June, 2016
Another Vintage Inn you will find Inn on the Twenty perfectly situated in Jordan Village in the heart of Twenty Valley. I had always wanted to visit Jordan and after our weekend away, I am not sure why I had waited so long. It is ideal for a romantic getaway or a girls’ spa retreat weekend. It is also the most perfect home base for touring Ontario’s wine country! Check out my winery blog for some of my favourite wineries in the Jordan area!
Inn on the Twenty offers stylish guestrooms with fireplaces and soaker tubs and various packages are available to explore culinary delights and the wine country. You can also consider Jordan House which is affiliated with the Inn and is a quaint hotel with comfortable accommodations.
We opted for a two-night stay which included breakfast each morning and dinner one night at the prestigious Inn on the Twenty Restaurant and some vouchers for local wineries. We arrived, check into our room, which had a Victorian vibe feeling like we had stepped back in time and felt a bit like royalty! Perhaps a foreshadow for the upcoming weekend or at least I hoped so.
After settling in, we toured the quaint little village wandering in and out of boutique shops and local art galleries. It was early June so all the flowers were just blooming and the smells incredible. We eventually made our way to Jordan House located a few blocks from the main Inn where we decided to grab dinner and to my pleasant surprise – live music and it was country night to boot! It was almost like I had planned it. Keeping it simple, we enjoyed some pints, shared some tapas and unwound to the hum of the local artists. The best part we just strolled hand in hand back to the Inn to settle in for the night. A perfect start to a weekend away.
The next day was spent touring some local wineries and sampling the wines local to the region. I had toured Niagara on the Lake before and enjoyed wineries, but Jordan was like this little hidden treasure of smaller more boutique wineries – just my style. Some wineries offered a bistro style menu which was perfect with tastings, but certainly not going to ruin dinner later.
Conveniently located right across the street from the Inn you will find the Inn on the Twenty Restaurant. You will want to book your reservation at the time you book your package and ask for a table facing west so you can enjoy the panoramic sunset view in the Twenty Valley. This upscale dining experience combines the best of Niagara wine with local ingredient inspired dishes. It’s no wonder it is considered one of the best winery restaurants in the region. I am partial to some of my favourite wines, but why not pair your meal with one of the local and vintage wines on the menu instead. Sit back and get ready to enjoy the craftsmanship of this culinary team. For the best flavourings and pairings, I recommend starting with the local greens that explode with flavour from the toasted almonds, caramelized paillot de chevre and the rhubarb vanilla vinaigrette – pairing perfectly with a sparkling Cave Springs. If you haven’t noticed, I lean toward red meat during dinner and the beef tenderloin is outstanding with bone marrow butter, broccolini and shaved truffle. Order a bottle of the 2017 Cabernet Franc Estate from Cave Spring, the winery next door, and have it decanted while enjoying your first course. There is always room for dessert and each of you should order something different so you can share – life is better this way. So, my choice the chocolate torte, 70% fleur de Cao, Ice Cream, Candied Cocoa Nibs (say what) and red wine raspberries as I type this I can almost taste this again. You will want to finish paring this with the Cave Springs 2014 Riesling Icewine (2 oz).
Why not sleep in the next morning and enjoy a leisurely later breakfast? After all you are on a weekend to unwind, rest and relax. Pick a couple more local wineries to visit before heading back to city life.
