Thanksgiving week, we took a long, pretty drive into Ontario, Canada and spent the night at Niagara on the Lake.
Niagara on the Lake is well-known and frequently visited by upstate New Yorkers nearly as much as its Canadian residents. The town boasts adorable shops and restaurants, but is renown for the over 35 wineries. I have been to Niagara on the Lake before, but had not previously toured Wayne Gretzky’s Estates. While I am the furthest from an oenologist, sommelier or wine connoisseur, I do know a bit about hockey.
When you’re a hockey family like us (my son played travel for many years and we follow the NHL), Gretzky along with other former players are household names. We visited Gretzky’s estates for the hockey story, but ended up really enjoying the time we spent learning about the winery!
Our tour guide was excellent and the tour itself included more wine than expected. Since I’m good for one sip, my daughter and husband enjoyed theirs and mine throughout the stops! The guide included an understandable overview of the distilling and wine making process, yet provided just enough details to keep it interesting without confusing the novices.
On the tour and throughout the small estate, we viewed countless photographs capturing an extraordinary athlete who ultimately enjoyed more than just hockey. Professional sports opens doors to many opportunities otherwise unavailable to most.
It wasn’t the laundry list of famous people he knew, nor the volume of trophies Wayne Gretzky amassed that impressed me most. It was the relationship with his Dad.
From the moment we entered the lobby of the small estates, we knew he loved his Dad. Photos of him are all around and featured prominently above the fireplace at the main entrance.
The final point of the tour included standing at a circular bar, learning about offerings at The Gretzky Cocktail Class. Those who take the paid course learn about mixology and create three hockey-themed cocktails, which change periodically.
The timing of our visit after Thanksgiving had us thinking about Christmas gifts. We picked up bottles from their Signature wine series for friends, along with some glassware and cream spirits for family.
In summary, we enjoyed the winery tour, hockey history, and a light lunch afterward before we hit the road driving back home. If you’re in the Niagara, Ontario area and care about Gretzky and/or wine, it’s a nice little stop than can be thoroughly enjoyed within three hours (more if you’re taking the mixology class). If you are a true wine lover, there are at least 34 other wineries within the township to visit!
Thank you for reading and have a wonderful week ahead!
Tales from a Mid-Lifer 
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