Check out the Windsor Star Today! Our Wine Trail Rides were featured in our local newspaper:
Cycling Tours Focus on Local Wine, Food
By Dave Hall, The Windsor Star, September 11, 2008
A desire to combine fine wines, food and exercise has led a Windsor woman to create a monthly wine trail ride, featuring Essex County vineyards.
Pina Ciotoli, who established www.windsoreats.com with her brother Adriano in 2004, started the rides in July and plans two more before the end of the season — Sept. 20 and either Oct. 19 or 20.
“Our goal was initially to promote local wineries, and local foods and produce, but we also wanted to introduce an active lifestyle component so we decided to make it a cycling tour,” said Ciotoli, whose website provides information about local restaurants. “In a car or another type of vehicle, you tend to zip past everything and we wanted to make it a more leisurely tour so people could enjoy the scenery as well as visit local wineries.”
The first tour attracted 30 riders and visited Colchester Ridge, Erie Shore, Sprucewood Shores and Viewpointe Estate wineries. The second brought out 45 participants and visited Aleksander Estate, Mastronardi Estate and Pelee Island.
Each tour ends with a meal at the final stop.
The third tour will start at D’Angelo Vineyards at 1 p.m., visit Muscedere Vineyards and then returns to D’Angelo for a barbecue at 4 p.m.
The sports store Maximum Edge provides a guide and a support vehicle in case any of the riders experience bike problems. Another vehicle also accompanies the riders to carry whatever wines they purchase during the tour.
“I think a lot of the participants have been surprised by what they’ve seen on the tours, both on the road and at the wineries and the meals have been great,” said Ciotoli. “Each of the chefs has tried to use local produce, vegetables and meats and a lot of people have also been surprised by what’s available locally.”
Ciotoli said the tours have attracted riders from Toronto and Ottawa, so the tours promote the region as a food and wine destination.
Ciotoli said the tours are limited to 50 riders which “is about what the wineries can comfortably accommodate and it’s also a small enough number that we can keep track of people.”
Each tour costs $20 and covers between 30 and 40 kilometres at a leisurely pace.
“It’s not a race and we want people to socialize and enjoy themselves as they ride,” said Ciotoli.
The tours have attracted a wide range of ages, from people in their 20s to riders in their 60s, said Ciotoli.
Cioltoli said that anyone interested in the next tour can find tips and information about how to register by visiting www.windsoreats.com.
As mentioned in the article, we are definitely adding another ride on Saturday, October 18, 2008. Once we have those details and tickets go on sale we’ll let you know. In the mean time we encourage you to hop our Wine Trail Ride September 20th as we visit two really great wineries: Muscedere and D’Angelo.
D’Angelo is setting up a great meal after our ride. It is always a fun time with great people, fabulous wine and delicious food. All for $20 a person which includes all tastings and the meal.
