Robert Bell's

Wines of Canada

Since 1992


Ontario's Niagara Peninsula

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Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery

1366 York Road, Box 340
St. Davids, ON L0S 1P0



Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery is biodynamic and organic winery Ravine opened in 2008. The winery is owned by the Harber family. Also known as the Upper Lowrey Farm, the family has milled, farmed and canned fruit at Ravine for 5 generations. The farm is known to be one of the first commercial grape vineyards in the area with 500 vines planted in 1869.

Located on a lush rolling hillside farm in the Village of St Davids. There is a rich history to be told about the farm and the buildings of Ravine Estate. The home in which the tasting room and hospitality centre of Ravine Vineyard is located is considered to be one of the top fifty most architecturally significant houses in all of Canada. The winery is housed in a heritage home that dates back to 1815. The building has been painstakingly restored and is set amidst our lush rolling vineyards.

In 1867, David Jackson Lowrey purchased the farm that is now Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery. His family moved from Vanessa, Ontario to St. Davids and subsequently planted 500 vines on the Upper Lowrey Farm in 1869 — making the family the first commercial vineyard owners in the area. 

The property has 34 acres in what Ravine's owns says is the warmest section of the Niagara region; by almost 20percent. In fact, the property is actually an anomaly. The soils are lighter, its airflow and water drainage are more consistent, and its position on the Bench is at its highest elevation.

Ravine Vineyard won The Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Excellence in Ontario Wines for their 2010 Reserve Chardonnay. The winning wines were announced on Friday June 27, 2014.

In 2012, Ravine Vineyard accepted the Lieutenant Governor’s award for the 2010 Reserve Cabernet Franc Picone Vineyard

Cider is also produced . Winemaker consultant Bruce Gamble.

Paul Harber is the Chef Proprietor & Brand Manager of the wineries restaurant

2021 Niagara Business Achievement Awards Excellence in Tourism & Hospitality Award recipient

Winemaker:



Redstone Winery

4245 King St,
Beamsville, ON
L0R 1B1

4245 King St, Beamsville, ON L0R 1B1

this is another project of Moray Tawse owner of Tawse winery.

Moray purchased the Lincoln Lakeshore property, formerly Thomas and Vaughan Estate Winery, in 2009, citing that it was an opportunity to explore a different terroir that he simply could not pass up. Inspired by the red dust which covered everything, including his boots, the first time he strolled the vineyard, he named the new winery Redstone, for its intensely red clay soil and large stones

The 38-acre estate vineyard, farmed organically and bio dynamically, is perfect for maturing late-ripening varietals including Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah. There is also Pinot Gris on the property. Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay

 Named Winery of the Year by WineAlign National Wine Awards of Canada. The annual competition recognizes the best in Canadian wines as well as the top performing wineries in the nation's industry

Philosophy: We've never believed that our task consists simply of growing grapes in a certain environment. There are ways of making wine that reflect the character of the local terroir. We have developed extensive expertise within a environment, and we have a variety of ideas

 


Reif Estate Winery

15608 Niagara Parkway
Niagara-on- the- Lake, ON LOS 1J0


Reif Estate Winery opened in 1982 with a commitment to combine petit-honoured tradition with modern technology. Wines produced at Reif are truly estate bottled. With 135 acres of vineyards, use only their own grapes to produce premium quality wines. A winery known internationally for its icewines . There wines are aged in authentic oak casks in underground barrel cellars When a winery puts that much emphasis in the vineyard, it requires a great deal of skill and expertise. Klaus W. Reif, President of Reif Estate Winery has a degree in viticulture as well as oenology and is sincere in his belief that fine wines can only be made from excellent ingredients.

At the 7th International Wine Competition in Verona, Italy, Reif Estate Winery won the prestigious Vinitaly 1999 Special Award for the highest scoring winery of Canada. This award can only be received providing that at least 3 of the wineries wine entries have reached the minimum score of 80 out of 100 and that its country of origin has contributed at least 20 contestants to the competition.

In 2015 they launched River Road Cider.

Winemaker: Roberto D. DiDomenico
Philosophy: Klaus Reif's philosophy that 'Great wines start in the vineyard' is the corner stone of the quality and integrity of Reif Wines. This belief partnered with a commitment to produce predominantly estate bottled wines from our 125 acre vineyard has provided our winemaker Roberto DiDomenico with the tools to produce world renowned wines.

Klaus and Roberto also believe that over time a vineyard will express its 'Terroir', loosely translated as 'a sense of place'. Many agree that as a vineyard matures it's personality or characteristics of climate and soils will be expressed in the wines over time. We believe Reif's terroir is best expressed by the wines produced in the First Growth Collection which are produced from our oldest vineyard blocks.




Rennie Estate Winery

4260 King St. East,
Beamsville, Ont.
L0R 1B0




Grape grower Graham Rennie, who owns Heron Pond Benchland Vineyard east of Beamsville family purchased the vineyard in 1997. They planted  five varietals in 1999. We sourced Chardonnay (Dijon clone 76 ), Pinot Noir (Dijon clone 113 ) Cabernet Sauvignon (clone 169), Cabernet Franc(clone 210) and Merlot(clone 184) from the Mercier nursery in France. We planted the vineyard in the spring of 1999 with spacing at 1275 vines per acre with 8 feet wide rows. The varietal mix is 28% Pinot Noir,17% Chardonnay, 20% Merlot, 20% Cabernet Franc and 15% Cabernet Sauvignon.

Heron Pond Benchland Vineyard is a fifty acre site located on the Beamsville Bench, a sub appellation within the Niagara Peninsula Viticultural area. The Beamsville Bench is a naturally sloping Benchland bordered on the south by the Niagara escarpment and to the north by Lake Ontario. The slope of the Bench and the constant air flow from Lake Ontario provides a unique micro climate which cools the vineyard during the hottest summer months and facilitates the removal of cold air during the winter months.


Philosophy: Rennie Estate Winery is a small, family owned, artisanal producer, specializing in crafting Super Niagara Bordeaux blend wines and dedicated to the vinification of single vineyard Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines. Our cool climate site naturally produces fruit with bright levels of acidity which results in wines that express fresh fruit flavours, and complex aromatics.



Ridge Road

1205 Ridge Road
Vinemount, ON L8J 2X5


A small family winery perched on the rocky edge of the Niagara Escarpment's upper bench. They produce Bacco Noir, Cabernet Franc, Riesling , unoaked Chardonnay and Vidal along with blends. The winery is owned by Jayne and Sean Douglas The name was choice as they are on Ridge Road, they liked the alliteration and the fact that it clearly identified our location. The farm has been in Jayne's family since 1875 after consultation to see if the land could be used to grow grapes they purchased the property from Jayne's Grandmother . The farm was purchased 1994, the land was cleared and grape planting begun. For 10 years the grapes were sold to amateur winemakers and small wineries. In 2007 they fermented their first commercial vintage which consisted of Cabernet Franc, Baco Noir, Chardonnay, Vidal and our Vineridge Blend. The retail store opened in September of 2009.

