How I Found a Winery of Hidden Treasures in Niagara Wine Country
Tawse – Luxury behind a mighty fence
Once you’re in Niagara wine country, after driving for a while, the sight of endless vineyards can get boring. Every once in a while you see a cabin-shaped winery and wonder if this one will be different from the first ones.
Well, this was not the case at Tawse Winery and Vineyards of Niagara Peninsula.
We had just passed another shack-like estate when we saw a large fence marking the entrance to Tawse Winery. Once we entered the gate, a magnificent sight opened up before our eyes. A picturesque pond with manicured grounds, covered in flowers and ornamental grasses, shrubs and other perennials…it was impressive. We grabbed our cameras and started clicking.
After a few minutes of enjoying the grounds, we finally made it to the entrance of the winery, passing all sorts of high-end vehicles parked out front. The building looked modern but very solid with a classic touch. We walked in and…to our surprise the back wall was glass, we saw the steel barrels for wine aging and other winemaking equipment covering about three levels.
The tasting room was up front on the main level. The cashier on the left and the bar in the middle. Well lit, this modern U-shaped bar had several horticultural specialists (or at least very polite servers) ready to serve. More than a handful of wine tasting menus were laminated and spread out on the bar’s counter surface for visitors to study. The price lists were placed up front in their sturdy wooden frames. Don’t choke when you see the prices… but the wines are well worth it.
We decided we won’t buy anything there for now (an average bottle was $60), but will try a few varieties. The two Chardonnays I tried were amazing, as was the Red Zinfandel Ice Wine. We took some more photos inside. I decided to check out the girls’ bathroom just to see if it’s as fancy as the rest of the property. So it was.
After leaving the winery, we drove to the back to take pictures of the magnificent view of endless vineyards, Lake Ontario on the horizon, and the occasional farmhouse roof barely visible among the lush greenery.
We didn’t want to leave. Too bad there is no restaurant on the property. It would definitely do well. The place just screams “luxury”. I would definitely recommend this place to everyone. Let me know how you enjoyed it.