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Raise a glass for Ontario

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Vintages Feature Story

There’s lots to celebrate when it comes to local wines: quality, variety and the endless potential for discovering new favourites. The 20 wines featured here, handcrafted by some of Ontario’s best-known producers in four regions, showcase all the cool-climate-loving grapes and styles that have become signatures here, and then some. Try them with our suggested food pairings and your reaction will likely be a hearty “Hear, hear!” – or, even more apropos for Ontario wines, “Here, here!”


Cave Spring Cellars

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Though Ontario winemakers certainly use Cabernet Franc in blends, it’s only here and in the Loire, France, that the grape truly succeeds as a single-varietal wine. Niagara’s versions showcase the rich red berry, cherry, spice and savoury herbs that are characteristic of the grape. Our cool-climate conditions impart freshness and lift and allow the grape time to ripen fully and develop the fine balance necessary to fly solo. There are few examples, anywhere, that compare to those crafted by Cave Spring.
Food pairing: roasted teriyaki maitake mushroom and eggplant with roasted garlic-infused wild red rice.


Pelee Island Winery

In Bordeaux, vintage variation is managed through blending. This allows winemakers to compensate for or take advantage of how each grape variety has fared and ripened over that growing season. The South Islands appellation – home to Pelee Island Winery – is ideal for Bordeaux varieties, which ripen here with certainty and consistency in the sun-drenched vineyards. This means that Bordeaux blends such as the Vinedressers Cabernet Sauvignon/Petit Verdot 2016 are always exploiting the best attributes of each grape, raising an already impressive bar even higher.
Food pairing: gourmet fire-roasted pizza laced with fresh prosciutto, local vine-ripened tomatoes, peppers, spicy arugula and a light drizzle of olive oil.

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Vineland Estates Winery

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The history and evolution of premium Ontario wine is intimately tied to Vineland Estates. Vineland’s St. Urban Vineyard is planted to the Weis 21 Riesling clone, introduced from Germany in 1979 by the winery’s founder, the iconic Hermann Weis. Weis recognized that Niagara mirrored many of the essential conditions that allowed Riesling to thrive in his native Mosel and believed that Ontario’s soils and cool climate were perfect for creating world-class examples. Riesling from this vineyard is notably bright, crisp and fresh, with low alcohol, lifted flavours, and the ability to evolve over time. Year after year, these wines have rewarded Weis’s faith in Niagara.
Food pairing: any white fish dressed with lemon, butter and ground pepper.


Divergence Winery

A boutique winery that creates exclusive small-batch products, Divergence Winery is a passion project by proprietor and winemaker Jeff Moote to craft wines that are “inspired by tradition, but not bound by it. When most people hear the name Gamay Noir, the first thing that comes to mind is Beaujolais Nouveau. Made famous by the traditional release in the third week of November, Gamay Noir is a grape typically meant to be enjoyed young and fresh, preferably with good cheese. Always the ambitious bunch, VQA winemakers in Niagara have begun crafting a more serious style of Gamay meant to be enjoyed after a good decant or even a little while in the cellar.
Food pairing: just about anything, from a baked-brie-and-marmalade spread to a classic Montreal smoked-brisket sandwich.

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Georgian Hills Vineyard

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This winery is expanding the Ontario fine-wine scene, with dynamic expressions forged in a new region featuring new varieties and styles and a bold, can-do attitude. If you’re in the Marquette for a new taste (hey-oh), then give this hybrid, which includes Pinot Noir in its genetic makeup, a go. Developed by the University of Minnesota as part of a project seeking to develop cold-hardy, disease-resistant varieties, Marquette was introduced in 2006 and had an immediate impact. It suggests notes of cherry and blackberry along with tobacco, pepper spice and leather, responds well to barrel ageing, and has the tannins and overall structure to suggest great cellaring potential. As a hybrid grape, it must be designated as VQA Ontario.
Food pairing: beef brisket slider or beef bourguignon.


Southbrook Vineyards

Southbrook Vineyards have devoted themselves to crafting a breadth of wines that can suit any occasion while respecting the environment that feeds their top-quality fruit. Nature and nurture are the pillars to crafting high-quality biodynamic wines, and Southbrook summarizes this philosophy best in their own words: “Better wines, better vines, better world.” This adored cassis-based fruit wine is a delicious testament to Southbrook’s approach. Biodynamic winemaking is a practice that requires little human interaction in the field, using only natural means to aid the crops and adhering to the lunar calendar for planting and harvesting. This approach to farming involves environmentally conscious practices like employing sheep, ducks and chickens to act as pest control, deploying soil supplements underground to nurture the roots, planting cover crops and composting all the waste from these methods to create a natural fertilizer.
Food pairing: fresh-fruit dishes, creamy desserts, or drizzled over ice cream.

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Le Clos Jordanne

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Le Clos Jordanne winery went dormant in 2016, but to the delight of Ontarian oenophiles, it was revived a few years later thanks to the tireless efforts of renowned winemaker Thomas Bachelder. A staple of their portfolio, the Jordan Village Pinot Noir is a paramount example of the mineral-driven, timeless character of Niagara wines. Coveted for its velveteen texture and complexity, Pinot Noir is adaptable. It’s capable of either youthful or long-term enjoyment while also being an ideal companion to almost any dish. The Jordan Village Pinot Noir is a triumphant display of the excellence that can be found in the wines of Niagara. It’s elegant and precise, with flavours of wild raspberry, mushroom, and dried herbs wrapped around a core of silky tannins that dissolve on the palate for a long, satisfying finish.
Food pairing: bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin and Swiss chard salad.