They describe their winery as A family-run winery with a single objective in mind - to make high quality, hand-crafted wines from locally grown grapes. We're serious about our wines, but we know that a memorable journey isn't complete without a welcoming and comfortable atmosphere

signature wines : Vineridge Blend, Riesling Pinot Noir. They specialize in a product call Verjus which is extremely popular with chefs “foodies”. Current production about 2000 cases

Winemaker: Sean Douglas
Philosophy:Hand Picked, Hand Sorted and Hand Crafted. That is a slogan that we use regularly and is the philosophy of our winemaking. We will always keeps our volumes relatively small in order to be able to give each batch the personal attention it needs to meet our standards. We also use only locally grown grapes and base our production from any given on year what we think will make the best wines (i.e. in cooler years we will only make Rose from our Cabs).




Reimer Vineyards

1289 Line 3 Road
Niagara -on-the-Lake


In 1987 Reimer family started planting Chardonnay and Johannesburg Riesling vines, each one lovingly planted one at a time Over the years, more varieties were planted: Pinot Noir the following year in 1988, Gewürztraminer in 1992; Gamay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc in 1997; another block of Chardonnay in 1998, a second block of Gewürztraminer in 2002, with Chambourcin being the most recently planted in 2006. In 2008 they took the jump from amateur winemaking to a full time winery.

The vineyards are certified Organic. this includes a more diverse mix of crops, such as fruit trees and grapes, along with animals that forage amongst the perennial crops.

Stay in the vineyard in the Reimer Cottage one-storey air-conditioned cottage accommodates 6-8 people comfortably with everything you'll need for your stay.  It features three bedrooms, a fully equipped kitchen, bathroom, spacious living room, fireplace, TV, DVD player, laundry facilities, linens, and a rear deck overlooking the vineyards.

Winemaker: Art Reimer
Philosophy: Heritage winemaking begins in our family's organic vineyards



Ridgepoint Wines

3900 Cherry Ave
Vineland, ON LOR 2C0


Set high on the escarpment at the top of Cherry Avenue just west of Vineland. The winery is owned by siblings Anna Gottardo and Mauro Scarsellone. Marco has a passion for Icewine and premium reds. He purchased his first vineyard, eight hectares, in 1995 and produced his first vintage in 2001. His first red was Nebbiolo and his icewine Vidal.

Their desire is to produce wines that remind us of our heritage has also led us to practice Old World wine techniques such as Appassimento and Ripasso winemaking.

Ridgepoint Wines is also responsible for the first commercial bottling of Nebbiolo. Scarsellones at Ridgepoint dining room is now open featuring light and casual dining

" our parents left Italy to pursue greener pastures in the New World and to get away from the hardships of living off the land. Ironically, we always noticed as kids that they were their happiest when surrounded by family and friends in their gardens, and while making food and wine from the fruits of their labour. Despite that, we were discouraged from having anything to do with farming and were encouraged to pursue professional careers. Although our careers have allowed a comfortable living, the call to the land ultimately proved too strong for us to ignore."

Winemaker: Christopher Protonentis
Philosophy:Our Nebbiolo is unique among the wines of Ontario. We also produce premium and ultrapremium VQA Ontario wines from estate-grown Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, and Merlot grapes.



Riverview Estate Winery

15376 Niagara Parkway
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON LOS 1J0


A family owned ( Sam and Lina Pillitteri ) winery located on the Niagara Parkway in Niagara-on-the-Lake. The family has farmed here since the 70's operating a fruit market. Grapes Gewürztraminer were first planed in 1992 The farm was slowly converted into a full-scale winery. A small crush during the 1998 harvest resulted in about 50 cases of wine and was released in September of 2000. In the early days they operated as a Farm-Winery, however, in 2004 they received their Estate-Winery license. Current output ranges annually from between 5,000-8,000 cases annually pending weather.

The fountain logo symbolizes life and purity of spring water. Specializing in premium VQA wines and icewine, producing high quality Vidal Icewine. Their wine shop also doubles as a country market featuring local produce.

Signature wines are Bianco which is a suss-reserve white wine (often a blend of Riesling and Gewürztraminer), and "Rosso" a rich, fruity red wine (a blend of Cabernet Franc/Merlot).

Winemakers: Alyssa Bator
Philosophy: We remain committed to crafting distinguished wines with an honest sense of place.  We believe that when you truly respect the vineyard, your wine sincerely reflects the land.



Rockway Vineyards

3290 Ninth Street South
St Catharine's, ON L2R 6P7


Located on the Twenty Mile Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula.

In "Le musèe du vin", winemaking is brought to life. On location at Rockway Glen Golf Course and Estate Winery resides Canada's only wine museum*. It has been designed as an authentic cav a vin housing antiques from the vineyards of France. The wine cellar and museum display accouterments hail from the wine making regions of Alsace, Champagne, Burgundy and Bordeaux. Tours of the museum can be arranged by contacting the office and include wine tastings to complement your journey "from the vineyard to the cellar".

Winemaker: David Stasiuk





Rosewood Estate Winery and Meadery


4352 Mountainview Rd.
Lincoln, ON L3J 2C8

 

The Rosewood story begins over 80 years ago when R.W. Roman’s passion for beekeeping and mead began as a teenager in Ukraine. After arriving in Canada, he continued keeping bees alongside his son, Eugene Roman, who quickly fell in love with the craft. Years later, during Eugene & Renata’s honeymoon to Niagara-on-the-Lake, the two fell in love with the region for its natural beauty, people and wines. Here the concept of Rosewood began, as Eugene promised his new wife that one day he would build a winery with her. After years of planning, planting and a decade of harvests, our team is made up of a diverse group of talented and passionate wine-loving individuals.


Renata and Eugene Roman purchased 40 acres of land in 2000 on the the Beamsville Bench. Their goal was to start a small-batch artisan winery and meadery. As they love roses and have wonderful woods on the property the winery was named Rosewood.

The main Renaceau Vineyard, on Mountainview Rd has been planted with vinifera grapes starting in the year 2003. These grapes are: Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, Riesling, and Semillon. Spring of 2008 will mark the first release of the 2006 wines to the public. They are currently working on opening the new Haut Roche Vineyard in Jordan.

Rosewood is Niagara 's first meadery and produce 3 styles of mead. Eugene is a lifelong beekeeper who produces the honey used in mead making. The Roman family have been beekeepers for 70 years. Eugene is a master beekeeper having maintain his own hives since he was 5

Signature wines: Origin Pinot Noir, Sussreserve Riesling and our classic mead/honey wine, Grand Reserve Ambrosia

2014 a Trophy for , Best Red Wine of the Year at the all Canadian Championship ~ 2012 Lock, Stock, & Barrel

Philosophy:We understand great wines reflect their terroir, vintage and personality and have a level of quality that arises from a deep understanding of winemaking techniques and premium grapes. We strive to produce elegant and delicious vineyard-driven wines, with the multi-dimensional qualities to call your senses to attention. Our winemaking is inspired by old world philosophies and complemented with modern new-world techniques. We use the best technologies available that are best suited to the vineyards and microclimates found in Niagara’s unique growing environment.




