Niagara Falls Wine Tasting – Out With Ryan

Niagara Falls Wine Tasting - Out With Ryan

Looking for information on Niagara Falls wine tasting? Or are you looking for reasons to go wine tasting in Niagara on the Lake? Well, you’re in luck!

The natural wonder of Niagara Falls is so close to fabulous Niagara wine country! Like literally a 20 minutes drive and BAM… Niagara Wineries! The best way to experience Niagara Falls wine tasting is by driving / taking a wine tour to the wineries in Niagara-on-the-lake!

The Niagara Peninsula is the largest wine region in Ontario! It’s also one of the most popular destinations for tourists and even local Canadians to spend a night or weekend! I find there’s no better way to really taste an area then to drink local wine grown in the area.

From the unique stories of how the wine is made to actually tasting the wine, your time in this Niagara region will truly be one to remember after every sip of wine & knowledge!

Oh, and please remember, don’t drink and drive. There are many locally organised tours that will allow you to sample a generous amount of wineries if you don’t have a designated driver!

By Ryan – Full Story at Out With Ryan

Niagara Peninsula Gay Travel Resources

 

Inn the Woods – Hyde Park Gay Friendly Bed & Breakfast

Inn the Woods

Welcome to “Inn the Woods” Bed & Breakfast in Hyde Park, New York. Located central to Antiques, Culinary Institute of America, Franklin D. Roosevelt Home & Library, Eleanor Roosevelt’s Valkill and Vanderbilt Mansion and the Hudson Valley Great Estates Region.

Discover our wineries, trails, pick-your-own orchards, Drive-In movies and the Dutchess County Fair. Convenient when visiting area colleges: Bard, C.I.A. Marist and Vassar. Sitting on the balcony amongst the tree tops you hear a creek rushing over rocks, birds chirping and squirrels running through the leaves.

Breathing deeply you smell the smoke of hardwood burning in the fireplace. The smoke rises through the tree tops and you follow it into the darkening evening sky. The moon and stars are brighter than you can remember. You take another deep breath, you realize you’ve forgotten the rigors of the day and let yourself relax.

In the morning you will rise to the rich aroma of fresh brewed “Inn the Woods” special blend coffee. Then making your way to our sunlit dining room, you find your full breakfast elegantly served.

See the Inn the Woods Expanded Listing on Purple Roofs Here

Hudson Valley Gay Friendly Bed and Breakfasts, Hotels, and Vacation Rentals

Lesbian Travel: Niagara-on-the-Lake

Niagara-on-the-Lake

When we travel, we always go where the glass is half full. Of our favorite wine. In Niagara-on-the-Lake. Now that fall’s almost here, there’s always a wine tasting available – and a cute little B&B or inn nearby if you have time to spend the weekend. Talk about the perfect girlfriend getaway.

If you’re a wine-tour groupie like us, we’ve got the 411 on planning a customized wine tour and tasting in Niagara.

“With scenic vineyards and gorgeous wineries, Niagara-on-the-Lake is a popular destination for wine lovers during the summer months,” says Marcel Morgenstern, a Sommelier and national sales manager at Pondview Estate Winery. “With new wineries opening every year, there is never a shortage of things to do or vineyards to explore. Niagara-on-the-Lake’s convenient wine route offers the perfect opportunity to make the most of your vacation.”

Grab Your Maps and Choose Your Wineries

With almost 100 wineries in the Niagara region, you’ll have to employ strategic thinking when planning your route. Marcel offers the following tips for making the most of your wine tour. Just remember to designate a sober driver – or hire a taxi – for your adventures.

Sonoma Wine Country's Gay Wine Weekend

Gay Wine Weekend If you have a passion for food and wine, we have found the event that will have you drinking straight from the source. Enjoy three days of exploration in the majestic Sonoma Wine Country, located just 45 minutes north of San Francisco. Out In The Vineyard, a Sonoma-based LGBT Tour & Event Company, produces the annual Gay Wine Weekend. Immerse yourself in the culture and lifestyle of Wine Country living and make friends for a lifetime. Think Gay Ski Week, but for wine! This year marks the fifth year that Gay Wine Weekend will take place; attracting people from all around the country to partake in VIP Wine Receptions, Winemaker Dinners, Winery Tours, a brunch and Wine Auction, along with a pool soiree and some very fun after parties! The signature event of the weekend is the hugely successfully Twilight T-Dance, where guests dance through the magic hour of the summer sunset and into the evening, literally Out In The Vineyards of Sonoma Valley Wine Country! This year at Sonoma’s iconic Chateau St. Jean Winery, located in the heart of the bucolic and historic Valley of The Moon.

Full Story at Passport

Sonoma Gay Travel Resources

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Marlborough is All About the Wine, Right?

Marlborough

Wrong, wrong, WRONG!!

