Other Ontario Wineries

Picture - Riverview Cellars in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

This section will give a brief summary of the other Niagara wineries. As time and resources allow, this will be a complete section.

Ontario produces wines from "classic" vitas viniferea varieties, as well as hybrids. The style of winemaking has been influenced from around the world. Ontario's rich Chardonnays show the influence from France while German influence permeates Ontario Rieslings which can be styled crisp rich and honeyed to ultra crisp dry and floral. Here are a list of some of the most common vitas vinifera whites which are grown in Ontario:

Chardonnay

Originally growing near the town of the same name in the Macon region of France, the vine is vigorous and, although winter hardy to a fair degree, it's early flowering makes it vulnerable to spring frost damage. If it is allowed to grow, it matures earlier than some vinifera types, making it very suitable to the Canadian growing season. This grape can improve with age if it is oak aged. The oaked style tends to be light gold to yellow in colour with a nose of oak, vanilla, apple and sometimes tropical fruit. On the palate it gives a feel of smooth, full bodied, sometimes with a buttery finish. When produced in stainless steel tanks the wine comes out in a lemony fresh fruit style.

Riesling

This grape can be traced back to the Rhine Valley in Germany, where it is still their main producing grape. The vine is vigorous in poor soil by sending it's roots deep down. Under ideal growing conditions Riesling can obtain a flowery (rose petal) nose with a pine or wintergreen undertone. On the palate it can have a tart acidity that can reveal hints of apple, pineapple, and citrus. Riesling can be consumed young, but has the potential to age for years, and in some cases, decades. Well-aged Riesling will gain a colour of goldish yellow with a nose of petrol. The palate can taste a velvet texture with undertones of tart peach, apricot or cooked apple. It is made in a variety of styles ranging from dry and crisp, to fuller very concentrated and aromatic. Some wineries add small amounts of unfermented grape juice (sussreserve) to finished Riesling in order achieve a balance of fruitiness, sweetness and acidity. The grape is subject to Botrytis Cinerea (noble rot) and then can be made into late harvest (Botrytis afected) wines as well as Ice wine. They are often compared with the best German Ausleseand Beerauslese.

Pinot Blanc

This grape is related to Pinot Noir. Often compared to Chardonnay it's nose is more subdued with an aroma of French almonds. The vines themselves look identical to Chardonnay and this varietal can produce wines that are very close in richness to it.

Gewurtraminer

This varietal can be traced to the vineyards of the Roman Empire. The second part of the name (Traminer) comes from a town in the Tyrol of the same name. The word Gewurtz is German for the word spicy. The white wine is produced from grapes which are pinkish in colour. It is produced in styles ranging from very dry to late harvest and can have a yellow or orange hue (depending on skin contact with the juice. The nose has a tropical spicy, floral aroma with lychee fruit overtones. On the palate there is rich body, delicate acidity mild to full sweetness and heady in fruit, spice and herbs. This grape has a good potential since it is suited to cooler climates. It has to be picked at the optimum ripeness, if picked too early then none of the varietal characteristics will be present, pick too late and there will be low acidity. It also has a low yield with an average production of about 2.5 tons per hectare.

Pinot Gris

This is a close relative of Pinot Noir . The name itself can be translated Pine Grey from the grey/pink colour of the berries . The wine itself can have an orange or pink hue. Sometimes lower in acidity, the wine is rich in,flavour with light spice mixed in. On the palate it can have an oily texture. Minimum aging can add extra richness to the palate.

Sauvignon Blanc

The increasing use of this grape has fallen under the radar but is producing excellent wines. It thrives in poor soils, but is vulnerable to rot and thus humidity. The ideal climate is one where its growning season has hot days and cool nights. The nose is pungent with aromas of honey, melon, gooseberries grass, asparagus as well as other herbacious and vegetal tones.

Below are the common vitas vinifera red grapes that are grown in Ontario:

Cabernet Sauvignon

This grape is the most stable of the red vitas vinifera. It is planted in almost every wine producing area of the world in an attempt to reproduce the results that vintners in Bordeau have attained. It is grown in areas around the world with differeing terroir that ranges from the Bekaa Valley in Lebanon to New Zealand's South Island.