Sons & Daughters Winery


1389 Effingham Street
Ridgeville Ontario

 

Brothers Geoff and Anthony embarked on a wine-making journey in 2018. With roots in the area, they built Sons & Daughters, a family-run winery in Fonthill, located within Pelham, Ontario in the heart of the Niagara Region.

  Situated at the longest and highest point in the Niagara Peninsula, our Fonthill vineyards sit on one of only five sites of its kind in the world.    

     A kame delta is created by melting glaciers, forming what we know today as the Fonthill Kame Delta. In its wake, the glaciers left behind mineral rich soil on its hills, creating a unique terroir and microclimate for our grapes. 

     Sons & Daughters Winery is comprised of two vineyards. The Tice Road vineyard is heavy in rocks, pebbles, boulders, and coarse sand, making it an ideal location for red grapes that produce Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Chambourcin and Baco Noir.

     On Effingham Street, the hilly vineyard is composed of fine sand and produces the ever popular Riesling variety.

Sons & Daughters is named for Geoff and Therese’s sons, Hudson, Magnus, and Beauden. And for Anthony and Maria’s daughters, Charlotte, Georgina, and Theodora.





SouthBrook Winery

581 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0


Passionate about good food and fine wine, Bill and Marilyn Redelmeier decided a winery would be a perfect addition to their successful market garden and farm. So they converted their 100 year old barn into a winery. Southbrook Vineyards Canada's first biodynamic winery certified by Demeter

Together with winemaker Derek Barnett they developed wines to complete with the worlds best. Originally located in Maples north of Toronto, Southbrook began producing wine in 1992. Their Framboise wines have captured the world and can be found at Harrods in England Southbrook Chardonnay 1994 was served when Canada's Prime Minister hosted Her Majesty The Queen and His Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh, June 28 1997.

Brought on as a winemaking consultant in 2005 Ann Sperling introduces Bill and Marilyn to an excellent opportunity. A 74-acre parcel in the warm Four Mile Creek sub-appellation of Niagara-on-the-Lake is on the market, complete with 36 acres of ideally planted, well-selected varieties and top-notch clones. The couple realizes its potential, and decides on the new location to build the winery of their dreams. They convince Ann Sperling to sign on as full-time Director of Winemaking and Viticulture. The design of a winery with associated facilities and a hospitality building was entrusted to Jack Diamond of Diamond and Schmitt Architects of Toronto. The design has won numerous awards.

Southbrook's hospitality pavilion became the first winery building to receive the Gold level of LEED® (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) from the Canada Green Building Council (CaGBC) in November 2008

The Redelmeiers commence creation of a fully biodynamic, organic and environmentally responsible winemaking operation. Southbrook currently has one Demeter-certified biodynamic 75-acre vineyard (2008), plus an additional 75-acre property with full biodynamic status

In 2012 received the Elsie Award for their high commitment to the environment.

They now make cider. Their Wild Ferment Apple Cider was highly praised by the Golb and Mail. The cider employs juice from Nova Mac, Liberty, Nova Spy, Goldrush, and Pricilla apples harvested at Avalon Orchards, a certified organic orchard in Innisfil.

Winemaker: Ann Sperling, Casey Hogan
Philosophy: "winemaking is an art, allowing the flavour inherent in the grapes to express themselves to the fullest"




Stoney Ridge Estate Winery

3201 King St.
Vineland, ON L0R 2C0


The winery was founded by Jim Warren in 1985, who held the position of President and Winemaker until 1999 The original location of the winery was on Ridge Road in Stoney. Stoney Ridge moved to its present location in Vineland , Ontario in 1995. The location was chosen based on its position on the Wine Route, the availability of land for planting Pinot Noir grapes (the McGrade Vineyard, named after the original owner of the property), and the general availability of the property. In 2013, one of Canada’s best known radio and television personalities became the new owner of Stoney Ridge Winery Bob McCowan.

The winery began small, producing only 500 cases four years later the winery was producing 4,000 cases and has continued to grow. Producing award wining wines developing a reputation for having unique and exotic wines that all possessed the inimitable style that was a signature of winemaker Jim Warren. By 2012 the winery was producing 40,000 cases

The Stoney Ridge philosophy is that wine should not be considered as an accompaniment to a meal but rather an integral part of a fine meal

Chief Winemaker:Jeff Innes
Founding Winemaker: Jim Warren
Philosophy: Every winery is dependant on two key factors that contribute to its success. Firstly, the grapes used must be of the highest quality, produced from vineyards that have a terroir that reflects the unique character of the Niagara Peninsula , and thus provide a window through which to experience the soil and climate of the region. The next crucial element lies in the skills of the vintner, who through their experience, innovation and natural talent, can deliver the juice that becomes a wine which captures the essence of the region, while exhibiting the classic characteristics that have made the grape variety famous for centuries.

The Challenge International du Vin the biggest French International Wines competition and one of the most famous wine events awarded a silver medal to Stoney Ridge for their igluu Late Harvest Vidal 99



Stonebridge Vineyards

15940 Niagara River Parkway
Niagra-on-the-Lake



Faik Turkman always had a passion for wine. He found himself living next to one of Canad;s premier wineries after moving to Canada. He soon became owner of 46 Acres .So it was natural to start a winery.

Stonebridge estate vineyard is located in the Four Mile Creek subappelation of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Growing on the blend of Lake Iroguois sediments and glaciolucstine clay. The Queenston bedrock shale that sits below consists of a sequence of ancient rock beds or strate, originating from over 500 million years ago as marine sediments in a warm shallow inland sea.

Stonebridge builds on diversity of clones, rootstock and microclimate, adding elegant complexity and structure to our Chardonnay, Merlot and Cabernets.

He also owns Lailey Vineyards



Stratus Vineyards

2059 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0


The Stratus vineyard is a mature fifty-three acre estate moderated by the effects of two bodies of water: the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. Benefiting from a unique mesoclimate, the vineyard ranks among the warmest sites in Niagara Their vineyard is planted partially with Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay. The vineyard's main varieties will be clones of Bordeaux and Rhone

Canada's Stratus Vineyards is the world's first winery to be given the coveted LEED green certification. To qualify for the LEED, Stratus set up features and practices such as composting all plant waste materials, herbicide-free vineyards, energy-efficient electrical and plumbing systems, and toxin-free waste-management systems. Stratus also uses a hybrid, gas-electric vehicle for winery deliveries. The winery was also designed for making wine using the gravity-flow method.

