Bus Trip- South Shore Wine Company and Mazza Vineyards - Riverside Inn Dinner Theatre

August 7th Sunny Day - Perfect day for a bus trip

Our day started early - Lou and I boarded the bus at 6:15 am and departed on our journey. Our first stop was at Chat-a-While Restaurant in Bath, NY where we enjoyed a wonderful breakfast. Many of us chose the breakfast buffet that included my favorite, homemade biscuits and sausage gravy. After we had eaten our full we were back on the bus.

As our journey continued, many played bus bingo to pass the time and later we enjoyed a DVD of the Christian comedian Ken Davis until we arrived at the first winery.

The first winery was South Shore Wine Company which is owned by the Mazza Family and is located in North East, PA. It was originally established in 1864 by grape growing pioneers William Griffith and Smith S. Hammond. The breathtaking stone wine cellar, now home to the newly re-established sister winery of Mazza Vineyards, stands testimony to the beginnings of the now flourishing grape and wine industry in Erie County. The winery had been closed during Prohibition and then purchased by a gentleman from Pittsburgh who transformed the upstairs space into a popular restaurant, inn and ballroom which remained in operation for nearly a century.

We were able to taste a new and unique selection of wines while taking in the grandeur and silent history hidden within the original stone walls, whose architecture was inspired by the wine cellars of France.

We were even allowed to taste their exclusive Ice Wine Vidal Blanc, which was by far the best wine we had ever tasted, but at $42.95 per bottle we didn't buy that one, even though it did come in a beautiful blue bottle. This wine is made from grapes that are purposely covered with netting and left on the vines to be frozen by Mother Nature to 17 degrees and before the sun hits the grapes they are hand harvested and then processed into wine, hence the price for the wine.

After making purchases and thanking our hostesses we were back on the bus and going a few miles up the road to the next winery. This is owned by the same family and called Mazza Vineyards. This is located along East Lake Road where we traveled mile after mile seeing rows of French hybrid and native American vines. It is from these vineyards that the wine grape varieties come.

At this winery we get to see the crushing and pressing machines, along with the fermentation tanks. Of course, being the wrong time of the year, we can't see the bottling process. Once again, we taste more wine. Here we sample Niagara, Vineyard Country Red, Bare Bones White, which is a specialty. Lou and I ask to sample an apple that we saw advertised and they were so pleased we were aware of it and asked it we wanted it warmed or chilled, so we asked to each. I was thinking about fall coming and baked apples and such. We both found it delightful and purchased two bottles.

At the conclusion of our tour we were back on the bus and on to Riverside Inn Dinner Theatre, where we would have dinner and see Honky Tonk Angels. This is located in Cambridge Springs, PA

I don't know how many rooms this Inn has, I know Lou and I walked the halls of three floors and I don't know when I have seen so many antique beds, dressers and the like. The downstairs were just full of antiques, it was the end to a perfect day.

Our dinner was in the Theatre and we had our choice of Peach Chicken, Catfish or Salisbury Steak. All remarked on good their food was, after we finished our dinner, the show began and it was really good. These three girls gave a great performance, singing the old country songs that us older folks enjoy and they could "belt" out the music.

All in all it was a wonderful day, our hostess, Maria made sure all of our needs were met at every occasion and we arrived home safely and our bus driver Dave, even got us home prior to our scheduled time of arrival, what more could we ask for.