Riverbend Inn & Vineyard: Fall 2022

eDitorS

Riley McGilvray, marketing specialist

Madison Vine, marketing manager

riVerbenD inn

Joseph Legace, boutiQue hotel manager

Shae Harwood, assistant boutiQue hotel manager

tHe oAKlAnDS

Chef Ross Midgley, executive chef

Annette Rawlinson, restaurant manager

contributorS

Abbey Jarrett

Amy Hall-Cummings

Brianne Chiarle

Carolee Krause

Craig McDonald

Dave Larocque

Emma Garner

Fiona Muckle

Frank Dodd

Jason Parsons

Joseph Legace

Katie Dickieson

Mackenzie Plum Mark Torrance

Maurice Desharnais

Michelle Andrus

Nataschia Wielink

Ross Midgley Tayler Rozon Wade Stark

grApHic DeSigner

Mari-Lynne Eastland

For general inquiries about Riverbend Inn & Vineyard magazine or information about products and for advertising inquiries, please email communication@peller.com.

Riverbend Inn & Vineyard magazine is published 4 times a year by Andrew Peller Limited.

Note from the Editors

I don’t know about the rest of you, but it feels like the Summer season flew by at lightning speed. As we wind down and get cozy at the Inn, our partner wineries will be buzzing with activity for the next couple of months. The winemaking teams will be busy in the vineyards and cellars working on vintage 2022. These teams work hard all year round and their efforts have paid off yet again. We’re happy to share our numerous awards from each of our estates on page 12. A huge congratulations to Craig, Emma, Katie, Tim, Laura, and team!

We’re looking forward to the holiday season and our winery chefs have provided us with some delicious savoury and sweet dishes. Flip to pages 4-7 for wine pairing recommendations, and 14-17 for the recipes to make at home.

We hope to see you in Niagara Wine Country this fall and winter. Our partner estate teams have been busy preparing events and experiences for you to participate in while you’re here (check out pages 10 and 11), and the restaurant teams will be serving up delectable seasonal dishes. Reservations are highly recommended! Call our Wine Country Concierge at 1-888-510-5537 or connect on Live Chat on myWineCountry.com to reserve your experiences.

Cheers, Riley McGilvray & Madison Vine

PS. Drop us a line! We love hearing your feedback and hope that you’ll share your comments and suggestions with us, helping us making this the exclusive Riverbend Inn & Vineyard magazine even better.

We’re cozying up and enjoying the Fall colours in Niagara Wine Country! Enjoy tasting and dining experiences at all our estates. Tag us in your photos and stories using the handles listed below with the hashtag #mywinelife.

@ triuswines @gretzkyestates @pellerwines

AND

SWEET SAVOURY

Oaklands

Pear Upside Down Cake

Vidal

Peller Estates Signature Series Vidal Icewine

Thirty Bench Special Select Late Harvest Vidal

Chef Ross Midgley, Riverbend Inn & Vineyard

Peller

Thirty

Thirty

GET TO KNOW OUR HISTORY

The Riverbend Inn sits on a 17-acre parcel of land on the corner of John Street and Niagara River Parkway. The land was originally deeded to William McClellan in 1809, who built a modest stone farmhouse and farmed the land.

In 1860, Dr. Thomas Halliday Watt purchased the farm, and a large 6,500 square foot Georgian red brick mansion was built. Dr. Watt grew fruit and worked as a consulting surgeon until his death in 1902. He was buried at St. Marks Cemetery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. In 1908, Dr. Watt’s second wife, Melicent, sold the property to Mr. Dawson, who began a poultry farm, but only kept the land until 1909.

The land briefly belonged to Mr. Gibnne, who then sold it to Brigadier-General Charles Nelles, a distinguished Canadian veteran who served with the Royal Canadian Dragoons, in 1920. General Nelles planted the beautiful oak trees and named the land “Oaklands”. General Nelles was mayor of Niagara-on-the-Lake between 1929 and 1930 and was also the first president of the Niagara-on-theLake Legion, Branch 124. His son Percy Nelles was a flag officer and Chief of the Naval Staff in the Royal Canadian Navy.

General Nelles sold the land in 1927 to a group of six sisters – Kate, Gladys, Del, Nora, Olga, and Elizabeth Ansley. The Ansley sisters converted the residence into a school for persons with disabilities. At the height of its success, the school housed 16 children of various ages, happily socializing with the local community. The school ran for 45 years until the sisters could no longer operate it.