The winery's main building is heated using a geothermal source more than 200 feet below ground. This added considerably to building costs but it is expected to produce significant savings over the coming years

Winemaker: J-L Groux
Philosophy: We believe that memorable wines are produced by paying scrupulous attention to the land, to the vineyard. There is minimal handling of both the grapes and the wine at every stage—minimal handling with maximum patience. The art of assemblage is the quintessence of winemaking. Assemblage refers to the crafting of several grape varieties to create layered wines of complexity, wines that are a true expression of the vineyard's terroir.




Strewn Estate Winery

1339 Lakeshore Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0


Strewn Winery has restored a 1930's former fruit cannery into a world renowned winery having won over 40 medals and awards in its short history. Winemaker Joe Wills hails from Alberta, he worked in the BC Okanagan learning his craft then studied at Australia's Roseworthy College. The winery offers a wide range of wines and numerous tourist events.

Strewn's red wines are made exclusively from Bordeaux grape   varieties, the five white wines range from Gewürztraminer to Pinot Blanc and Icewines include Cabernet Franc and Vidal. Approximately 20% of the grapes come from Strewn's two vineyards while the rest are sourced within Niagara , mostly within 10 km of the winery. Owner and winemaker Joe Will is a graduate of Roseworthy Agricultural College in Australia and is especially skilled at crafting award-winning wines to enhance the   dining experience. In 2012 Strewn received top honours at both the International Wine & Spirits Competition and International Wine Challenge winning both a Gold and Gold Outstanding medal for their 2008 Vidal Icewine.

The scenic property is also home to the Wine Country Cooking School and Restaurant featuring wine country cuisine.

Winemaker: Joe Wills Marc Bradshaw
Philosophy: We're committed to making premium VQA wines from grapes grown in the Niagara peninsula.

 



Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery

3210 Staff Ave
Jordan, Ontario


Opened late summer of 2009 by renowned winemaker Sue-Ann Staff .The location was chosen for her over 200 years ago when Robert Staff moved here from Lincolnshire England in the late 1700’s.  The Staff family has farmed this land for over 200 years while growing grapes for over 100 years.  In fact, the original vineyard planted on the property is still in production today.

The vineyard is on the Mile Bench 30 acres planted with more to come in the future.  Producing Riesling, Pinot Grigio, Cabernet franc, Baco Noir, Viognier and Vidal. Pinot Noir, Chardonnay and Gamay Noir.

    The winery is owned by Sue-Ann Staff who comes from a 5 generations of grape grower turned winemaker.  Her formal winemaking training is from the University of Adelaide, South Australia wineries in Australia After making wine for 10 years for the Pillitteri family and 2 years for the original management of 20 Bees (Niagara-on-the-Lake),Sue ~ Ann decided to start a winery here on the family estate.  Every generation of our family has wanted a winery - I have been the stubborn one to do it! Her nick name within the wine industry is “Ice Queen” – for all the award winning Icewines

The "Staff Mountain Bell" is one of only 500 very a rare cold weather bells made in Birmingham England in 1869. Of the 500, 450 went to Russia and 50 were destined for Canada. This unique find has been in the Staff family for decades and bids a cordial "good bye" to group tour as they leave.

The winery produces 6000 cases. S ignature wines being Howard's Vidal Icewine, Robert's Block Riesling, Riesling Loved By Lu, Bank Barn Baco Noir and Chestnut Tree Cabernet franc plus other traditional method sparkling, white and red wines.

Wines are available in China and South Korea and soon in the EU.

Sue-Ann Staff recieved the 2018 Tony Aspler Award for her decades of important work in our grape and wine Industry

Look for her wines in Quebec and Manitoba

Winemaker: Sue-Ann Staff
Philosophy : My winemaking philosophy is to vinify the most expressive wines possible from the grapes produced on our own vineyard.  I believe that our small part of the globe is a stunning place to grow grapes that produce wines that truly reflect the terrior in which it is grown.  All wines will originate from grapes grown on our estate.  If it becomes necessary to purchase grapes, I will attempt to acquire them from vineyards as close as possible to ensure I am expressing the terrior of our location.




Sunnybrook Fruit Winery

1425 Lakeshore Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON


Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery is Canada's first fruit winery, specializing in wines made from 100% Niagara Peninsula grown tree fruit and berries The winery is owned by Gerald and Vivien Goertz who purchased the farm in 1976. A small brook runs through the property. The farm initially consisted of 35 acres of peaches, cherries, plums, pears, and apples along the southern shore of Lake Ontario at Four Mile Creek on what was once a large river delta. The deep sandy loam soil and the temperature moderating effect of the Niagara Escarpment is ideal for growing the over 20 varieties of peaches produced on the farm.

The winery was established in 1993. Gerald had been making wine, as an amateur, from tree fruit and berries and so it was logical that he make wine made from the fruit that he knows.

Their best selling wines are Peach, Bosc Pear, Spiced Apple, Ironwood Hard Cider, and Chocolate Embrace.
Wines may only be purchased at the farm. They produce 3,500 cases a year

The winery appears to have been sold.

Winemaker: Gerald Goertz
Winemaking Philosophy: To make wine that reflects the true nature of the fruit that it is made from.





Tawse Winery

3955 Cherry Drive
Vineland, ON, L0R 2C0


Tawse is a family-owned estate winery situated on the lower slopes of the Niagara Escarpment (Vineland Double Bench).  Tawse Winery opened its doors in the spring of 2005. Blessed with a hillside terrain, our winery features a unique six-level, gravity-fed processing system. The winery is named after the owner Moray Tawse.

The first vintage was in 2001 when Deborah Paskus had the foresight to bring a sorting table to use on the fruit. Who knew at the time but it was the first year of the lady beetles and the sorting table not only eliminated the unripe and bad bunches but  it also eliminated the the ladybeetles.

The fruit is harvested from old-growth, low-yield vines and gently handled using natural gravity flow and geothermic energy. They apply rigorous organic and biodynamic methods to every aspect of their wine production and Ecocert and Demeter seals now appear on all Tawse vintages made from our biodynamic vineyards

Certified organic and biodynamic. VARIETALS Chardonnay, Riesling, Pinot Noir, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Gewürztraminer, Pinot Gris, Cabernet Franc, Sauvignon Blanc and Syrah

Tawse was named 'Canadian Winery of the Year' by Canadian Wine Access Magazine in 2010, 2011 2012 and 2016.

Home of Guy Lafleurwines.

Winemaker: Paul Pender

Winemaking Philosophy: Using traditional artisanal techniques, combined with our state-of-the-art technology and natural geo-thermal energy, we carefully and skillfully process our fruit to bring out its individual characteristics. We take pride in the fact that our wines are handcrafted and limited in production .

Much of this fruit comes from old-growth, low-yield vines, giving the wines great depth, richness and character. The primary focus is Chardonnay, they also vinify small amounts of Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir and Riesling.




