Charming Niagara-on-the-Lake

If you would like to travel back in time, even if it is just to pretend, I would recommend visiting Niagara-on-the-Lake, a pretty, little town nestled in the corner of the Niagara Region in Ontario. Yes, it is but a 20-minute drive from the bustling city of Niagara Falls, but the moment you arrive, it will feel like you have been transported back longer, not just in distance, but in also centuries.

The well-preserved Heritage District most feels like a movie set for a period film – stately Victorian redbrick buildings, gorgeous mansions, manicured lawns, arbour-framed streets, boulevard gardens and cast-iron planters bursting with colourful blooms, window boxes overflowing with herbs and flowers, old-fashioned boutiques, whimsical shops, antique stores, art galleries, charming cafés, and even horse-drawn carriages occasionally plying its quiet streets.

Standing there makes it so easy to imagine 19^th century folks coming out of one of the old-time buildings’ doors – ladies in their resplendent long gowns and bonnet hats, and gentlemen in smart suits, high-waisted trousers, and top hats. It took a honking red sports car speeding by to make me realize I was still in the 21^st century.

In addition to the old-town charm, this place also sits on the shores of Lake Ontario, at the mouth of the Niagara River, thus, bordered on both sides by waterfront. How charming is that?

My friend and I took my aunt there right after our Niagara Falls jaunt, and like me, she instantly fell in love with the place. I even told my friend that if I decide to retire in Ontario, I would choose to live there. Then I recalled what another friend, who was from around this area, had told me a few months back. She said there is a thing called, “The Niagara-on-the-Lake Effect,” which is hard to describe, but could be likened to a feeling of being strongly drawn to the place to the point of intending to linger or stay forever. At that point, I understood what she meant, because I felt it. It was a place where time stands still and one can savour the good things in life from the “good old days” in a perfect setting.

We bought English muffin sandwiches, hash browns, and coffee from the local Tim Horton’s early that morning because we had to be at a winery by nine o’clock and could not linger over breakfast at one of the quaint cafés in the neighbourhood. Nevertheless, we, at least, ate our fast-food meal in style. We walked to the Queen’s Royal Park and munched on our Timmy’s breakfast sandwiches under a gazebo overlooking Lake Ontario. We watched some Canadian geese splash in the waters and some early-morning runners do their work out. It was the best Tim Horton’s breakfast combo ever – sandwich, hash brown, coffee, and a picturesque lake for less than five dollars!

We walked around the area for a bit and checked out a few shops. We passed by the Shaw Festival Theatre and I was reminded that Niagara-on-the-Lake is also known for its world-class theatre productions performed across three theatres (the other two are the Royal George Theatre and the Jackie Maxwell Studio Theatre).

It also hosts the annual Shaw Festival. Inspired by Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw, this festival is considered one of North America’s finest cultural attractions and brims with an eclectic array of quirky comedies, bold dramas, and sweeping classics. The season, which runs from April to October every year is mounted to stimulate interest in George Bernard Shaw and his period, and to advance the development of theatre arts in Canada.

It is unfortunate that we did not have time to watch a play. I was active in the theatre arts during my high school and university years, first as a performer, and later on shifting to backstage work when I realized it was more enjoyable and fulfilling for me. My aunt, on the other hand, used to be a high school English literature teacher before she moved to the corporate world. This was an activity we could have both enjoyed.

But there was another side to Niagara-on-the-Lake that was waiting for us to discover – its greater wine region bordered by the Niagara River, Lake Ontario, and the Niagara Escarpment. Beyond the town, this pristine countryside is dotted with vineyards with sun-drenched rows of grapes and close to 40 wineries that turn these lovely grapes into some of the best wines in the world and pair them with delectable food served in their in-house restaurants.

Premium quality grapes flourish around this region due to the warming and cooling influences of Lake Ontario, as well as its proximity to the Niagara Escarpment. It is said that here, you can find the same high-quality wine comparable to those from world-class regions such as Burgundy, Oregon, and New Zealand, with of course, its own distinctive characteristics.

Apart from the internationally-renowned reds and whites, such as Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays, Rieslings, and Cabernet Francs, the region boasts of its specialty – the ice wine.

Some of the world’s best ice wine is known to come from Canada, particularly the Niagara region in Ontario where the below-freezing weather conditions in the winter provides the best conditions for this special wine. Ice wine is characterized by high sugar and acid and is concentrated with rich, delicious flavour.

This is achieved by leaving the grapes on the vine until they reach a sustainable temperature of -8 Celsius or below, at which time they are hand-picked and pressed before they thaw. They are normally more expensive than traditional wines due to the immense effort that goes into their production (Can you imagine harvesting the grapes in the thick of winter?).  They are also typically sold in smaller or thinner bottles. They are used as dessert wine, to be enjoyed on their own, or to be paired with fresh fruits or sweet treats such as dark chocolate.