In 1972, the home was purchased by Dr. Afrukteh of Niagara Falls. The property was divided into apartments, 4 or 5 in the house and 2 in the Coach House. One of the tenants, Peggy Anderson, set up a charity called Newark Neighbours in the former entrance of the Inn. Newark Neighbours grew too large and was moved into the barn on the northwest section of the property and still operates today, providing food and clothing for residents in town who demonstrate financial need.

Dr. Afrukteh opened a private art gallery in the home in 1984, and in 1988 he built a 12,000 square foot addition to the original building to accommodate the gallery. Unfortunately, the art gallery lasted just a few years before it closed down, leaving the building vacant for many years until it caught the eye of the Wiens family.

The Wiens family approached Dr. Afrukteh to purchase the property in 2002, and he agreed to sell to them. The home was turned into a 21-room Georgian style Inn and the old cherry and peach orchards were replaced with 12 acres of Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Sauvignon Blanc, and Vidal vines. The Riverbend Inn formally opened its doors to the public on April 12, 2004.

Andrew Peller Limited purchased the Riverbend Inn in February 2021, adding the property to their family of wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The Inn will complement Peller Estates Winery, with the new vineyards now forming a contiguous 57 acres of high-quality grape growing managed by our winemakers. The acquisition is a natural extension to Peller Estates in providing a premium wine tourism experience in the Niagara Region.

FALL&WINTER EXPERIENCES

in wine country

WINTER LUXE LOUNGE AT PELLER ESTATES November to March

Join us at The Winter Luxe Lounge on Saturday and Sunday throughout the winter months. Up to 10 guests (a minimum of 4 guests) can rent an elegant dining table for 1.5 hours and dine on our heated covered patio, complete with comfortable chairs and cozy blankets. Choose from two dining options: Premium Pickings or The Luxe Lunch. Après dining, move to your private firepit and Muskoka chairs to roast Icewine marshmallows, handcrafted by Chef Jason Parsons.

WINTER WINE GARDEN AT PELLER ESTATES

Friday to Sunday from November to March

Reserve a fire pit for 1-hour at our Winter Wine Garden and enjoy a beverage of your choice - a warm seasonal beverage, winter mimosa, or your favourite Peller Estates wine by the glass - plus one of our classic Icewine marshmallows for roasting. A small food menu will be available for purchase on-site.

SNOWSHOEING & WINTER HIKES IN THE VINEYARD AT THIRTY BENCH WINE MAKERS

Saturday and Sunday from December to March

Join us for a truly unique Canadian experience this winter and snowshoe through our Riesling vineyards. A local Snowshoe expert will teach you tips and best trekking methods while our Thirty Bench wine consultant guides you through samples of Thirty Bench wines amongst the snow-covered vines. Afterwards, enjoy a warm cup of soup at our picnic tables.

FIRE PIT PACKAGE AT RIVERBEND INN & VINEYARD

Daily from December to March

Bundle up at your own private fire pit and Muskoka chairs and enjoy the gorgeous views of our Niagara Wine Country vineyards. This package includes 1-hour rental of a private fire pit for up to 4 guests, your choice of glass of wine or a warm fire side feature beverage, served in a souvenir take home glass mug, a warm snack created by Chef Ross Midgley and a s’mores bundle, ready for roasting.

SKATING RINK AT WAYNE GRETZKY ESTATES

Daily, Weather Permitting from December to March

Join us for a spin on The Great One’s backyard rink! Admission is $20 and includes a table at the Whisky Bar Patio and one hour of skating. A limited amount of gender-neutral hockey skates ranging from a youth size 13 to adult size 13 are available to rent for $10. Food, drinks, and seasonal cocktails will be available to purchase.

ICEWINE FESTIVAL DISCOVERY PASS Weekends in January

From the snow-covered vineyards of Twenty Valley to the glistening grape clusters in Niagara-on-theLake, Niagara is a wine lover’s winter wonderland. The Discovery Pass is the best way to explore VQA Icewine, with curated culinary pairings, both sweet and savoury. Your Discovery Pass includes six experiences and is valid Friday-Sunday.

Be sure to celebrate with us downtown Niagara-on-the-Lake and in Jordan on weekends in January for even more Icewine surprises from your favourite Niagara wineries and restaurants.

Fall

COCKTAILS

AT THE OAKLANDS

GRAPPA SPRITZ

1.5 oz Grappa Sarpa Di Poli

1 oz lime juice

.25 oz St. Germain Elderflower Liquer sea salt

Salt the rim of a coupe glass. Stir ingredients together in a cocktail shaker with ice and strain into glass. Garnish with a star anise pod, orange peel, and sprig of rosemary.