The Farm

2132 King Street
Town of Lincoln



The Farm Winery is owned by the Neudorf family and sits on 10 acres of some of the best Pinot Noir in the Niagara region. The winery is producing a little over 500 cases of small batch Pinot Noir.

As a young boy Peter Neudorf, grew up in the small Mennonite village of Neuanlage in Saskatchewan, later moving to Niagara when he was 12 yrs old. Peter walked to school every day, passing a beautiful farm planted to fruit trees and grape vines. He would stand agape outside the property, bewildered by the riches required to own such an impressive piece of land. This moment, frozen in time, would become Peter’s quiet guiding force in life. 

In 1962 he had the means to buy the land he had revered for so long. The property came with a farm house built in the early 1800s. Dora looked after the grapes and fruit trees, overseeing every aspect of the farm. Peter ran his glass company. An opportunity presented itself in 2000 to work with Vincor, where The Farm grapes would be sold to Le Clos Jordanne. The project would be overseen by consultant and renowned winemaker, Thomas Bachelder. Unbeknownst to Peter and Dora, the land they had purchased housed some of the most premium terroir in Niagara, perfect for pinot noir.

Most of the grapes harvested at The Farm  are used in the production of Domaine Queylus’s award winning wines but a small quantity is held back by the Neudorfs to produce The Farm Pinot Noir.

Peter & Dora Neudorf are the owners. Not open to the public.

Philosophy:


The Foreign Affair Winery

4890 Victoria Ave. North
Vineland Station, ON L0R 2E0




After experiencing life in Italy Len Crispino, his wife Marisa, and their daughter Stefanie decided to start a winery. In 2000, with the kind encouragement of a dear friend, John Howard, they acquired some prime farmland in the Vineland area of the Niagara Peninsula. Then  they sourced and planted 40 acres of Amarone-inspired vines. After three years of carefully nurturing the vines, the first crop was harvested in 2004. In the time-held tradition of Amarone, they delicately dry our grape stock in a barn until each of the varietals were perfect for winemaking.

Phil Clarke of Glenn Elgin Vineyard Management is the Consultant Viticulturist.

Winemaker: Barclay Robinson


Philosophy: We are very proud of the fact the our wines are Canadian and home grown. But make no mistake, we were greatly influenced by the rich Italian (Veneto Region) history of appassimento (drying process). It was in Veneto where it all started and reference to amarone or recioto belong only to those winemaking visionaries. They were and still are the legendary pioneers for whom we have huge respect and admiration. Our Canadian stylistic interpretation with locally grown vinifera varietals are referred to as appassimento (grape drying or Reductio Method) rather than the uniquely owned names found in Veneto



The Hare Wine Co

769 Niagara Stone Road,
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

 

The Hare, fittingly, a symbol of fertility and good fortune offers

Award-winning winemaker Aleksandar Kolundzic uses his expertise, creativity and passion to craft our unique and expressive wine blends

The new facilities were Designed by Frank Wieler and Associates, the building has some unique features that focus on providing an ode to the past — Niagara’s past. Reclaimed materials are used on the building exterior as well as the interior finishes paying homage to the heritage of our region, and the reclaimed brick on the exterior is more than 100 years old. Even the retail space was designed with the concept of making it look like a turn-of-the-century factory. There will also be some historic gems that will adorn the walls of the winery.

One of the owners is John Hare along with Chinese investors and Charlie Pillitteri of Pillitteri Estates 

Winemaker: Aleksandar Kolundzic

Our mission is to create wines and winery experiences that celebrate and tell the story of the historical bounty of Niagara. The Hare, fittingly a symbol of fertility and good fortune, represents the prosperity and abundance of the region. When you step into The Hare Wine Co., you will sense a shift in time to the founding days of this vibrant and flourishing region honouring its natural and abundant history. 



The Ice House

14778 Niagara Parkway
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Ontario, CANADA


Located on the Niagara Peninsula near Queenston. Jamie Macfarlane, co-owner and winemaker had a vision to have a winery that specialized in icewine because he believed that this is the wine that Canada does best. He came up with the name long before he found the old run down peach barn that he and his team transformed to become The Ice House Winery. Co-owners are Jamie Macfarlane and his wife Karen King.

This winery specializes in producing icewine. The Ice House Winery's 2005 Vidal Icewine, Northern Ice, was awarded the highest honour accorded wine – Grand Gold. at the 2007 Monde Selection in Brussels. Their success continued adding two more Grand Gold . 2015 Gold Monde Selection Winner - Vidal Icewine 2005.

Signature wines: 2005 Grand Gold Monde Selection Winner Vidal Blanc Icewine, 2006Grand Gold Monde Selection Winner Vidal Blanc Icewine, 2006Grand Gold Monde Selection Winner Cabernet Sauvignon Icewine, 2006 Late Harvest Vidal Blanc

Winemaker: Jamie MacFarlane
Philosophy: To produce the highest quality Icewine, Northern Ice . There is magic and romance about wine, says Jamie, as people come together around wine and food to enjoy each other's company. Over the years I've often been asked, 'What is the best wine you've ever tasted?' And, my answer is, 'The best wine is always about where I am and who I'm with.' The wine business, and certainly our love of this business is about celebrating and truly enjoying those moments of toasting life. Northern Iceis Canada's toast to the land."



Thirty Bench Winery


PO Box 1172
4281 Mountainview Road
Beamsville, ON L0R 1B0


Located on the Niagara Peninsula near Thirty Mile Creek this winery began as a partnership in the late 1970's to grow grapes. In 1980 it expanded to 39 acres. Under the direction of Tom Muckle and Deborah Paskas their first wine (an icewine) was produced in 1992.

In 1980, a physician at McMaster by the name Thomas Muckle, bought an orchard in the Beamsville Bench and slowly converted it into what back then was known as Heritage Vineyards. Needing both physical and financial help, Dr. Muckle joined forces with Yorgos Papageorgiou and Frank Zeritsch, expanded the vineyard and all three men started experimenting with winemaking in small batches.

In the early years they sold there grapes to other wineries until 1994 when they established their winery.

Today the winery is owned by Andrew Peller Limited and focus on Riesling . They won Best Small Winery of the Year at WineAlign's National Wine Awards of Canada 2015! Emma Garner was winemaker of the year 2015.

In the 2022 All Canadian Championships they were awarded the Best White Wine of the Year for their 2019  Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard.

Winemaker: Emma Garner
Philosophy:We want to do our very best and we believe we can do it only if we have complete control of the entire winemaking process.




