm or so Friday night. But I will investigate...especially the part about having somebody else wanting to come who also has a vehicle

klezman wrote:Seems like a landslide vote for Saturday. That'll be slightly more difficult for us since we're not arriving to Toronto until 8pm or so Friday night. But I will investigate...especially the part about having somebody else wanting to come who also has a vehicle

Don't forget: you'll still be on California time on Saturday!

bahwm wrote:Don't forget: you'll still be on California time on Saturday!

Which will make waking up to get to Niagara for 10am even more fun!

klezman wrote:Which will make waking up to get to Niagara for 10am even more fun!

I'm sure after a morning of coffee and some wine you will be bright awake. Do we know what wineries we might be hitting?

tiger7610 wrote:I'm sure after a morning of coffee and some wine you will be bright awake. Do we know what wineries we might be hitting?

Off the top of my head, and it being since July 2007 since I was last there, I'd say: Pilliterri, Stonechurch, Palatine Hills, Rief Estate, and Joseph's Estate are all good candidates. I am also a fan of Lakeview Cellars, but I think they changed name and they're farther up the bench towards Beamsville. In Jordan, Harbour Estates and Cave Spring would be my automatic picks.

klezman wrote:Off the top of my head, and it being since July 2007 since I was last there, I'd say: Pilliterri, Stonechurch, Palatine Hills, Rief Estate, and Joseph's Estate are all good candidates. I am also a fan of Lakeview Cellars, but I think they changed name and they're farther up the bench towards Beamsville. In Jordan, Harbour Estates and Cave Spring would be my automatic picks.

We'd like to visit a some wineries where we have not been. Pilliteri and Rief are excellent choices but ones that we have visited recently. That is not to say that they are not worth visiting. They definitely are!

klez, it's probably time to edit the first post and set up the "official" format so that we can see who is really coming at a glance.

bahwm wrote:klez, it's probably time to edit the first post and set up the "official" format so that we can see who is really coming at a glance.

You're right...done. Or at least it will be in a few minutes.

I'm in, I'm actually planning to drive up on friday I was wondering if bahwm and d-dog have a guest bedroom that I can sleep in, and if I can carpool with the buffalo people on saturday?

tiger7610 wrote:I'm in, I'm actually planning to drive up on friday I was wondering if bahwm and d-dog have a guest bedroom that I can sleep in, and if I can carpool with the buffalo people on saturday?

You are welcome to stay with us for this gathering and also to carpool with us.

I'm in. Room for 1 more in D&B's car? Can meet near the bridge, maybe the outlet mall?

Just me, Katy doesn't have a passport/enhanced license.

justinrsanderson wrote:I'm in. Room for 1 more in D&B's car? Can meet near the bridge, maybe the outlet mall?

Just me, Katy doesn't have a passport/enhanced license.

Dude, you have to provide for your woman! What'll happen if she wants to go to a concert in Toronto and she doesn't have a passport or card? I know, miss the concert.

We should have enough room for you. We'll work out details later.

BTW, sent you an email yesterday.

justinrsanderson wrote:I'm in. Room for 1 more in D&B's car? Can meet near the bridge, maybe the outlet mall?

Just me, Katy doesn't have a passport/enhanced license.

I got my enhanced license fairly fast, I think it only took a couple of weeks, you might want to look into that and see if you can get it.

Bump! Come on join us people it will be fun, and it might even be spring then.

I'm sitting here staring at the snow and wondering how i'm going to drive back to syracuse tonight

justinrsanderson wrote:I'm in. Room for 1 more in D&B's car? Can meet near the bridge, maybe the outlet mall?

Just me, Katy doesn't have a passport/enhanced license.

I got mine back when they were all the rage of being new and everyone was applying all at once for them.

2 weeks later it was in hand. Take her down to DMV and get her the enhanced license. 20 minutes at DMV, 2 weeks, and she'll be set. Just go like NOW.











Why are you still here? Go!

Oh and I can guarantee you I won't be crossing the Rainbow bridge. Or the Peace Bridge. Or the Lewiston Bridge.

The Blue Water Bridge - now that's a different story Pretty sure I'm coming, and will stay in Canada. I don't feel like crossing the border multiple times.

Hey guys! Check out this offer on Living Social: Eveningside Vineyards. I just bought one. If three more buy it, I get mine for free! Use the link above. Might be fun to check out the Niagara Trail (state-side along the Southern Shore of Lake Ontario). They are developing some decent wines up there--about 45 min. - 1 hour from us.

Hey tiger, PM for you!

bahwm wrote:Hey tiger, PM for you!

I saw and will reply tomorrow swamped today with preparing for exam

As you may know, this week is Restaurant Week in Western New York. ddeuddeg and I went to a fairly new restaurant in the area called Dick and Jenny's. They serve New Orleans style food. Actually, they had a restaurant in New Orleans and then, Katrina hit. They had family up here and started a restaurant on Grand Island. We each tried different dishes on their tasting menu and wine pairing. Each dish was excellent.

They make everything in house and have what looks to be an excellent breakfast menu. They start serving at 8 AM. What do you guys think about heading there for breakfast before our tasting up in Niagara?


EDIT: darn woot filters!