In Ontario, Cabernet's characteristics of late ripening, hard wood, late flourishing, and resistance to disease make it a very favourable grape for Ontario wineries. The downside of this grape is that it does not yield as much as other varieties, thus forcing consumers to pay higher prices and poses problems for the grape grower and winemaker.

Hard and tannic wines of high concentration are produced, due to the factors of black thick skinned berries with a high proportion of pips to pulp. A young wine is quite often opaque, with a purple inky colour. The aroma is fairly pungent in it's cedar and black current undertones and the taste is harsh and tannic.

The aging of Cabernet Sauvignon allows it's colour to soften to a garnet and then a reddish mahogony, it's aroma to evolve to a bouquet of richness and complexity and the taste becomes velvety and a warm richness with characteristics of oak, cassis, mushroom, tobacco, and vanilla (there are are a number of other interesting tones).

Cabernet Franc

This grape is grown in small amounts but does well on the north shore of Lake Erie. Colio Wines has done exceedingly well producing a red wine that is consistently good vintage after vintage. In Niagara a lot of wineries are growing it to blend in a Bordeaux style with Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot.

Vineland Estates has used the name Meritage to identify its blend. This grape is related to Cabernet Sauvignon but the berry is larger and less dense. It has a good level of acidity to help it for potential aging but doesn't have the same level of richness or distinctive attributes as Sauvignon in it's nose or palate.

The main characteristics with this grape include red bell pepper, or red currants with herbacious earthy tones on the nose.

Merlot

This cool climate grape grows well in Ontario vineyards with a high clay content in the soil. This is especially true in Niagara. The aroma is of intense fruit of red currants and strawberries. This transfers onto the palate with a trace of herbs. The palate experiences soft and supple fruit most of the time.

Pinot Noir

Burgundy is the standard by which all other Pinot Noirs are measured against. It's adaptability can best be described as reluctant to other regions. Young wines tend have flavours of red rasberries or cherries which tend to age into a more earthy terroir character. Other flavours can be characteristic and evident depending on how it's vinified and where it is grown.

Canadian Pinot Noirs havn't reached the levels of comlexity and full bodiness associated with the Grand Crus of Burgundy, but can be compared to the lighter wines of Alsace , Germany and Cote de Beane. The level to which Pinot Noir will cotribute to total Ontario wine production is a still a work in progress.

Gamay

The grape of Beaujolais and "Beaujolais Nouveau" which comes out every November. It is quite a hardy berry which generally gives high yield and is early ripening.

When growing in ideal conditions the grape can yield 8-12 tons per hectare. The grape vine must still be pruned and thinned out to make sure that there is still a high concentration of fruit in the berry.

The normal method for vinification is in a closed tank called Carbonic Maceration. The wine comes out bright dense purple, usually with an aroma of raspberries or cherries, distinctly fruity on the palate with a clean crisp finish. Generally called a quaffing wine this wine can be used on most occasions if you enjoy it(There is no law forbidding it).

I will continue to discuss the most common grape varieties grown in Ontario. Two categories: Crossings and Hybrids.

Hybrids

In order to get the best from two vine varieties into one, two grape varieties from the same species are cross pollinated, usually of the vinifera variety.

Morio Muskat

The result of crossing Pinot Blanc and Silvaner this grape is used as a workhorse blending grape in Germany. This variety has an extremely grapey taste. In Ontario it is harvested ripe and produces characteristics of a slightly spicey, floral bouquet and a full flavour.

Scheurebe

In 1916 a German named George Scheu combined Silvaner and Riesling to produce a riesling like offspring that is very good for producing late harvest wines. This variety takes on the dryness and acidity of Riesling and has a black current like nose which gives it distinction when it is fully ripened.

Kerner

This grape is an unusual result of crossing the red grape Trollinger and the Riesling . This white grape is the third largest variety planted in Germany and has been used since 1969. It is relatively new to Canada (Ontario and B.C.). It's attributes include a very crisp acidity on the palate and the finish. It's aroma is green or leafy and coarser in texture to a significant degree. This variety is very durable, it's resists frost damage and disease as well as adapting to any kind of soil. It also yields more per acre than Riesling. Its attributes make it very attractive for future growth in Ontario.

