What an amazing experience I had Saturday evening enjoying a delicious dinner, al fresco, in the Wine Sensory Garden at Reif Estate Winery in Niagara-on-the- Lake. Efficient servers began to serve wave after wave of tasty hors d' oeuvres to tempt our palates (warm mini lemon thyme biscuits with Mario Pingue's shaved Bresaola and parmesan, endive spears with whipped chèvre, toasted walnut and drizzle of lemon thyme infused honey). The highlight of the whole evening was, of course, the delicious three course meal prepared by chef Robin Howe that was paired with three of Reif's wines.

The first course consisted of pan roasted salmon wrapped in prosciutto and rosemary which, in turn, were delicately placed on a spring pea and crème fraîche purée and surrounded by a Pinot Noir reduction. This prosciutto wrapped morsel was like no salmon I have had in years. The prosciutto added a great textural and underlying smoky element to the perfectly roasted pink fish. The bright green pea and crème fraîche purée added a refreshing herbaceous touch. The matched wine was the 2007 Pinot Noir.

Now before you go off on your "no red wine with fish!" tirade, this was an absolutely stunning pairing. This Pinot, while exhibiting robust sour cherry and cranberry, had an underlying earthy element (like a cool forest floor) that matched well with the cured prosciutto.

The main course presented us with a galantine composed of roasted free range chicken and pistachio-lemon mousse in a Cabernet Merlot, roasted tomato, garlic and oregano jus. The textural and flavour elements of this dish were sublime. The roasted tomato and oregano infused jus, combined with the lemon and pistachio mousse, provided a somewhat Mediterranean zest. The 2008 Cab Merlot served to balance this dish.

Finally, the dessert consisted of individual upside down pineapple cakes with a dollop of pineapple sage and Icewine sweetened whipped Chantilly cream. What a delicious way to wind things down. The upside down cake was moist and the pineapple was a strong presence without being overpowered by sweetness. Even the addition of the Chantilly cream served as a perfect supporting role. The 2007 Vidal Icewine was smooth and subtle. There was enough acidity in this lip smacker to help bring the apricot and acacia honey to the forefront.

Rosemary Mantini (review in 'Wine Tidings Magazine')

Thank you for your special attention to this spring's openings of the Shaw Festival. Your gift with food preparation, display and your generosity of spirit to Shaw made these openings the best ever! Everyone has remarked on our fine cuisine! and thank your staff for the excellent service.
The Shaw Festival

I wanted to give you and all your staff who helped with our opening of 'Charlie's Aunt' a personal thank you. It certainly was an evening to remember and your catering was one of the highlights of the event! It was a team effort and it certainly paid off.
The Shaw Festival

We thought, and lots of people have said to us, both on the night and in the last two days, that it was one of the best, if not the best, catered dinners they have ever had. Kudos to the staff as well.

Will be in touch again about next year's event. Cheers,
Peter, Shaw Festival Guild Dinner

We would like to thank you for the beautiful catering you did for us. Everything was perfect and from the laughter you could gather that the guests enjoyed themselves too. The oyster bar; was a real hit!
Rodman Hall

Many thanks Robin, people keep telling me how fantastic the food was.
Graves and Associates Barristers

Dear Robin,
On behalf of the Fruitman family, we'd like to thank you and your staff for making Trevor's Bar Mitzvah celebration a perfect day. So manypeople commented on the outstanding food! Thank you again for a job well done!
David, Lynne, Sam and Trevor

I want to thank you for the fabulous meal you put on yesterday for Laurie and Shawn's wedding. We are all so glad that we found you! Our guests have been commenting non-stop about the "best ever" wedding dinner. We knew as soon as we saw the salad that it was going to be special. I still don't know how you manage to get all those steaks out there at the perfect point of doneness. Not one complaint!!

And please let your staff know that they were wonderful too. They were so professional and friendly, and were right on top of everything! We really appreciated the way they handled the day. We knew we had a beautiful setting for a wedding, but your dinner really made the day, so once again, thank you so much for the wonderful meal.
Linda and Gary Warrell, Beamsville

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for the exquisite meal that provided for the Lord Mayor's fund raiser. All participants expressed their delight on the catering of this event.
With your assistance the evening was a total success and therefore helped greatly in the fund raising campaign. Our appreciation is sincerely extended to you for your part.
Sincerely,
The Lord Mayor's Office
Niagara-on-the-Lake

Thank you for everything! The shower was beautiful and the food was unbelievable. They just couldn't get enough. Thank you for doing such a terrific job at our wedding. People are still talking about the food, including us, the food was amazing!
Dr. Rhonda Taylor
(Chateau des Charmes Winery)

Your food was such a big hit at our wedding. There were many, many compliments about how well we dined and people are still commenting on it weeks later. We know you were committed to another event that day so we want you to know how happy we are that you took on our wedding too. Thank you and many thanks to your wonderful and helpful staff.
Robyn Rogers
(Navy Hall, Niagara-on-the-Lake)

Robin,
When people talk about our wedding the most common compliment we hear is how wonderful the food was! Every dish that came from the kitchen was expertly prepared and beautifully presented. You understood our vision and made it a reality, and for that we thank you. You are a true artist!
Sharon and Andrew , The Grand Victorian, Niagara-on-the-Lake

Hi Robin, What a fabulous meal at the wedding. Wow!...thank you so much for all of your special touches, attention to detail and professional service! The feedback is fantastic. Well Done!! Thanks again,
Terri and Dave Dick
(Niagara-on-the-Lake)