Niagara Wineries – 12 Amazing Options To Explore!
A developing wine region with a genuinely distinctive setting is worth a visit in Niagara Falls, USA. The region’s unique terroir, which is home to minor and major producers and all varieties of grapes, is created by the region’s cold climate and rolling hills and valleys.
After receiving official designation as an American Viticultural Area (AVA) in 2005, the Niagara Escarpment is home to more than twenty Niagara wineries, breweries, and ciders.
One of the few places in the world that produce the best ice wine is Niagara. Ice wine is prepared from hardy, cold-weather grapes that are allowed to freeze on the vine, producing a sweet dessert wine that is difficult to find elsewhere.
Ice wine is produced by wineries like Schulze Vineyards & Winery and Arrowhead Spring Vineyards.
Check Out These Iconic Niagara Wineries
Below mentioned are some of the best wineries in Niagara listed out for you. So if you are a wine-lover, then dive into this article, because no matter what the question is, wine is the answer for a wine lover.
Visiting Niagara’s renowned wineries and great local wine culture is the best way to appreciate them. Consider visiting the nearby Niagara wineries when making travel plans to Ontario wine country.
A Niagara wine tour is certain to provide a pleasurable and distinctive travel experience, whether you’re a wine enthusiast or you’re just seeking the ideal way to unwind.
1. Vineland Estates Winery
Located at 3620 Moyer Road, Vineland.
The cuisine at the restaurant at Vineland Estates Winery is updated seasonally to reflect the finest locally sourced foods from farmers and foragers in Niagara.
The recently rebuilt 1845 farmhouse’s rustic appeal and the laid-back mood on the deck add to the ambience.
Choose from the classic and reserve Vineland wines on the chef’s tasting menu, which lovingly complements with each course.
2. Strewn Winery
Located at 1339 Lakeshore Rd. Niagara on the lake.
In a converted fruit cannery from the 1940s, Strewn is a winery that is certified as sustainable. Strewn has also been a distinctive and interesting wine and dining destination for the past 24 years.
Through a reservation wine experience, learn about award-winning wines, and buy winery-only products at the boutique. Make a reservation for the on-site restaurant or for a hands-on, recreational cooking class to round off your trip.
Small-batch, premium wines made by their winemakers emphasize the Niagara terroir, showcase varietal characteristics, and take into account vintage variance.
They are experts in Bordeaux-varietal reds, powerful Chardonnays, fragrant fresh whites, and recognizable Icewines.
A visit to Strewn also includes lunch or dinner at the chef-owned and operated winery restaurant Oliv Restaurant, which serves a variety of Strewn wines along with tapas (small dishes), shared plates, and complete entrees. Reservations are highly advised.
3. Niagara College Teaching Winery
Located – 135 Taylor Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario.
The Niagara College Teaching Winery, Canada’s only teaching winery, is located within the Wine Visitor and Education Center.
They believe in preparing students for a job in the “real” world by placing a strong emphasis on high-quality education.
When they graduate, they can pursue an interesting career in vineyard operations, viticulture, sales/marketing, or wine business management with an employer in the wine sector. Wine-tasting tours in this winery are also available.
4. Peller Estates Winery and Restaurant
For more than 50 years, Peller Estates has produced high-quality wines for Canadians. While the Signature Series includes age-worthy reds, award-winning Icewines, and the distinctive Ice Cuvee sparkling wine, sweetened with a touch of Icewine, this Estate winery’s comprehensive range of Private Reserve whites, reds, and sweet wines are always rich and approachable.
Chef Parsons, who is renowned for his love of fresh herbs, has more than 20 years of culinary expertise, much of it gained working in Michelin-starred establishments.
This experience informs his delectable creations, which are made using locally sourced, just-picked ingredients. His intimate relationship with Katie Dickieson exemplifies a truly dynamic synergy that produces exquisitely paired wine and meal selections, including dessert alternatives.
There is outside eating available with stunning views of the vast vineyard.
5. Two Sisters Vineyard
Located at 240 John Street East, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
This prestigious Two Sisters Vineyard winery in Niagara, owned by sisters Melissa Marotta-Paolicelli and Angela Marotta, is located on the northern extremity of the Niagara River and offers breathtaking views of the waterway and Lake Ontario.
A magnificent supper honoring the sisters’ proud Italian heritage will be served if you stay for it. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, or Margo Rosé are some of their specialties. Enjoy the extra virgin oil for a bit; it is bottled specifically for use in restaurants.
6. Reif Estate Winery
Located at 15608 Niagara Pkwy, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
You are cordially invited by Reif Estate Winery to sample the exceptional wines of Ontario. It is made from premium grape using cutting-edge winemaking methods mixed with time-honored customs passed down through thirteen generations.
The 125-acre estate winery was established in the Niagara Peninsula in 1982 and has been producing top-notch wines for more than 20 years.
Reif Estate’s adherence to the idea that “Great wines start in the vineyard” has led to their wines winning more than 150 international accolades.
7. Pillitteri Estates Winery
Located at 1696 Niagara Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
The Pillitteri family moved to Niagara-on-the-Lake from Sicily in 1948, but the winery didn’t open until 1993.
This was because Gary Pillitteri had won a gold medal in 1988 for his handmade Icewine in Niagara’s amateur wine competition, which served as the impetus for the winery’s creation.