Magnotta Winery

As internationally admired as our hockey players, Niagara’s Icewine is a delight to the senses. Luscious sweetness in harmony with Riesling’s racy acidity creates a perfectly balanced dessert wine with notes of apricot, dried fig, sugared pineapple and honey.
Food pairing: lemon meringue pie or sharp cheeses.

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Speck Brothers

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Family is everything to the Speck Brothers. Their Family Tree wines celebrate this idea by blending grapes grown on their estate vineyard with fruit sourced from “friends, neighbours and distant family across the Niagara Peninsula.” The familial relationship can be felt in this Pinot Noir, with its friendly appeal, complex structure, and respect for the environment through sustainable farming practices.
Food pairing: tourtière.


Henry of Pelham

The longer grapes remain on the vine, the higher the sugar levels they develop. For many grapes, this results in a corresponding loss of freshness, but Vidal keeps its vibrancy, maintaining its acidity. This makes it an ideal late-harvest option, revealing honey, tropical fruit and peach flavours without feeling cloying.
Food pairing: pâté with a savoury tomato jam and crostini from fruit bread.

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Featherstone Estate Winery

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The 2022 growing season was an excellent one for Niagara reds, which is a super-exciting way to introduce the Cabernet Franc, Gamay and Merlot that make up this popular rosé. All three fared well in 2022, but Cabernet Franc and Gamay in particular were among the year’s top performers. This has translated into a wonderful, lifted, refreshing rosé with a zesty character and intense flavours.
Food pairing: chicken salad garnished with local strawberries, or salmon brushed with Dijon and Ontario honey.


Creekside Winery

Creekside’s earth-friendly practices can be felt in this robust, easy-to-enjoy Chardonnay. Terroir is everything when it comes to the most widely planted white grape in the world. A characteristically neutral grape, Chardonnay is a perfect blank canvas for winemakers as it’s heavily influenced by all factors out in the field and in the vineyard.
Food pairing: leek-and-potato pie or baked cod.

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Casa-Dea Estates Winery

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There are few wines as precise as Riesling. Whether crafted in its traditional homes of Mosel, Germany; and Alsace, France; or in the hills of Australia’s Eden Valley, the grape is virtually unmatched in its ability to express provenance. The 470-million-year-old Trenton limestone in PEC produces Riesling as distinct and immediate as any in the world.
Food pairing: mussels steamed with the 2020 Riesling, butter, garlic and fresh herbs.


Locust Lane Estate Winery

Located on the north-facing shores of the Niagara Peninsula, Locust Lane Winery pride themselves on crafting wines with a sense of place. Locust Lane sources fruit from all corners of the region, making the DNA of Niagara easy to identify in products like their barrel-aged Chardonnay.
Food pairing: roast chicken, or French onion soup with fresh bread.

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Kew Vineyards

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In a sparkling context, nothing catches the imagination like Champagne, but Niagara’s cool-climate vineyards are ideal for encouraging grapes with the balance and crisp acidity necessary to produce superb traditional-method sparklers. As in Champagne, the first step in making ageable, structured, dynamic sparkling wines is to ensure that the fruit is of the finest quality. The better the base wine, the greater the depth and character of the wine post second fermentation.
Food pairing: oysters, risotto, or smoked Gouda.


Hidden Bench Estate Winery

The Hidden Bench Estate Riesling is a blend of fruit from the Locust Lane, Felseck and Rosomel vineyards. This blending allows Hidden Bench to craft a wine that takes full advantage of Niagara Riesling’s noted aromatics, crisp acidity, and faithfully articulated sense of place.
Food pairing: pan-seared scallops with beurre blanc or fettucine alfredo with double-smoked speck.

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Lighthall Vineyards

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Vidal is the workhorse of Ontario Icewine, but bright acidity makes this versatile grape a winning choice for dry and sparkling wines as well. The grape’s high-toned floral notes, along with its engaging tropical fruit and citrus tones, make for enchanting, easy-to-enjoy bubblies. The Charmat method allows the freshness, lift and buoyancy of the grape to shine.
Food pairing: oysters, pizza, cheese boards, or fried chicken.


Colchester Ridge Estate Winery

Soft on the palate with an abundance of dark fruit flavours, Merlot is an easy-drinking wine that appeals to all the senses. In the world-famous examples from the Right Bank of Bordeaux, Merlot is primarily seen as a balancing agent when blended with its partner in crime, Cabernet Sauvignon.
Food pairing: heartwarming classics such as spaghetti bolognese, shepherd’s pie or meatloaf.

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13th Street Winery

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At 13th Street, wine imitates art. Their passion for making top-quality wines is matched by a passion for the Ontario art scene, and all areas of the winery are adorned with locally sourced pieces. With the vineyard as their canvas, 13th Street’s winemakers paint a picture that highlights the quality of Ontario winemaking, as shown in this Riesling grown in their prime June’s Vineyard location.
Food pairing: charcuterie board, honey-glazed ham, or butter tarts.


Cloudsley Cellars

Pinot Noir is a notoriously fickle grape that requires precise growing conditions to fully ripen. Its ancestral home in Burgundy’s Côte d’Or provides the ideal environment, boasting a cool climate, moderate rainfall and a blend of marl, limestone and alluvial clay soil to bring out the grape’s elegant, mineral-driven character. Few places can replicate these rare conditions.
Food pairing: roast chicken or balsamic-glazed grilled portobello mushrooms.

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More to celebrate

We’re toasting Food & Drink’s 30th anniversary with a very special Autumn edition that showcases (among many other delicious things) local wine, spirits, beer, cider and food, and the talented people who bring them to us. Pick up your copy in stores or view it on LCBO.com on September 13.

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