Thomas Bachelder project

Fenwick, Ontario



The Bachelder project has three wineries. One in Fenwick Ontario,Oregon and France. Mary & Thomas Delaney-Bachelder originally from Quebec started the project with 2009 vintage. They specialize in cool-climate Chardonnay and Pinot Noir

Winemaker:
Philosophy:




Trius Winery at Hillebrand

RR #2 Highway 55
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON



Located in historic Niagara-on-the-Lake this winery is one of Canada's leading VQA producers. Makers of Trius wines. One of the pioneer wineries in the development of Canada's icewines. In 1995, they were the first Canadian winery to receive highest honours with the Pichon Longeuville Comtesse de Lalande Trophy (Best Red Wine in the World) at the International Wine and Spirit Competition. Owned by Peller Wines

The winery was originally founded in 1979 by Dr Joseph Poborlry named Newark. He sold it in 1982 to Scoll and Hillenbrand from Rheingau, Germany who changed the the name to Hillebrand

In 1994 Andrés acquired Hillebrand Estates Winery. In 2012 they changed the name from Hillebrand winery to Trius at Hillebrand. Today Andres is known as Andrew Peller Ltd.

The winery was among the first to produce an Icewine in Ontario 1983

 

Winemaker: Craig McDonald
Philosophy: Is to respect the classic character of each grape variety in this great wine region. At Hillebrand, we bring an unrushed approach to winemaking. We have learned, over the last thirty years, to listen to the vineyards, believing that they will tell us what is best for the wine.



Twenty Twenty Seven Cellars

Vineland, Ontario


In 2007 experienced winemaker Kevin Panagapka decided to start is own wine company a virtual winery.. He rented space at a local winery and obtained grapes from his own vineyard on Twenty Mile Bench sub appellation. Grapes are sourced from the Featherstone vineyard, Falls Vineyard located in the Vinemount Ridge, sub appellation and the Queenston Road Vineyard a sub appellation of St. David's Bench.

Kevin and his wife Jodie own a small Pinot Noir Vineyard in Beamsville. When the small vineyard was registered with the Grape Growers of Ontario, the registration number given was #2027, hence the name Twenty Twenty-Seven Cellars. 20-27 Cellars are focused on two varietals, Riesling and Pinot Noir.

Winemaker: Kevin Panagapka
Philosophy: The philosophy behind 20-27 Cellars is based on the expression of distinctive terroir from each single vineyard. By meticulously managing the vineyards with the same techniques and care, each of the single vineyard wines showcases their own specific character.

The wines are handcrafted, and produced in small batches, derived from various mature vineyards, in different appellations, throughout the Niagara Region. Utilizing the virtual winery model, allows the resources to be invested in the vineyards. Viticulture management drives the quality of our wines, the vast majority of effort is focused in the vineyard



Two Sisters Vineyards

240 John Street East
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON


The winery is owned by two sisters Melissa Marotta-Paolicelli and Angela Marotta between them they have seven children hence the seven grapes on the logo.

Our family is very hands-on and detail oriented so we took great pride in every aspect of Two Sisters Vineyards.  From the emblem and the design of the labels, to the design and fine details of the winery, we all shared a vision of how we wanted Two Sisters Vineyards to be experienced by our guests.  When people come to visit us, we want to enlighten all of their senses… taste, smell, visual and touch.

The property has a total of 76 acres and all the reds are estate grown.  They are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot
The winery has done well in International wine competitions. The 2104 Royal Wine Awards gave them a Gold medal for 2013 Sauvignon Blanc, a Silver medal for 2011 Eleventh Post and two Bronze medals for 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay and 2010 Merlot.

Two Sisters were recipients of a Gold Medal for 2011 Eleventh Post Proprietary Blend and Silver Medals for 2013 Riesling and 2013 Unoaked Chardonnay and Bronze Medal for 2010 Cabernet Franc at InterVin 2014. 

Adam Pearce, a Niagara College Wine and Viticulture graduate, leads the winemaking team with his low interventionist methods.

Winemaker: Adam Pearce
Philosophy is to produce exceptional wines while staying true to varietal character and having the grapes speak for themselves. Our goal is to allow our unique terroir to shine through our wines.




Tzafona Wines


1067 Niagara Stone Rd,
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON L0S 1J0

 

The word Tzafona translates from Hebrew as Northern. The winery claims to be Ontario's first non-mevushal Kosher wine producer. Avraham Gislason is one of the owners along Toby Berkel,

They produce Vidal Icewine, Riesling and Cabernet Sauvignon

Winemaker:Avraham Gislason
Philosophy:s truly represent the Niagara appellation, while following strict kosher laws.



Urban Tractor Farm

Beamsvill , Ontario



Gord and Paula Maretzki purchased their vintage farm in 2009 moving from the big city for the simpler life. An amazing location to raise their family. The “simple” life entailed the hard work of restoring and rejuvenating the neglected acreages back to vibrant ecologically balanced farmland. The systematic work of rebuilding the soil through restorative farming practices has resulted in an excellent site to plant cool climate grape varietals.

In 2018, the first blocks of vines were planted, a block of Seyval Blanc and a block of Baco Noir.

In 2020 a small tonnage of Seyval Blanc was harvested. It was then that they started their winery with grapes from the first estate grown vintage.



Vieni Estate Wines & Spirits

4553 Fly Road
Beamsville L0R 1B2



Vieni  means come or welcome in Italian. Vieni Wines opened in 2013 with 175 acres; offering a range of whites, reds Icewines, and Charmat Method sparkling wines. Winemaker Mauro Salvador will also produce Grappa and spirits distilled from local fruits.

Winemaker: Mauro Salvador
Philosophy:



Villa Romana Estate Winery Inc

4746 King St,
Beamsville, ON L0R 1B1




Villa Romana Estate Winery Inc

Villa Romana Estate Winery is a small family-run winery located on the Beamsville Bench sub-appellation, in the Niagara Peninsula. The winery is owned by Ugo Crecco whose family had a small winery in Lanuvio, Italy

After retiring from his corporate life in Calgary, Alberta, Ugo sought his dream. He purchased a parcel of land in Niagara on the Lake; however, the land was not suitable for growing the quality grapes desired. So he sold that parcel of land, and the journey to find suitable land for growing quality grapes continued. 

After some time, Ugo met Michelina; together, they found a small lot on the Beamsville Bench Appellation (Town of Lincoln) in Ontario. Almost immediately, they fell in love with the property. It was an abandoned farm, but Michelina saw the potential. On June 15th, 2017, despite many challenges, vines of high-quality vinifera were planted.


Philosophy:  we believe wine is a beautifully crafted representation of the grapes and the location on which they are grown




Vineland Estate Winery

3260 Moyer Road,
Vineland, ON L0R 2C0


Located on the Niagara Peninsula Vineland is one of Ontario's most picturesque wineries. Vineland Estates Winery produces 47,000 cases of wine annually, the majority of which is made from estate grown fruit. Their wines include Sparkling and Icewines.

The two most significant vineyards St. Urban and Bo-Teek are in the designated viticultural area of the Niagara Escarpment (Twenty Mile Bench sub appellation). The third vineyard 16 acre Greenlane Vineyard is located in Beamsville.

The underground barrel cellar showcases Vineland's history, but also allows us to enhance the winemaking process with an eye to the future. The cellar is home to our library, a living record of their thirty year history. This library houses vintages that date back to our first, in 1983.