The Pillitteri Estates Winery is honored to carry on the vinicultural and winemaking excellence of the Pillitteri family. After receiving more than 1000 wine medals from across the world, the Pillitteri family is carrying on his dream and heritage of excellence today.
It was initially planned to launch in the summer of 2020, but the global pandemic threw a wrench in the plans.
8. Wayne Gretzky Estates
Located at 1219 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
At Wayne Gretzky Estates, something is always going on. You can pick from beautifully crafted wines, whiskey, and beer tastings, engaging lessons, memorable lunches in their barrel cellar, joyful fetes to honor important days, cold winter fun on their skating rink, and much more. It’s also possible to observe all the actions of the audience.
The Whisky Bar Patio or The Beer Garden are both great places to pull up a comfortable chair, let our mixologist pour you something to drink on, and then simply sit back and enjoy the festivities.
They also provide grab-and-go packages so that you can have the ideal picnic.
9. Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery
Located at 1366 York Rd, St. Davids.
The David Jackson Lowrey ancestors have held the Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery since 1867. They create VQA wines from organic grapes that have attracted the interest of wine fans and critics nationwide.
At the back of the Woodruff residence is a local grocery store that sells homemade foods and bakery goods.
Indulge in freshly cooked meals prepared with the best local produce and ingredients at our restaurant while relaxing on the veranda overlooking the vineyard. Enjoy Niagara’s best while you eat, shop, and drink.
This family-run organic vineyard restaurant uses a lot of products from its large garden to create delicious dishes that are inspired by the seasons.
Garlic, peppers, asparagus, rhubarb, and over 300 different tomato kinds are among the garden’s bounty. 40 beehives on the property produce honey as well. Share a beginning dish made with heirloom and garden tomatoes, local cheese, and a variety of fresh herbs.
10. Redstone Winery
Located at 4245 King St, Beamsville.
Just south of Beamsville, Redstone Winery was established in 2009 and is an organic vineyard and winery that has earned numerous awards for both its wine and its hospitality centre.
Tall ceilings, a fireplace, and big windows that open to the patio and vineyard are all highlights of the modern building, which is made of wood, stone, and glass. Additionally, a garden on the grounds produces food for the restaurant.
Red, white, and sparkling wines from Redstone and Tawse, a sibling winery, are served to go with the food. Redstone employs a “service included” philosophy, which means that clients are not expected to leave tips because it pays a living wage.
11. Trius Winery
Located at 1249 Niagara Stone Rd, Niagara-on-the-Lake.
They have been producing exceptional VQA wines from premium grapes produced in Niagara-on-the-four Lake’s appellations for more than 30 years.
They have settled in a wine-growing region that offers the diversity to grow several variities under particular growing circumstances, nestled between the Niagara escarpment and Lake Ontario.
The winery offers a unique wine and food experience. Trius Winery offers a leisurely sensory experience that gives you time to taste, feel, and discover. The seasonal changes in the vines that surround and the nearby local products serve as inspiration for the wines and dishes.
12. Caroline Cellars Family Estate Winery
Located at 1010 Line 2 Rd #358, Virgil.
Enjoy the rustic charm of one of the most well-liked family-run wineries. Caroline Cellars most popular Cranberry Winter Harvest and Plum wines are among the tiny number of fruit wines that they also produce.
Daily tastings of all of the wines are offered, and many of them are complimentary. Additionally, you can book their Special Events Loft for special events like weddings.
They also have a cafe on-site called The Farmhouse Cafe, which is open every day for lunch.
Wrapping Up
Toronto, Ontario Canada’s wines are quite well-known worldwide. Niagara is becoming known all over the world as a “must-see” location for those who want to enjoy a picturesque rural getaway while also enjoying some food and drink.
Just 15 to 20 minutes outside of Canada’s Niagara Falls, in the serene and quaint community of Niagara on the Lake, there are 25 wineries spread throughout the countryside.
There are more than 50 Niagara wineries located throughout the whole Niagara wine area on the Lake Ontario shore. Follow the Wine Route of Ontario across the countryside by vehicle, bike, or guided tour to see the top wineries in the area.
Numerous Niagara wineries have dining establishments where they pair their premium wines with local fare. It is also simple to plan an overnight excursion at a bed-and-breakfast or inn close by for a romantic vacation to Niagara Falls.
If you fall in love with the wine, think about scheduling your trip to Niagara around one of the well-known yearly Niagara festivals.
The Niagara Wine Festival features tours and tastings at Niagara wineries, concerts, Niagara cuisine, craft displays, and family entertainment every year in the autumn.
Both the Niagara Ice Wine Festival in January and the Niagara New Vintage Festival in the summer provide visitors with the chance to sample some of Ontario’s most well-known wines in a winter wonderland setting.
FAQs
1. In Niagara, how many vineyards are there?
There are more than 50 wineries located throughout the whole Niagara wine area on the Lake Ontario shore.
2. What wine is famous in Niagara?
World-famous Icewine, which is produced in Niagara from frozen grapes, is possibly the region’s most well-known export.
3. Why is Niagara home to so many wineries?
Numerous vineyards cover hundreds of acres of the Niagara Benchlands, which is part of the Niagara Escarpment. Niagara wine is produced in the complete, rich flavor found in every glass because to the region’s location between the Lakes and its warm, temperate environment.
