Wine & Food

Ninety percent of all peaches in Ontario ripen in this area, right next to the vines, and they're simply called Niagara peaches. In August, Niagara-on-the-Lake celebrates its Peach Festival, and that week the fruit turns up at every market stall in town. A dry to off-dry Riesling with noticeable acidity pairs almost naturally with a fresh Niagara peach, since the fruit's sweetness needs a counterweight, or the wine ends up tasting flat beside it.

For hearty food, switch varieties. Cabernet Franc from the escarpment, with its scent of blackcurrant and a herbaceous edge, pairs well with duck or game from the woods behind the escarpment. It works less well with delicate fish. The fine tannin gets along well with the fat of the meat, while the cool acidity keeps the plate lively.

The most famous pairing, though, remains ice wine. With blue cheese or a foie gras terrine, its sweetness doesn't feel overbearing. The salt in the cheese and the fat in the liver absorb it. A small glass is enough, since ice wine is a wine for a spoonful of dessert, not a whole plate.

This brings the circle back to where it began, on the Beamsville Bench. The same cool night that presses ice wine from frozen grapes in winter also keeps the acidity fresh in a Niagara peach in summer. Anyone eating in Niagara ultimately always eats from the same lake and the same escarpment, whether it's in the glass or on the plate.