Let the Rides begin!

This past Saturday, our first Wine Trail Ride of the season went off without a hitch. The weather was gorgeous and the group participating was absolutely fantastic, too.


We started off at Aleksander Estate Winery where we learned before departing that one of our participants was celebrating a birthday with a group of friends on our ride. It was really nice to hear that they wanted to spend that special day out on our Wine Trail Ride. The birthday girl even rented the tandem!

We made our way to Mastronardi Estate Winery where Pamela led the group out into the vineyard and gave the group some very interesting tidbits of information.

From MEW, we made our way to Pelee Island Winery where our guide told us how PIW bottles 25,000 bottles of wine a day. Crazy!

The group then made our way back to Aleksander Estate Winery where Mark and Izabela made a meal almost entirely of Essex County meats and produce. Only the spinach in the salad and the ice cream for dessert weren’t local. We had prime rib from Wild Acre, fresh, homemade pasta made with local free range eggs and local, chemical free tomatoes, a lovely salad with local asparagus and peppers.

The dessert was Ontario-made vanilla ice (made with real milk) covered in a reduction made from AEW’s Cassis fruit wine. The meal was absolutely spectacular. Words cannot even describe it.

This Saturday, May 22, 2010 we’ll be hosting a charity Wine Trail Ride for Hotel Dieu Grace Hospital where we’ll be visiting Aleksander Estate Winery, Black Bear Farms & Estate Winery and Pelee Island Winery. Tickets are $55 and still available.

There is also another charity Wine Trail Ride on May 29 for the Rotary Club’s Pedal for Polio event. There will be an enhanced meal on this ride. Tickets are $75 and still available.

Our next official Wine Trail Ride is on June 19, 2010. It coincides with the Bike Trains first visit to Windsor-Essex and we are expecting many of Bike Trains guests to participate. It’s going to be a great time as we’re heading to Colchester Ridge Estate Winery and Sprucewood Shores Estate Winery along with Tredki Acres farm where they grow chemical free strawberries. That’s an excellent thing considering June 19 is smack dab in the middle of strawberry season! Tickets are only $35 and we expect them to sell fast so get yours quick!

We’ll also be hosting other events during the Bike Train visit so please visit back soon for more information.