Last summer we had such nice lunches under the trees at the Rideau Vineyard. The setting was lovely, the food was delicious and generously portioned, and together with a taste of wine, it made for the perfect place to take friends for a wine country lunch. I was disappointed when I learned that lunch was no longer available, but as it was winter when I learned this, I assumed it was because of the time of year and that they would begin serving when the weather improved and the visitors were in greater numbers. I was quite surprised to learn the other day that the reason they still aren't serving lunch actually has something to do with the County. Apparently they do not want anyone to provide food service in a "residential" area. You can appreciate the irony, I'm sure. They can offer wine tasting, but not lunch. (In fact, you'd think that they would support wineries offering people something to eat with their wine to mitigate the effects of what sometimes becomes too much tasting. ) I should mention that Rideau is still serving a charcuterie plate with meats and cheeses, but there are no sandwiches and salads paired with wine. For those of us who've enjoyed a lazy afternoon lunch at Rideau, it's a true loss. On the brighter side, in addition to tasting, Rideau sells some of the best barrel aged balsamic vinegar in the valley. It's delicious and pours like syrup. Yum.