SPICY MOSCOW MULE

2 oz jalapeño infused Tequila 2 oz Cointreau 2 oz simple syrup 1 oz lime juice 3 oz ginger beer

Combine tequila, Cointreau, simple syrup, and lime juice in a shaker filled with ice. Shake and strain into a copper mug with ice and top with ginger beer. Garnish with a lime wedge.

AUTUMN SUNSET

1.5 oz Bacardi White Rum

1 oz Peller Cabernet Franc Icewine

.5 oz lemon juice

.5 oz Grand Marnier Amareno cherries

Drop one Amareno cherry and a bit of the cherry syrup to the bottom of a coupe glass. To a cocktail shaker with ice, add all ingredients. Shake and strain over the cherry juice.

Oaklands Vidal Pear Upside Down Cake

by executive chef ross midgley, riverbend inn & vineyard

8 pears, peeled and halved

3/4 cup Vidal Icewine

3 cups all-purpose flour

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp kosher salt

2/3 cup butter, softened

2 cups granulated sugar

4 eggs

1 cup buttermilk

3 tsp vanilla extract

2 tsp pear brandy (Poire William, optional)

Peel and halve 8 pears. In a large saucepan, bring the Icewine to a simmer and gently drop in the pear halves. Let the pears simmer on medium to low heat for about 20 – 30 minutes or until tender. Set aside to cool.

Cream together the butter and sugar. Once nice and light, add eggs one at a time until fully incorporated. Mix in buttermilk, pear brandy, and vanilla extract. Sift dry ingredients and then fold into wet ingredients until smoothly combined.

Line a well buttered cake pan with the poached Icewine pear halves and pour the batter over the top. Bake at 375°F for approximately 40 minutes, or until a wooden skewer comes out clean. Allow to cool slightly and invert the cake onto a large plate. Enjoy with a glass of Vidal Icewine!

Serves 4-6

cured salmon 550g small side of salmon, skinned and bones removed, rectangle in shape

1 large beetroot, coarsely grated zest finely grated zest of 1 orange zest finely grated zest of 1 lemon

1 tsp black pepper corns, lightly crushed

1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed

1 bunch dill, finely chopped 60 ml Trius Vidal Icewine

80 g sea salt flakes or kosher salt

80 g caster sugar

pickled cucumber

1 large cucumber, skin on

2 tbsp Chinese rice vinegar

2 tbsp lemon juice

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp caster sugar

horseradish cream

180 g crème fraiche or sour cream

1 tbsp horseradish lemon juice, freshly squeezed, to taste dill, finely chopped, to taste

Cured Salmon: Lay out a double layer of cling film, large enough to wrap salmon. Trim any belly fat from the fillet. Wearing gloves (to protect from beet stains), mix together all of the cure ingredients in a bowl. Put half the cure mix onto the cling film and place the salmon on top. Cover the salmon with the remaining mixture and rub into the flesh. Wrap the salmon tightly in the cling film and place on a large flat tray, and then place another flat tray on top and weigh it down with cartons of juice or milk. Refrigerate for 36 hours, turning half way through. After 36 hours, unwrap the fish and rinse off the cure with cold water. Pat dry with paper towels. The fish can be stored at this stage, wrapped in cling film, for up to 4-6 days in the fridge.

Pickled Cucumber: Slice cucumber into long ribbons using a speed peeler. Add the remaining ingredients and leave in the fridge to marinate.

Horseradish Cream: Thoroughly mix horseradish, crème fraiche (or sour cream), lemon juice and dill.

To Serve Dish: Thinly slice salmon at a slight angle and place on a platter with the pickled cucumber. Drizzle with horseradish cream and serve with arugula leaves.

Serves 2-4

Beetroot and Icewine Cured Salmon Gravlax by executive chef frank dodd, trius winery restaurant

Butternut Squash, Cranberry and Rosé Risotto

by executive chef maurice desharnais, wayne gretzky estates

2 cups butternut squash, cubed

3 tbsp butter

1 cup white onion, diced

1 clove garlic, chopped

1 cup arborio rice

2 cups Wayne Gretzky Estates Rosé

4 cups warm chicken stock

1/2 cup dried cranberries

1/2 cup parmesan cheese, grated salt and pepper to taste

Place the squash into a pot of water and bring to a boil. Once soft, remove and mash. Place to the side.

In a heavy bottomed pan, add the butter, diced onion and garlic. Cook for a few minutes over medium heat, until the onion becomes soft. Add rice and cook for 2 - 4 minutes until the rice is coated. Add the rosé wine and simmer, stirring occasionally.

Once half the wine has been cooked into the rice, add the squash and cranberries. Mix well. Add one cup of warm chicken stock to the mixture and wait until it has been mostly absorbed by the rice before you add more. Continue adding stock slowly until it is fully absorbed. You should cook the rice about 7 - 10 minutes. When the rice is creamy, add the grated parmesan and season with salt and pepper.