My friend booked us a tour and a wine-tasting session at one of the most popular wineries in the region. It was early in the morning, so apart from us, there was only one other party participating (I guess it was too early in the day for most people to be sipping wine). The tour included a walk-about in their vineyard, their state-of-the-art wine production facility, and their traditional barrel cellar. The wine-tasting included a sampling of four premium VQA wines, featuring exclusive vintages, and of course, their award-winning ice wine.

My aunt was not a wine person. Growing up in the Philippines, wine was not really part of our dining table. The Chinese side of my family drank tea, while the Filipino-Spanish side were partial to sweet beverages like fruit juices and sodas. When I was a university student, my beverage of choice was flavoured coffee, which stretched all the way to my days in the television industry. I drank wine only at parties and formal dinners.

When I moved to Canada, I developed an appreciation for wine when I met friends who were fellow foodies. I discovered that the food experience could be enhanced when you find the right wine pairing. And when I married my husband whose family has European roots, wine had become a regular part of our table at family gatherings.

I still do not consider myself a wine connoisseur, but I do enjoy a glass or two when I cook something extra special for dinner or when we go out for sit-down meals. My aunt was surprised when she saw how much wine I had in stock at home when she came to visit. It was not a lot, but for her, it was something new.

During the wine-tasting tour, she did not quite know what to expect. But for a wine newbie, she was quite a pro. She listened to the tour guide’s description and carefully sipped her samples to make sure she didn’t miss anything, from the sample descriptions to the instructions on how to drink the wine and what subtle flavours to watch out for.

Since the vineyard we visited cultivates three classic varietals – Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Riesling, those were the first three featured samples. I am partial to Rieslings, but my aunt clearly loved that fourth and last sample – their ice wine packed with rich tropical fruit, apricot, and peach notes. She whispered to me, “I never thought wine could taste this splendid!” I just chuckled. At that time, I had wished my other aunts and uncles could hear that.

At the end of the tour, we were led to their welcome centre and wine shop, where we were handed discount coupons that we could use onsite if we wanted to take some bottles home. I bought a bottle each of everything we sampled that day, and my aunt bought two bottles of ice wine – one to give to my in-laws in Montreal, and one to take home to Manila. I teased her and told her that one bottle is not enough, but she said she wanted to travel light and didn’t want to carry too many souvenirs from Canada.

We left Niagara-on-the-Lake a little light-headed from the booze (my friend, who drove, only took one sample, so she was fine). I have a high tolerance for alcohol, so I was just in that state of airiness and bubbliness that comes from the first stages of dopamine release. The happy hormone relaxed my aunt and in no time, she fell asleep in the car as we left town.

Our next stopover was at a rustic restaurant in Vineland situated along the shores of Lake Ontario. Simply called, Lake House Restaurant, it is indeed a former residential house from 1867, converted to what is now a contemporary restaurant that specializes in European Mediterranean cuisine with the bonus of dining in a picturesque setting.

The charming house has been meticulously preserved and inside, one can still appreciate the original woodwork, the exposed bricks, and the original fireplaces. A recent addition is a beautiful sunroom overlooking the lake. Guests can choose to dine at a cozy table beside a fireplace, in the sunroom with a lakeside view, or al fresco at their outdoor patio.

According to history, the land on which the property sits was granted to a colonel as a reward for his contribution to the war effort. It was purchased by the Moyer family in 1862 and they built the house five years after. The house was rumoured to be one of the first stops for the “underground railway” for slaves escaping from the United States to Canada. At that house, they were hidden and fed, until they were ready to be moved to safer places. Rumour also has it that the house is the residence of two friendly ghosts – that of a young girl named Elizabeth, and of an old sea sailor that they nicknamed, “The Captain.”

Since it was a bright and beautiful day, we asked for a table at the patio. My friend said that the place is famous for their homemade pizza, but none of us was in a pizza mood that day. Instead, I ordered a plate of semolina-crusted calamari that was served with a trio of sauces and a small bowl of Boston-style clam chowder. My friend got a bowl of P.E.I. mussels with garlic and tomato sauce, and my aunt opted for a grilled chicken panini served with fries and salad. The food was good…nothing outstanding, but the restaurants main selling factors are the beautiful view and the excellent customer service of its staff.

We left the Niagara region with satiated souls and full tummies. Even the rush-hour traffic jam in Toronto that slowed us down on our way back home did not dampen our spirits.

(Updates: I visited my aunt in Manila a year after this trip. Sadly, she passed away two years after. I am glad that I was able to spend time with her in Vancouver and on the East Coast. I got the chance to show her my home in Ottawa, brought her to Niagara, and took her on a pilgrimage in Montreal, Trois-Rivières, Beaupré, and Québec City…my last fond memories of her. In the summer of 2022, as we were easing out of the pandemic shutdown, my husband and I took our son to Niagara and Niagara-on-the-Lake for a weeklong trip, with a few layover days in Kingston, and Gananoque.)