Wine Country
Get to know four of Ontario's most treasured wine-producing regions, their signature varietals and the wineries creating them, plus in-the-know places to stop for a bite when you visit.
Niagara-on-the-Lake & Area
It was 1975 when Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser of Inniskillin were granted the first winery licence in the province since 1929. The small, personal and welcoming winery began making high-quality wine from estate-grown vinifera grapes such as Riesling, Chardonnay and Gamay and by 1991 was introducing the world to Canadian wines by winning the Grand Prix d’Honneur at Vinexpo in Bordeaux.
There are now 39 wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake area including other early innovators such as Château des Charmes (where owner Paul Bosc propogated Canada's first unique vinfera variety, Gamay Noir), Hillebrand and Reif. Historically benefitting from tourism from the Shaw Festival and Niagara Falls, the area's wineries—with sleek, modern architectural statements and a mix of casual and exceptional restaurants—are now destinations in their own right and the region welcomes around 3.5 million tourists annually.
Inniskillin Vidal Icewine VQA VINTAGES
Here, honeyed sweetness, vibrant acidity and intense tropical and stone fruit flavours vie for supremacy, but the balance is so skillful that none can prevail. Icewine is versatile—try it with a coarse pâté, a ripe blue cheese, even tandoori chicken, not to mention dessert.
Château des Charmes Gamay Noir VQA
Looking for a light red to go with your charcuterie plate or pepperoni pizza? This one tastes like peppery sour cherries and has just the tangy acidity to dazzle in such company. A perennial crowd-pleaser since the Bosc family started producing it in the 1970s.
While You're There
Willow Cakes & Pastries, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Never mind wine or theatre; fans drive for hours just to taste the irresistible cakes and pastries at Catherine O’Donnell’s enticing little store. She is a true artist, and her butter tarts are the best in the world.
The Gate House Bistro, Niagara-on-the-Lake
Chef Stephen Treadwell opened the Bistro as a more casual option to his eponymous restaurant, but the farm-to-table ingredient quality is equally stellar. Relax with a pizza, burger, pasta dish or a fabulous salad on the prettiest patio in town.
Niagara Escarpment & Area
There should be a statue to Adhémar de Chaunac in Niagara’s Benchlands. From 1944 to 1961, he was Director of Research for Brights Wines at their experimental vineyards at Vineland, passionately studying the viability of European vinifera varieties such as Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, grapes that no one believed could survive a Canadian winter.
While proving they could, he also introduced Vidal, Baco Noir and other hybrids to Canada, laying the groundwork for future generations. Backed by the towering Escarpment, the folded slopes of the Benchlands descend to Lake Ontario, refreshed by reliable air currents and basking in light. Other winegrowers saw the potential. In 1979, Hermann Weis, a viticulturist from Germany’s Mosel region, planted 100 acres of Riesling, creating vineyards that would become the heart of Vineland Estates. A year earlier, the Pennachetti family had planted Riesling and Chardonnay in their Cave Spring vineyard on the Beamsville Bench—the origin of Cave Spring Cellars.
Vineland Estates Semi-Dry Riesling VQA
The standard-bearer for Vineland Estates since the initial 1983 vintage, this remains a classic for those who like to balance Riesling’s zingy acidity with a measure of sweetness. With lemon-lime and pear notes and only 10 per cent ABV, this wine is excellent alongside a light lunch.
Malivoire Ladybug Rosé VQA VINTAGES
The first serious, sophisticated Ontario rosé back in the day, this is still a delight—coral-coloured, not too dry and with a pleasing weight. Food-friendly and also a fine aperitif, Malivoire Ladybug Rosé offers subtle impressions of cherry, red apple and watermelon.
While You're There
RPMBakehouse, Jordan Village
Restaurant Pearl Morissette’s freestanding bakery and store uses flours from heritage grains for their superb breads and pastries. Shop for sophisticated groceries and soups (sunchoke & smoked oyster, anyone?), sandwiches and buns, or stay for a bistro lunch.
Grand Oak Culinary Market Vineland
Pick up all you need for a picnic at the produce store or watch the friendly staff make a generous sandwich to your precise specifications. There are two bakeries here, one of them exclusively gluten-free.
