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
4 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard fall 2022
recipe
page 14
fall 2022 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard 5 Beetroot and Icewine Cured Salmon Gravlax Trius Brut Trius Riesling Chef Frank Dodd, Trius Winery recipe page 14 Butternut Squash, Cranberry and Rosé Risotto Wayne Gretzky Estates Vidal Icewine Trius Distinction Barrel Fermented Chardonnay Chef Maurice Desharnais, Wayne Gretzky Estates recipe page 15 Spiced Buttermilk and Icewine Onion Rings with Icewine Red Cabbage Ketchup Trius Vidal Icewine Trius Red Chef Frank Dodd, Trius Winery recipe page 16 Brussels Sprouts, Bacon and Cheese Bake Thirty Bench Small Lot Pinot Noir Wayne Gretzky Estates Whisky Oak Aged Chardonnay Chef Maurice Desharnais, Wayne Gretzky Estates recipe page 15
Peller
Thirty
Thirty
6 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard fall 2022
Icewine, Smoked Bacon, Peach, and Corn Crumble
Estates Signature Series Vidal Icewine
Bench Small Lot Chardonnay Chef Jason Parsons, Peller Estates recipe page 16 Crepes and Icewine Cherries with Brown Butter Ice Cream
Bench Small Lot Pinot Noir Peller Estates
Signature Series Cabernet Franc Icewine Chef Ross Midgley, Riverbend Inn & Vineyard recipe page 17
fall 2022 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard 7 Butternut Squash Yorkies Stuffed with Loaded Baked Potatoes Peller Estates Signature Series Chardonnay Sur Lie Peller Estates Signature Series Ice Cuvée Chef Jason Parsons, Peller Estates recipe page 17 You can purchase your wine and beer pairings at our Niagara estates, your local The Wine Shop or online via TheWineShops.com
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.
8 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard fall 2022
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 2022 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard 9
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.
fall 2022 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard 13 RIVERBEND INN & VINEYARD
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
14 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard fall 2022
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
fall 2022 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard 15
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
16 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard fall 2022
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
fall 2022 Riverbend Inn & Vineyard 17
by executive chef jason parsons, peller estates winery restaurant