What makes “fine wine?” You might wonder. Blessed with magnificent and breathtaking vineyards, Niagara on the Lake is about half an hour west of Buffalo. It is also home to a distinct wine region and produces some of the world’s best grapes. After all, it’s not just the premium price tag that makes a wine special, but also the quality of the grapes, colour, aroma, and balance of alcohol.
With a variety of wineries, Ontario boasts some of North America’s largest production areas, thanks to its hybrid vines planted centuries ago. Ever diverse, Ontario’s wineries, wines, and vineyards are certainly worth exploring, along with a range of other attractions, including Niagara’s fine restaurants, hiking trails, country inns, and quaint towns.
The Niagara Peninsula
Less than an hour away from Toronto is the Vineland Estates winery. The winery has a 19th-century stone tower that was once part of a Mennonite farm. Its exquisite restaurant serves sumptuous cuisine prepared by renowned chefs. Guests have the option to dine both indoors and outdoors.
A sweeping view across the restaurant’s deck lets you take in the breathtaking surroundings along the vast expanse of Niagara’s vineyards and forests surrounding Lake Ontario. If you are planning a wedding or an event, Vineland Estates must be on your bucket list. Blessed with stunning picturesque scenery, you will enjoy professional catering, fine cuisine, and premium wines.
Located in Beamsville, Ontario, the Hidden Bench winery provides a rustic experience like no other. Their organic vineyards produce some of Canada’s most exquisite wines using fruit exclusively grown in their organic farms. The winery produces wine using non-interventionist winemaking techniques, producing the best pinot noirs, chardonnays, and Rieslings. Renowned for its organic and rustic taste and aroma, the estate’s pinot noirs are silky, balanced, and relatively low on alcohol.
Another enticing Canadian winery to explore is Cave Spring Vineyard. The winery has an enticing view with spectacular cliffs surrounding Lake Ontario. It even has its own wine-tasting room, allowing you to sample wines by the glass or with other light bites. You can also indulge in an exceptional wine and food experience by appointment. Embracing sustainability, Cave Springs protects Niagara’s unique soils, springs, and slopes by continually reducing its carbon footprint. After all, this is one of the first wineries to tap into the potential of innovative wastewater treatment to preserve the forest and reduce emissions.
The wineries’ premium wines include specialties like Riesling wine varying from bone-dry, austere, and tart to fuller-bodied specialties. A unique selection of Chardonnay’s and Pinot noirs complement their selection. Most recently, the winery added a 2013 gamay made without sulfites to its collection, giving it a rounder and burlier taste.
Prince Edward County
Another great spot to sample Canada’s exquisite wines is Prince Edward County. Considered among Ontario’s most treasured holiday destinations, it has several vineyards worth exploring, along with sandy beaches and boutique inns. Many come here just to explore the county’s small-town feel, antique shops, and art galleries.
The Huff Estates winery has a state-of-the-art facility with grape processing and fermentation tanks sitting on top of a hill. The outdoor location allows natural gravity to flow into a temperature-controlled barrel cellar, which opens to a large tasting room. In the summer and fall months, an indoor and outdoor seating area is accessible, serving sumptuous, tasty pizzas, where you can sit back, relax, and unwind while listening to live music every Sunday from 1-4 pm every summer.
The winery’s unique selection of wines includes reds, whites, and rose’ with other specialties including bubbles and sweets. The 2022 Summer Splash in a glass has a translucent colour bursting with flavours of strawberry, cranberry, pomegranate and red currant aromas.
Considered one of Prince Edward County’s oldest wineries, the Waupoos Estate winery brims with a unique selection, including the county’s first ice wine. The winery has a gazebo-style restaurant nestled among its vast vineyards overlooking Lake Ontario. The farm-to-table restaurant serves sustainably grown fresh ingredients with a variety of courses.
Its specialty wines include several varieties like berry spritz, chardonnay reserve, sparkling gamay, and others. The winery’s cider house produces naturally infused ciders harvested using organic apples, steeped with dried flowers, herbs, and fruits.
With a great selection of products, mesmerizing views, and quality dining, Canada’s wineries continue to attract locals and tourists alike. Supporting a local Canadian winery by taking a trip, will undoubtedly leave an indelible mark on your memory, and strengthen the nation’s economy!
