Merry Day At Merridale!

Have you been to Merridale Estate Cidery’s ‘Bistro La Pommeraie‘?

Would this entice you to go?

‘Take a European holiday in the Cowichan Valley. Imagine yourself in the middle of an apple orchard in northern France or the shores of England enjoying local cuisine, fine wine, and award-winning cider. Now cancel that plane ticket and join us at la Pommeraie, a bistro at Merridale.’
Source: http://www.merridalecider.com/bistro/

Would this?

Apple Orchard

Or this?

More Orchard Views

How about this?

Have a seat… take in the view!

And these photos are taken in the winter, so the trees are minus the leaves. Imagine them in the summer!

Here is the charming Cider House, the bistro, tour and tasting building… so perfectly designed for its picturesque country setting. Last week the grass would’ve been fully covered in snow!

Bistro Building

The character displayed on the outside merely hints at what you will find inside…

Cider House Tasting Bar

Source: Merridale Estate Cidery

Isn’t the wall of windows amazing? The soaring ceiling? The wooden beams and trim???

Tasting Bar & Bistro

Source: Merridale Estate Cidery

I wish I had taken great inside shots to share with you.

This picture shows you a little tiny glimpse more of the inside… along with us and some of our family too! To the left is a magnificent double-sided rock fireplace. Notice the artwork (by local artists), that is displayed for sale. And how about the intricate lines of the ceiling? The skylight, the wood trim that compliments the fireplace mantle, the rounded edges of the drywall. And though you can’t see it here, behind the fireplace wall is another huge bank of second story windows – the light that floods this space is amazing – a true display of ‘light, bright, and airy’.

Family visit and outing, Summer 2009

In photo: (L) Clemens’ parents, Ursula & Konrad Rettich – Ursula is an artist and you can see her creations if you visit her blog ‘Sea to Canvas‘; (C) Sister-in-law & brother, Barb & Bertrand Rettich who were visiting from Alberta; (R) Us! Well, ‘me’ and hubbie, Clemens Rettich – see what Clemens is up to by visiting ‘Clemens Rettich Business Consulting Ltd.‘

We do love our little outings to Merridale… and have recently added a Bistro La Pommeraie experience to our chest of memories. The food was incredible!

At first we weren’t sure if this cute carafe actually held a half litre’s worth of cider sangria… especially when it was placed beside the large chunky glass! Isn’t the glass great?

Cider Sangria by the 1/2 Carafe

But once we started to pour, we stopped wondering and decided that it does!

Let the tasting begin!

Cheers to Merridale Cider Sangria

The sangria was full of fresh, local cranberries… so pretty, and not too, too sour to eat!

Did I mention the brick oven bread that’s made fresh daily, right on site? And the brick oven pizza that is truly amazing?

The attention to detail is evident everywhere you look, and in everything you taste.

Every surface, every nook and cranny is immaculate. If you look closely inside the open doors of the cellar, you will see what I mean; and the exterior simply speaks for itself!

This is the Cellar. Do you see the snow on the little roof? It really is December!

Cellar

Notice the large vats in the windows below…

Cellar next to the Brandy House

And this is the Brandy House…

Brandy House

There’s so much more to see and do; there’s even a Spa in the Orchard! And every space is unique hosting its own feature, its own attraction, and attention to detail.

Even the exit gates showcase authentic kegs, and boast posts made of rock matching the Cider House fireplace!