Mom-Daughter Date in NOTL + GIVEAWAY w/ Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake

 

If you’re looking for a beautiful way to spend some quality time with your mom or motherly figure in your life this Spring, the Niagara-on-the-Lake (NOTL) region would make a fabulous choice.  Thanks to our friends at Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, I enjoyed the most wonderful experience with my own mom last year, so here are some suggestions for a great way to spend your Mom-Daughter Date in the gorgeous town of NOTL. (Stick around til’ the end, we’ve got a fabulous giveaway for you to enjoy or gift!).

*This post has been sponsored by Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, meaning we received product and/or compensation for this review.  As always, opinions are my own*

Suggested Mom-Daughter Date NOTL Day Trip Itinerary:

Just an hour and half south of the Toronto area, we headed toward NOTL bright and early to catch the first signature wine trolley tour of the day we arranged with Vintage Hotels.  We parked at the Prince of Wales hotel where the trolley would pick us up from and enjoyed a full day of responsible winery-hoping aboard their old-fashioned, tram-style mode of transportation.  Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake also has a preferred listing of partners to arrange responsible winery visits.

We got to visit four fabulous wineries that day and our tastings all covered by our Winemakers’ Selections Tasting Pass from Wineries of Niagara-on-the-lake, which for one convenient price allows you to savour 26 carefully selected terrier wines from member wineries all year round.

Our first stop was Pillitteri Estates Winery – family-owned and operated by three generations of the Pillitteri family, it has become the largest estate producer of Icewine and has been recognized worldwide with over 1,000 awards.  Not to be missed – a stroll through the barrel cellar, which showcases suspended, stainless steel chairs and a monolithic concrete table you’ll learn has rich family history and symbolism for the Pillitteri family.

Next, we headed to MaryNissen Estates located on the Four Mile Creek at the base of the Escarpment.  It’s home to the oldest commercial planting of Cabernet Sauvignon in Canada and has earned numerous accolades.

Our third stop at Reif Estate Winery was a total treat, boasting one of the most sophisticated tasting room experiences in Niagara and a beautiful sensory wine garden to sip & soak in some zen at the same time.

 

Finally, a stop at one of my favourite vineyards my mom had never been to – Chateau Des Charmes.  Pulling in you feel as though you’ve been teleported to another land all it’s own, with the stunning, grand chateau set among 35 hectares of pristine vines and gorgeous rose bushes.  This family estate winery was founded in 1978 by Canadian wine-industry visionary Paul Bosc, and continues to innovate with pioneering viticulture research and growing grapes on it’s own farms using sustainable farming techniques.

I stocked up on one of my favourite white wines unique to this winery and perfect for pairing with lighter fare while dining al fresco this Spring/Summer – the Aligote

The touring trolley brought us back to the main strip of NOTL, where a stroll down Queen Street to catch a glimpse of horse-drawn trolleys, take snaps among the gorgeous blooms that drape the entirety of the sidewalks and a visit to the quaint shops are a must.

A visit to this region wouldn’t be complete without sampling the farm-to-table cuisine, so a late lunch at highly recommended (and usually fully-booked) Treadwell off the main strip was delectable, and the service fabulous.  You can make your reservation online in advance of your NOTL visit.

A final treat before we bid farewell was a pit stop at Il Gelato di Carlotta to enjoy their authentic & delicious gelato made just outside of Milan, Italy and a cheeky nod to my Italian roots (we have a cousin named Carlotta :))

By fluke happenchance, we did a detour on our way home, and stumbled upon this hidden sunflower field.  While it made for a beautiful photo opp, I’m kind of glad I forget where exactly it’s located.  It would be a shame to have this one spoiled as some were last year by eager Instagrammers.

I’ll be returning to NOTL with my mama for another fabulous experience with our friends at Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake this month, getting to enjoy a pairing of grilled food with a premium VQA wine from over 20 wineries with their ‘Sip & Sizzle’ event passes.  We think this would be a wonderful way for you to enjoy time with a special mom figure in your life too, so Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake is generously gifting one of you (2) passes to enjoy the Sip & Sizzle event the whole month of May, meaning you can return multiple times & no need to cram it all in one visit! (Enter below).  Even if you don’t win this, an experience gift to any of Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake events would be a terrific way to indulge your loved ones all year long!

Other suggestions to make the most of your mom-daughter experience:

1. Tack on tickets to a show at one of NOTL’s first-class theatres;
2. Hop over the Canada-US border for some retail therapy; or
3. Visit one of the amazing spas while you savour & digest the vino & delicious eats from your Sip & Sizzle experience!  One of my favourites HERE.

NOTL is the perfect spot to enjoy an unforgettable mom-daughter experience and we hope you found our suggestions on ways to enjoy it to the fullest.  Grab a handy printable map of the fabulous Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake before you go!

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Love & light,