Bacchus

Is another product of the Riesling, Silvaner union. In Germany it is a grape that enhances the flavour of Liebfraumilch wines. It can grow in the poorest soil and still produce full bodied wines with character. Grown mostly in B.C. it is beginning to get a foothold in Ontario. The grape requires monitoring of it's acidity so it can be harvested before reaching full ripeness. The grape has a high extract, strong Muscat-type flavour and crisp acidity that has to be balanced. In poor years the fragrant character and fruit is lost when it doesn't properly ripen.

Hybrids

This is the crossing of inter-species varietals (vinifera, ruprestris). The intent is to keep the flavour of the vinifera and gain the hardiness of the ruprstris. The better offspring were created to fight off phylloxera at the beginning of the century. Adehmar De Chaunac brought over the hybrids in the 1940's and some have proven to make good decent wines and even very good wines in some cases.

Seyval Blanc

This is a mainstay in the Ontario white wine market but is grown in other Canadian provinces. This variety is the result of crossing two Seibel hybrids and is well suited for cool climates. The wine ranges in colour from water white to light yellow and carries a honey grapefruit and lemony aroma It is light to medium bodied and the palate is is fruity. There is a firm lingering acidity on the finish. Most of the wineries producing a varietal Seyval used it for blending.

Vidal

This is a hybrid of the Ugni Blanc and Seyval hybrid Rayon d'Or. This grape is winter hardy and the berry has a very thick stem When picked at optimum ripeness and vinified into a regular table wine it displays good acidity a hint of residual sugar and an aroma of pears and peaches. The thick stem allows the berry to stay on the vine well into winter. This is a key factor in using Vidal for the making of the award winning ice wines from Ontario (and other Canadian provinces).

Baco Noir

This is a cross of Folle Blanche and Ripera which is early ripening. This characteristic makes it suitable for cool climate vineyards. The wine's colour varies from purple to ruby red and indicates good depth. The aroma of the wine in it's initial stage is grapey but can also have clover, raisiny and herbaceous notes depending on how it is fermented and aged. From a good vintage the wine will show years of aging potential, and the concentration and depth of a big Rhone if it's aged in American oak.

Marechal Foch

This is a winter hardy crossing of Riparia-Rupestris with a Riesling-Muscat cross (Goldriesling) and is a big seller in the Ontario market. The wine has firm acidity making for aging potential.It has a vinious herblike aroma which becomes more complex with age. It can also show flavours of spice, earthiness and red berries (flavours remenicent of the Rhone and Burgundy) on the palate.

Sparkling wine commonly associated with celebrations and special occasions has many different choices in terms of price quality and flavour styles.

Most people call sparkling wine champagne in a generic sense but the only true sparklers that can be called champagne must come from the region in France that bears this name.

There are four main methods that are used to put bubbles into wine (actually most still wines have bubbles in them during the fermentation process.

Methode Champenoise

This is the most expensive method to make sparkling wine but it is the best way to get the highest quality possible. It is labor intensive and time consuming and the price tag of the finished product reflects it.

As mentioned earlier, the name Champagne can only be used on sparkling wines that come from the Champagne region of France. Three grapes are used Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. After all the grapes are harvested, fermentation of the juice takes place in a large barrel and is carried on until January to allow the spent yeast cells to fall to the bottom and be filtered out.

Blending then occurs by the cellar master from different growers to produce the style of wine desired. This is called assembling the cuvee to the house style.

The bottling of the wine then occurs with some sugar and cultured yeast added. The bottle is sealed and the second fermentation occurs inside the bottle. Carbon Dioxide is trapped and not allowed to escape as in the first fermentation. The second fermentation takes three two four months and is then cellared for a year to allow the yeast to settle and to age.

To get the dead yeast cells out and to retain the sparkle each bottle is placed into an A shaped rack or “pupitre”. The bottles are shaken and gradually tipped until they are standing in the rack cork down. The process is called remuage slowly moves the sediment down to the neck of the bottle. The neck is then flash frozen in a nitrogen solution trapping the sediment. A crown cap is removed (which is the same as a beer bottle) and the pressure inside the bottle forces the ice out. The dry wine is sweetened with the addition of some sweet wine to replace the wine lost in the ice plug. This process is known as dosage.