Prince Edward County
It was dirt that drew the first wine-dreamers to the County—thin, poor, gravelly soils on a bedrock of limestone, like Burgundy. But could the Burgundian varieties live through the brutal winters? Only if the vines were buried every fall and then laboriously unburied every spring. That’s what pioneers like Ed Neuser (Waupoos Estates Winery) and Geoff Heinricks (Domaine La Reine, Keint-he) figured out in the 1990s—and the vines survived.
Today, there are around 36 wineries in PEC, but only about 800 acres of vineyards between them. Which means that wine that’s actually made from County-grown grapes can be hard to find. Check that the label reads “VQA Prince Edward County.” It’s worth it, because the best wines from the region are stunningly good. Yields are naturally low, intensifying aromatics, and the vines’ roots have to burrow deep into that limestone to find moisture, bringing back all sorts of mineral nuances to the fruit. World-class Chardonnay and excellent Pinot Noir and Pinot Gris are the result, not to mention some fabulous sparkling wines—but they are only one reason to visit the County. Factor in talented chefs, 800 kilometres of shoreline and sand dunes, charming little towns, and it’s no wonder the County has become a destination.
Closson Chase Vineyard Pinot Noir VQA
Classic County Pinot from one of the region’s leaders shows cherry, cranberry and floral notes with a touch of spice from aging in 10 per cent new French oak. Tight, bright and vibrant, a small amount can be found in the VINTAGES September 10 release.
Hinterland Whitecap Sparkling VQA
Hinterland has specialized in sparkling wines since 2007. Whitecap is dry, tangy and full of citrus, yellow plum and rye bread notes, with a fine mousse for a Charmat Method bubbly. A toast to Ontario’s sparkling future!
While You're There
Stella’s Eatery Waupoos
After three years in Picton, chef Leah Marshall Hannon opened her superfriendly bistro in rural Waupoos. Based around local, foraged and seasonal foods, the menu changes constantly, so fans may have to wait for wild rice risotto or bison tartare to reappear. Brunchtime bannock Benedict is simply stellar!
The Royal Hotel Picton
The suave new hotel has its own bakery (and lobby gourmet store), the source for chef Albert Ponzo’s outrageously delicious pizzas. Or graze on oysters at the Counter Bar. Or go all-in for dinner and see what magic Ponzo conjures up with the County’s finest produce.
Lake Erie North Shore
Drive down to Essex County on a warm day in early fall and you’ll see why this is the place where Ontario’s wine industry began. In 1866, “a company of gentlemen from Kentucky” bought 30 acres of damp land on Pelee Island, planted them with Catawba vines, and built Vin Villa winery. The success of their operation soon encouraged imitators. By the end of the century, 20,000 acres of vineyard and over 30 more wineries were spread along Lake Erie’s North Shore.
You might think that it was Prohibition, that ruined the wine industry in Essex County. In fact, nearly all of those early wineries had long since found larger profits in tobacco, tomatoes and other crops. Long decades passed before the region’s interest in wine reawoke. In 1980, businessmen with roots in Friuli took a look at the way vinifera grapes were beginning to thrive in Niagara and decided to try the same game. They called their company Colio, and it’s still one of the province’s largest. In the same year, Austrian winemaker Walter Strehn started growing on Pelee Island, opening a winery on the mainland in 1984. Today, Wine Country Ontario lists 13 wineries in the region, renowned for ripe Cabernets and versatile red blends that make the most of the climate.
Pelee Island Lighthouse Cabernet Franc VQA
Cab ripens well this far south, and you can taste it in the wine’s lingering red-berry flavour, balanced with a hint of fine tannins and well-controlled acidity. Medium weight and fruity, this Cabernet Franc make for aa refreshing match for meat pies or charcuterie.
Hopetown Wine Co. Hill House Craft Red VQA
From Colio Estate, here’s a smooth, dry red blend with plenty of blackberry and plum notes and a touch of green pepper—just the thing for a burger or grilled vegetables off the barbecue. Easy to drink and a very good value.
While You're There
Jack’s Gastropub, Kingsville
Todd Loop fishes commercially for Lake Erie pickerel and perch. You can taste his catch, as fresh as can be, served with caper dill aïoli, at Jack’s Gastropub in Kingsville. The place has a wraparound porch and a fine list of local brews and wines.
Lee and Maria’s Farm and Market, Kingsville
A family business for 45 years, the market sells fruit and vegetables from the farm, plus all sorts of groceries and produce from local growers and artisans. Stay for a farm tour or cooking class.
