Salut: Toronto area offers up-and-coming sips for wine lovers
Credit to Author: Aleesha Harris| Date: Fri, 04 Oct 2019 18:00:28 +0000
If you’re looking to sip world-class wines beyond B.C.’s borders but don’t want to leave Canada — well then, you may to want to head to Ontario.
While you could opt for a tasting tour of Niagara and Niagara-on-the-Lake, an overnight in Prince Edward County, or a stopover in one of the up-and-coming regions such as Georgian Bay, there’s plenty of places to discover in the province’s wine hot spots.
But, you don’t have to stray too far from the big city in order to taste what the VQA has to offer. With five wineries in the emerging “Region A” — including Mono, Stouffville, Newmarket and Vaughan — you can sip new Canadian wines while also enjoying the delights of downtown.
Curious about where to sip, savour and stay while in Toronto — in between all the tastings at the wineries, of course. Here are a few places worth checking out:
Centrally located at Bay Street and Adelaide Street West, The St. Regis Toronto is steps from tourist attractions, shopping, public transit, restaurants, entertainment and much more. The luxurious property, situated at 325 Bay St., features elegant rooms, a spacious pool, bespoke butler service and, of course, the signature St. Regis “Rituals” — the Bloody Mary, Afternoon Tea, and the Evening Sabering Ritual. If you stay here, you’ll surely feel like royalty.
Toronto is home to an abundance of chic eateries, one of which is the simply named SARA. Located at 98 Portland St. in the busy-and buzzy Entertainment District, the eatery is the sister restaurant to The Food Dudes’s (that would be Adrian Niman, Brent McClenahan and Adam Minster) RASA. At this intimate eatery, diners will enjoy international flavours crafted with local ingredients and “refined” techniques. Despite the small-plate style, prepare to leave satisfyingly full.
A nod to the city’s unique heritage as one of the international hot spots for distillery during the turn of the 19th century, LOUIX LOUIS goes big on spirits — both local and those sourced from around the world. The two-story bar features more than 500 dark spirits on offer, as well as a whole host of other wines, spirits and cocktails. If the inspired menu of “forgotten classics” isn’t enough to entice, the allure of getting a photo in the very Instagram-able decor (not to mention a glimpse of the skyline from the 31st-floor bar’s balcony) most likely will.
A retail tour of Toronto wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Yorkdale Shopping Centre. The indoor mall, which is located at 3401 Dufferin St in North York, offers two millions square feet (yes, two million) of shopping with 270 stores — many of them being the exclusive retail outposts for various brands in Canada.
Soothe
After all the wine tasting, dining and shopping, you might be in the mood for a little pampering. And the CHANEL Beauty Boutique, located at 50 Bloor St., is just the place to get it.
The 1,280-square-foot boutique beauty products for purchase, makeup application services and skincare treatments in a private cabine inspired by the CHANEL Au Ritz Spa located in Paris — the first of its kind in Canada.