Serves 4

Brussels Sprouts, Bacon and Cheese Bake

by executive chef maurice desharnais, wayne gretzky estates

1 cup bacon, diced

1/2 cup red onion, diced 3 cups brussels sprouts, halved or quartered 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped 1 tbsp grapeseed oil

1/2 tsp chili powder

1 tsp ground cumin

1/4 cup Riesling wine

3/4 cup 35% cream

1 cup gouda cheese, shredded 1/2 cup parmesan cheese, shredded 1/2 cup scallion, thinly sliced

Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large pan over medium heat, cook bacon until crispy, drain on a paper towel-lined plate, then chop. Return pan to medium heat with grapeseed oil, red onion, garlic and brussels sprouts. Season with salt, chili powder and cumin. Cook, stirring occasionally, add wine, cook until tender, about 10 minutes.

Remove from heat and drizzle with heavy cream. Add mixture to a baking dish and top with gouda, parmesan cheese and bacon. Bake until cheese is bubbly, 12 to 15 minutes. If your cheese isn’t golden, broil for 1 minute. Let cool for a few minutes, then top with scallions and serve.

Serves 4-6

Spiced Buttermilk and Icewine Onion Rings with Icewine Red Cabbage Ketchup

onion rings

1 cup buttermilk

1/3 cup Trius Icewine

1 egg beaten

1 large onion, sliced into thick rings

1 cup coarse corn meal

1 tsp dried chili flakes

1 tsp dried parsley kosher salt and fresh milled black pepper canola oil for deep frying

red cabbage ketchup

1 head red cabbage, shredded on a mandolin or by hand

1/2 pint grapefruit juice

1/2 pint lemon juice

1/2 pint orange juice

1 cup bacon, diced

1 cup onion, diced

1 cup Trius Cabernet Franc Icewine

1 cup Trius Red

1 cup sugar

1/3 cup honey

1/3 cup rasberry vinegar cranberry juice

Onion Rings: Whisk milk, Trius Icewine and egg together. Separate onion into rings and soak in milk mixture for 30 minutes. Mix cornmeal, chili and parsley together and season with salt and pepper. Heat canola oil to 325-350°F. Remove a few onion rings from milk mixture and dip each into cornmeal mixture, coating thoroughly. Fry in batches for 2 to 4 minutes or until lightly browned and crisp. Do not overcrowd the pan. Remove onion rings from pan with slotted spoon and drain on paper towel.

Red Cabbage Ketchup: Place cabbage in zip lock bag and add grapefruit, lemon and orange juices. Marinate cabbage for 24 hours, shaking as often as possible. Drain cabbage and discard the liquids. In a large pot, caramelize sugar over medium heat. Add onions and bacon, stir and cook for 5 minutes before pouring in Icewine and Trius Red. Add cabbage and braise until tender. Finish with honey and raspberry vinegar. Transfer braised cabbage into a blender and purée on high. Add a small amount of cranberry juice to the cabbage if it is too dry. Strain through a chinois and cool. Season with salt. Refrigerate if not using immediately.

Serves 1-4

Icewine,

Smoked Bacon, Peach, and Corn Crumble

by executive chef jason parsons, peller estates winery restaurant

2 Niagara peaches, seeded and medium dice

2 tbsp unsalted butter

1 cup smoked bacon, small dice

1 cup corn nibblets

1 shallot, sliced thin

1/2 cup Peller Estates Vidal Icewine

1 cup 35% cream

1/2 cup brie cheese, diced

2 tsp rosemary, chopped salt & pepper to taste

crumble topping

1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs

1/2 cup Feuilletine flakes

1/2 tsp rosemary, chopped

Melt butter in a large fry pan, and then sauté bacon until golden brown. Add shallots, peaches and corn and warm through before adding Icewine to deglaze the pan. Add cream and simmer until it reduces by half. Next, add brie cheese, season with salt and pepper and remove from heat to allow brie to soften. Pour into a serving dish, sprinkle with the crumble topping and serve.