MarlboroughMarlborough is certainly famous for its sauvignon blanc. Yes we are by far the largest wine producing region in NZ and Marlborough sauvignon blanc in all its wonderful forms is lauded throughout the world. At Na Clachan we think Marlborough sauvignon blanc is so good we wrote a song and video extolling its virtues. It’s a tongue in cheek celebration of Marlborough’s best known export. (https://youtu.be/wur8yctcQKs) But despite the dominance of vineyards in the Wairau and Awatere valleys let’s put the winemaking into perspective. We have about 25,000 hectares (62,500 acres) of grapes which is 250km2. Marlborough comes in at a whopping 12,484 km2 so only about 2% of Marlborough’s total land area is used for grapes. So we have plenty of space to fit in a range of activities and attractions. Take a few days in Marlborough and enjoy the wide variety of activities and attractions it has to offer. Let’s start with walking. With a land area that large there has to be some great walks around. True. Perhaps the best known local walk is the world famous Queen Charlotte Track (http://www.qctrack.co.nz) which runs 70km from Ship Cove to Anakiwa in the Marlborough Sounds. There is a huge range of options from walking one-day sections of the track, to completing the full length with camping, backpacker accommodation or luxury lodges. Perhaps one of the great attractions of the track is the option of having your pack transported between accommodations to save you some weight on the day’s walk. Out of the high season you can also use this as a mountain bike track. MarlboroughIf you fancy something a little more remote head out into the Richmond Ranges with its network of tracks and DOC huts (http://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-recreation/places-to-go/marlborough/places/mount-richmond-forest-park/). I have spent several days in the Richmond ranges and on some occasions have not seen any other walkers. If you’re feeling energetic you can climb to the top of Richmond, Fishtail or Mt Riley where you will be rewarded with views of the Sounds, Wairau Valley and to the North Island. Another personal favourite is the Saw Cut gorge walk with its spectacular narrow gorge cut into the limestone. It’s a surreal experience walking through here, but don’t attempt it after heavy rain. If a gentle stroll is more your kind of walk there are plenty of 1 – 2 hour walks to chose from in both Picton and Blenheim to choose from. MarlboroughOr perhaps messing about in boats is your thing. The Marlborough Sounds have one tenth of NZ’s total coastline with a maze of sounds, inlets and bays. You can book a fishing charter, take a Mail Boat cruise, go dolphin watching or visit Motuara Island bird sanctuary to see little blue penguins and saddlebacks. Marlborough kayakMore the independent type? Why not hire a kayak for a few hours and explore the Queen Charlotte or Pelorus Sound? If you can’t decide between the boat and the walk, you can combine the two by taking the water taxi to a drop off on the Queen Charlotte Track, having a walk and being picked up from another bay. Arts and crafts more your line? Marlborough is home to many artists, potters, wood workers and multi media artists. Many welcome you to their studio if you give them a call ahead of time. On Saturdays in the summer you can catch up with some of the local crafts at the Artisan’s market. Take a stroll through Pollard Park and the botanic gardens, or visit the Marlborough Museum. The Wairau Bar on the coast east of Blenheim is the site of the earliest known Maori settlement in the South Island. There are several golf courses, a new swimming complex, squash courts, mountain bike trails, ten pin bowling, tennis courts, croquet lawns, multi-screen cinema and a theatre. Marlborough Omaka Heritage MuseumThe Omaka Heritage Museum (http://www.omaka.org.nz/index.htm) is a treasure trove of WW1 planes and artifacts in stunning settings. You don’t need to be a plane enthusiast to enjoy the stories of pilots, designers and engineers. The museum houses Sir Peter Jackson’s private collection and the tableaux are created by Weta Workshops. While we are on the subject of museums, take a visit to the Edwin Fox in Picton. She is the world’s second oldest surviving merchant sailing ship and is also the only surviving ship that transported convicts to Australia. (http://www.edwinfoxsociety.com) Marlborough spaBut perhaps all you want to do is pamper yourself at one of the spas around Blenheim and then maybe head out for an alfresco vineyard lunch. There is plenty of choice, many with stunning vineyard settings, a focus on local produce and great wine to accompany your meal. Marlborough wine tourOf course, if you are a wine drinker, no trip to Marlborough is complete without a wine tour. Marlborough Na Clachan CottagesNa Clachan (http://www.naclachan.co.nz/marlborough-wine-tour/) offers a range of half and full day tours with the option of a at a vineyard restaurant lunch. Your guide (Chris or Helen) will tailor the tour around the tastes and requests of the group. Its not just about tasting wine – your guide will fill you in on the history, the stories and the people who pioneered wine making in Marlborough. We may be newcomers to the wine world with a short history, but there are plenty of stories to share along with the wines. Although sauvignon blanc is the main varietal here you can expect to be tempted with chardonnay, riesling, sparkling wine, gewurztraminer, pinot gris, pinot noir and more. Pace yourself though, it can be an exhausting experience!

Article By Helen Redshaw
Visit the Na Clachan Cottages Website

Marlborough Gay Travel Resources

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