The winery features a AAA four diamond restaurant under the direction of Executive Chef Jan-Willem Stulp. There is also a B&B cottage so you can spend a night in the Vineyard. Transition and expansion is under way at the winery. All designed to improve the wine making facilities and provide a better experience for the visitors while on tour.

First Canadian Winery to win the “Grand Vinitaly Top Winery Award” at Vinitaly International Wine Competition in Verona, Italy 2003. Brian Schmidt is the winemaker and vice president of Vineland

 The recipient of 2017 Canadian Wine Industry Awards ,Award of Distinction, which is regarded as the highest form of peer recognition within the Canadian wine industry, is the Schmidt family, of the Niagara Peninsula.

Facilities include accommodation and a five star restaurant

Their wine can be found in Ohio, New York, New Jersey, Germany, Japan, Hong Kong The Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, and Russia

Winemaker: Brian Schmidt
Philosophy: Minimalist by nature. Every vintage is a new experience.




Watchful Eye Winery

3903 Lakeshore Road
Beamsville ON


Watchful Eye Winery

 

Watchful Eye is meant to encompass the life of a farmer and the farming family that has watched over all we hold dear. Generation after generation we have watched over the land, we have watched over the lake, and most importantly we have watched over each other. Sit down with some wine and remember that once you look out to Lake Ontario or have connected with our family at the winery that you too are now a Watchful Eye.

The winery has a most beautiful location on the shores of Lake Ontario. There are  three co-owners, Kate George, her brother Will George, and cousin Chris Bartlett are the ninth generation of the George family from a rich history of farming in Niagara. Kate and Will’s father is Bill George, a former Niagara Grape King and former chair of the Grape Growers of Ontario, is the current family custodian of the family’s home farm,

The plan is to eventually convert a historic barn on the property to a winery and move the winemaking to the farm. The young team began working on the Watchful Eye project in 2021 and after “a lot of trial and error,” opened the doors to the public in the second week of July 2023.

Winemaker:




Wayne Gretzky Winery

1219 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario


An Andrew Peller Ltd winery
Mr Gretzky was a pro hockey player

The new Wayne Gretzky Estates Winery & Distillery in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake opened spring of 2017. 

Nestled among the vineyards, the distillery will be home to state of the art distilling equipment, while the winery will feature a beautiful barrel fermenting and aging cellar and tasting room. The 23,000 square foot facility is the first of its kind in the region, featuring both wine and distilling production and tasting rooms. The springtime water feature that guests will see when the property opens will become an ice rink in winter, complete with a ‘loonie’ buried at centre ice, dropped by The Great One himself at the groundbreaking ceremony in September, 2015.


Craig McDonald – Vice President, Winemaker. Craig has nearly two decades of winemaking experience, having made wines in Oregon, Australia, New Zealand and Niagara.  His international exposure has afforded him the opportunity to experience 27 vintages, 16 of them in Niagara. Craig has been awarded Ontario Winemaker of the Year twice, once in 2008 and again this year 2016!

Signature wines? Unoaked Chardonnay, Merlot, Vidal Icewine

Also produced in BC at Calone Winery

Winemaker: Craig McDonald
Philosophy: Being part of the Ontario wine world is a true honour and pleasure. I'm thrilled to be involved in winemaking so close to my own roots and hometown, and so very proud that this unique winemaking region in Canada is becoming recognized regularly on the international stage



Wending Home Estate Vineyards and Winery

3756 9th Street,
St. Catharines, ON, L2R 6P9

 

Opened in 2021 the winery is owned by Huaying (Ying) Feng and Ron Giesbrecht a well known and respected winemaker. A new home is what partner Huaying Feng, along with her husband Jianneng Li, were searching for when they immigrated to Niagara from Guangzhou, a city in Guangdong province in China.

Feng and her husband left China for Canada to realize their dream of being farmers who can own their own land, which is not allowed in China. Li wanted his daughter Amy to have a happy childhood because he believes that children in China are made to study too hard, but that their creativity is limited. They feel that they now have a pleasant life here.

After first landing in B.C. in search of agricultural land in 2005, Feng decided the prices in that province were too steep, so the couple eventually moved east and found the perfect property on 9th Street in St. Catharines (between 13th Street and Creekside wineries) in 2018. The estate’s surrounding property was planted with grape vines dating back to the late 1990s by Joseph Zimmerman. Feng has since added to the plantings.


Wending means to go in a specified direction, typically slowly, or by an indirect route. Or as partner Ron Giesbrecht says: “A slow circuitous course, not in a hurry, enjoying it.” In Cantonese Wending means “to aspire to be the best”.

Giesbrecht, who has a degree in Biology from the University of Waterloo and a master’s degree in Food Science (specializing in Oenology) from the University of Guelph, was the widely respected winemaker at Henry of Pelham for 23 years before he was hired as the wine and viticulture professor at Niagara Collage. He has been in that job for the past eight years.

Feng was a student of Giesbrecht’s studying viticulture to help her better understand science art of growing grapes. Following her studies, Feng decided that she wanted to make wine out of her grapes, not just grow them, and went to the only person she knew who could help her.

When Feng asked Giesbrecht in 2019 if he wanted to become a partner in small boutique winery, Giesbrecht said: “I’m all in!”

The vineyard has about 22 acres mainly planted in the late 90’s and another 5 or 6 acres that can be planted.  White grape varieties are: Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Gewurztraminer, Auxerrois and Ehrenfelser.  Red varieties are: Cabernet Franc, Gamay, Dornfelder and Lemberger.

One of their main goals is to develop two estate blends, a white named Wending North (because all 6 varieties used are on the north side of the vineyard) and also a Wending South blend of red varieties all grown (you guessed it!) on the south side of the vineyard.

 

Winemaker: Ron Giesbrecht
Philosophy: "Hmmmm … I’ve been making wine for 35 years and that question never fails to stump me.  There are so many platitudinous answers for that among winemakers … “preferring a minimal intervention approach”, “traditional with a modern flair”, “terroir-driven”, “I make what I like”, “natural”, … You get the picture.  I am all of those things but what really astonishes me about making wine in Niagara versus many other regions where grapes are grown-wine is made, - are the huge variations we deal with.  In that way a winemaker must be a warm climate winemaker in some years or with some styles and a cool climate winemaker at other times and the approaches are different.  Add to that the other vagaries that our weather throws our way and the most appropriate philosophy that I can think of is to be a chameleon.  Not to disappear through camouflage, but to rapidly and deftly adapt so that great wines are made under various conditions.  Be a  wingman to the weather and support what you are given."

posting contributions provided by Rick VanSickle Wines in Niagara



Westcott Vineyards

180 Seventeenth St
Lincoln, Ontario


Westcott Vineyards winery is located in esteemed Niagara wine country within the Vinemont Ridge Sub-Appellation, just south of Jordan. Incredibly picturesque, the real beauty of the vineyard is in its primarily south facing slopes toward the 21 mile creek providing our vines with critical sun exposure for ripening fruit and well drained soils of unique composition which lend character.