Serves 2-4

by executive chef frank dodd, trius winery restaurant

Crepes and Icewine Cherries with Brown Butter Ice Cream

by executive chef ross midgley, riverbend inn & vineyard

brown butter ice cream

1 L 35% cream

1 cup sugar

12 egg yolks

2 vanilla beans, split lengthwise

1/2 cup butter

crepes

6 eggs 2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tbsp butter, melted

2 1/2 cups 10% cream

3 tbsp Gran Marnier

icewine marinated cherries

4 cups sour cherries, pitted

375ml Peller Estates Icewine

Brown Butter Ice Cream: In a sauce pan, heat ½ cup butter over medium heat. Once melted, keep swirling the pan; the butter will start to foam and you’ll see the colour turn light brown. Once it has browned it will have a nutty aroma. Set aside to cool. In a sauce pot, simmer cream with split vanilla beans. In a glass or steel bowl, whisk sugar and egg yolks to ribbon stage. Temper the warm

cream into egg mixture, starting with a small splash to warm up the eggs, then adding the rest of the cream. Return to a clean, non-reactive saucepan and bring to a boil. Fold in browned butter and mix well. Strain the mixture into a bowl and chill overnight before spinning in an ice cream machine.

Crepes: Mix all ingredients and whisk to consistency. Allow crepe batter to sit over night and then make thin crepes the following day, layering between parchment paper until ready to fill with cherries.

Icewine Marinated Cherries: In a nonreactive pot, slowly reduce Icewine and cherries until most of the liquid is absorbed. Allow to cool. Any left-over liquid should be reserved to sauce the crepes.

To assemble: Lay one crepe down, fill with Icewine cherries and roll. Serve with a scoop of brown butter ice cream and cherry liquid drizzled on top.

Serves 6

Butternut Squash Yorkies Stuffed with Loaded Baked Potato

butternut sQuash yorkshire pudding

1/2 L eggs

1/2 L milk

1/2 L flour

1 cup butternut squash puree vegetable oil salt and pepper, to taste

loaded baked potato stuffing

3 whole potatoes

1 cup cheddar, grated

1 cup cooked bacon, small dice

1/4 cup green onions, chopped 1/2 cup sour cream

Butternut Squash Yorkshire Pudding: Pour eggs into a large mixing bowl and whisk slowly adding flour and continuing to whisk to remove all lumps. Add milk and butternut squash puree and mix evenly, season with salt and pepper. Set aside in the fridge for 30 minutes. In the meantime, half fill metal muffin trays with vegetable oil (tip: place muffin trays on a cookie sheet to catch any oil that will spill over the edge in the oven). Heat muffin trays in a 400°F oven until they are very hot. When ready, carefully pull out oven rack so you have easy access to the very hot muffin tray. Pour the chilled batter into the oil-filled muffin tray, filling each cup. Bake for 10 minutes. Once the yorkies are nice and crispy take them out of the oven. Remove the yorkies from the tray immediately and allow to cool.

Baked Potato Stuffing: Bake the potatoes skin-on in a 400°F oven until cooked through. Once cooked, peel and in a bowl using a fork, crumble the potatoes. Add cooked bacon, cheddar cheese, green onions and sour cream. Season with salt and pepper and set aside.

Stuffed Yorkies: Simply cut a hole in the top of the cooked yorkie, spoon in the loaded potato stuffing. Wrap in tinfoil and warm in a preheated oven. Serve warm.

Serves 4-6

by executive chef jason parsons, peller estates winery restaurant

2022Vintage

We caught up with our Winemaking team at the end of August, just before the start of Harvest 2022, and here are a few interesting insights they had to share about this year’s vintage.

An Overview of the 2022 Growing Season

“This season has been moving fast and furious! It’s hard to believe that we’ll be starting to pick grapes next week. There was a substantial amount of winter damage which has resulted in decreased tonnage this year.”

On Best Performing Varietals

“The warmer season has been helping to set up the Bordeaux varietals (Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Merlot) to reach optimal ripeness. Our fingers are crossed that we continue to have a warm and dry fall.”

On Expectations for the 2022 Vintage

“Harvest will start a bit earlier than usual this year, which will be challenging to navigate where and when to harvest because of the inconsistent crop levels we’re seeing throughout the region. The team will need to be nimble and ready to process whichever block is ready to go.”

On Harvest Preparations

“At Trius we’ve been prepping all of our sparkling equipment as that is what we’ll start harvesting first. The Bucher press, grape elevator, and one-ton bins is what we utilize to bring in the pick. Our harvest teams have already started training and will be ready to receive grapes in the very near future.”

On New Releases for 2023

“We’re looking forward to expanding our Charmat productions at Peller Estates (and potentially Wayne Gretzky Estates). We’re hoping to expand on the Peller Family Reserve Rosé Bubbles that we released this year.”

winemaker

EMMA GARNER

Thirty Bench Wine Makers

winemaker

CRAIG MCDONALD Trius Winery & Wayne Gretzky Estates

winemaker KATIE DICKIESON

Peller Estates & Riverbend Vineyard

manager

WADE STARK Vineyard Operations