Carolyn Hurst and her husband Grant Westcott started the adventure in 2006 acquiring the vineyards as a new chapter in their lives; a simple way to transition from very successful management consulting, senior civil servant and information technology backgrounds into retirement and country living.

Viticulturist: Alain Sutra of Bordeaux France

Throughout the growing season we follow "sustainable" vineyard practices. We use only natural fertilizers and make many small decisions to obtain optimal balance in our vines and soil. The most important decision that affects wine quality is crop yield. In our vineyards, our pruning approach and the use of natural manure fertilizers results in yields of 1.5 tonnes per acre. The vine canopy is thinned throughout the summer so that the clusters of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir can benefit to the maximum of all the natural contributions of clay loam soil, limestone, sunshine and bountiful rainfall that Niagara has to offer. In the fall when the grapes have reached their natural level of maturity, they are hand-picked so that only fully mature fruit enters the winery. We learn, we adapt, we grow

Winemaker: Arthur Harder
Philosophy: Our winemaking and viticultural practices are focused on quality. We believe no one should drink a poor glass of wine. It all starts in the vineyard where the wine grows



Ziraldo Estate Wine

15468 Niagara Parkway
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON



The Winery is owned by Donald Ziraldo. He produces only Riesling Icewine and table wine.

It was the original site of the Inniskillin winery at SR #58 where Donald and Karl Kaiser started Inniskillin. The farm purchased was called the Inniskilling Farm, after the Inniskillin Fusiliers who fought in the war of 1812. Colonel Cooper was given the crown land after the war was over. The vineyard is 2 hectares producing 800 cases.

There is no tasting room open to the public. The wine is retailed across Canada , Australia, Hong Kong, Italy, France, and Switzerland

 

Winemaker: Donald Ziraldo
Philosophy: the best Icewine possible with the characteristics of the regional "terroir"




13th Street Winery

1776 Fourth Ave
St. Catherines


At a social event in 1997, the four founding partners decided to build on the extensive grape growing and winemaking talent within the group, and created an enterprise that expressed their common interest in a good bottle of realistically priced wine. With the birth of Thirteenth Street Wine Corp. in 1998, came a new Niagara winery that specialized in small lots of estate grown and hand-crafted table and sparkling wines. Since the first bottle of wine was produced, the winery has been winning the hearts, minds and palates of wine media and consumers alike.

The winery's resounding success through the first 10 years with hand-crafted traditional method sparkling wines, Gamay, Riesling and Chardonnay ensures these will make up the core of the product line into the future with limited releases of other small batch varietal and blended wines such as white and red Meritage, Syrah and Pinot Noir. To that end, significant investments have been made with the purchase of new, state of the art winemaking equipment and new estate vineyards, some of which were planted in the spring of 2008.

13th Street opened a new production, hospitality and retail facility in the summer of 2009 on 4th Avenue in St. Catharines. Current production is 20,000 plus cases total. In 2016 a new expanded tasting bar was built and additional production and warehouse facilities were added.

Doug & Karen Whitty and John & June Mann are the owners, purchasing the winery in 2008

The grounds of the winery features a permanent exhibit of spectacular sculptures.

Signature wines: : Gamay & Sparkling Wines


Philosophy: create exceptional wines that reflect the unique terroir of Niagara. Our goal is to deliver a pure expression of the varietal and vineyard character, while respecting the influences of each vintage and every wine that we make.
Which are your signature wines : Gamay & Sparkling Wines




16 Mile Cellars

3555 Eleventh Street, R.R.1
St. Catharines, ON  L2R 6P7


16 mile cellar is a small family-owned winery and vineyard located on 16 Mile Creek at the base of the Niagara Escarpment near the town of Jordan.

Currently grapes have been planted across 16.2 acres of the properties 28 acre vineyard, including Pinot Noir, Canadian hybrids, and old vine table grapes, some almost 100 years old.

Current Wines Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Winemaker: Regan Kapach
Philosophy: Our wines have distinct flavours that reflect the rich soil and climate characteristics of the Lincoln area. Our goal is to produce small quantities of hand-picked, hand-made, and well chosen batches of distinctive wines each year. By doing so, we hope to earn a reputation and a place amongst the very best Canadian wine houses





20 Bees Winery

1067 Niagara Stone Road
Virgil, ON L0S 1T0





The Winery is owned Diamond Estates Wines & Spirits operating as Lakeview Wines

Diamond Estates also owns EastDell Estates, Tzafona Cellar, Lakeview Cellars, Birchwood Estates wineries and
Dan Aykroyd Wines. In British Columbia they own Backyard Vineyards located in the Fraser Valley.




2027 Cellars

3100 Glen Road
Jordan, ON
L0R 1S0






Owned by Kevin Panagapka a winemaker,viticulturist and judge. The winery name comes from a small experimental Pinot Noir vineyard Kevin planted in 2006 in Beamsville. 2027 is the Grower number assigned to this site. 

Very much a hands-on operation, Kevin manages all the vineyard blocks that are the source of his fruit. He selects specific rows, and determines all vineyard practices such as leaf-pulling, cluster-thinning, harvest date, etc to achieve the optimal quality he requires. This extends to hand harvesting all fruit for a dynamic selection of vinefra-desinated Chardonnays, Rieslings, Pinot Noir and Traditional Method Sparkling. In the cellar, only Burgundian oak is used – Alliers, Nevers & Vosges. Fermentations are made with indigenous yeast.

Enter 2020. Panagapka partnered up with Peter Van-Helsdingen, the new owner of Jordan’s Calamus Estate Winery, where he was hired as the winemaker and also began making his 2027 wines there. He acquired a retail license to go with all the other licenses he had, and he can finally sell his own wines under his own license to the public and still maintain his close ties to the LCBO and restaurants

One of the biggest benefits for Panagapka is having his winemaking equipment, barrels and tanks used exclusively for 2027 Cellars wines in a separate area of the large winemaking cellar at Calamus. He also has his own tasting room.




80x Wine



 

A virtual winery using Niagara grapes. The winery was found by wine writer André Proulx and Vadim Chelekhov. Adam Kern and Guillaume Frénéhard, have also joined the team. The idea for the project was born in 2015 when Chelekhov, a winemaker at Kacaba Vineyards, and Proulx, above, had a conversation at a wine gala in Niagara. “Wouldn’t it be great if we made some wine together,” they mused. In short order, their first wine — a Gamay called Hair of the Dog — was launched. That initial release was followed up by with When Pigs Fly Pinot Noir Rosé 2017 (which quickly found its way onto some of the most exciting wine lists in Ontario) and Dam Chardonnay 2017. Rather quickly, 80x wines was a thing.

They have also released a cider called 80x Le P’tit Funk Cider 


 


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