It takes about three years to create a bottle of champagne (or sparkling wine using this method). Bottle fermentation produces tiny bubbles that once the wine is poured rise steadily. The better quality sparklers can have their bubbles last for more than an hour. Sparkling wines made outside the champagne region of France must use the term. Methode Traditionelle. In Spain sparkling wines coming from the Penedes region use the term Cava.

Transfer Method

Dry white wine is bottled for a second fermentation. After this fermentation is done the wine is removed under pressure to preserve the sparkle. The wine is filtered and then put into a new battle. The filtration has a tendency to reduce the flavor and sparkle of the wine but the full yeasty characteristic still remains. A much lower priced product is the result of this method that requires less time and labor intensity.

Charmot (Tank Method)

This method is faster and cheaper than the transfer method. The second fermentation takes place in a tank rather than a bottle. The filtration is done in the tank under pressure. No yearlong cellaring is used and less storage is required. The finished product is less intense with larger sparkles that do not last as long. Canada, Germany, France and Italy use this method for their mass-market wines. The final product is a decent sparkler for the relatively inexpensive price. They are particularly good for large gatherings like weddings or a sports celebration like a professional team winning a title. The same can be said for sparklers made from the transfer method. It should be noted that that overall sparkler made from the Methode Champenoise would usually produce a superior tasting experience over a product made from the other two methods.

Artificial Carbonation

Carbon Dioxide is injected into the wine like is done with pop. You get large bubbles and a very short sparkle. People may enjoy this and that is fine but can’t be compared in elegance to a sparkler made from the other methods.

Serving Champagne

The carbon dioxide gas in a bottle has a pressure of four to seven atmospheres. That is in the range of one hundred and sixty five pounds per square inch of pressure. The cork of a bottle starts out looking like a still wine one only a bit longer and thicker. When wired to the bottle the pressure inside pushes against the cork shaping it into the familiar mushroom shape a metal object the same size would pose a threat of injury. A cork as a projectile still has the potential to break windows or denting walls or ceilings. The proper way to open is to hold the bottle away from people and fragile objects. A chilled bottle reduces the pressure. Remove the steel wire and hold the cork with one hand or cover it with a towel. Turn the bottle with the other hand this should let you to be able to let it pop with out a fizz explosion. Sparkling wine is made to be consumed fairly soon after it is put out into the market. Real, more expensive champagne might last for a few years but it will too lose flavor and sparkle. Less expensive sparklers are likely to last no more than one or two years. (ideal storage conditions might allow you to keep it a lot longer).

Some common Terms Used

Extra Brut

Extremely rare Champagne without dosage and less than .6% sugar

Brut

The driest level for most sparkling wines.

Extra Dry

Not as dry as Brut with a soft feel on the palate.

Cuvee

A blended sparkler from different growers.

Blanc de Blancs

White wine from (Chardonnay grape only)

Blanc de Noir

White wine from black grapes (Pinot Noir) No skin contact with the juice is permitted so no pigment is added

Rose

Limited skin contact with the juice during fermentation makes a pale real wine. Red wine may be added for Cuvee blends.

Crackling Wine

Less sparkle due to less pressure in the bottle giving it a prickly feel on the palate.

Andres Wines
697 Service Road Winona 905-643-4131 1-800-263-2170. This winery is located in an industrial park. They are part of the Hillebrand and Peller Estates family of wines. Baby Duck and Hochtaler are the wines that put this winery on the map in the 70's. There are a number of small Wine Shoppe boutique retail outlets throughout the province. Call for hours of operation.

Birchwood Estates Winery
4679 Cherry Avenue Ave Beamsville 905-562-8463. This winery is located just off the QEW. Small in size but big in heart, Birchwood Estate prides itself on distinct personality, style and very Canadian flavour The cottage-style wine boutique offers a variety of local artisans’ crafts and paintings along with and a wide selection of affordable VQA wines. Guests enjoy complimentary premium wine tastings. Buses and tour groups always welcome. Hours: Open daily year round (10am-5pm)
Tour Hours: Daily through summer months. Reservations required

Creekside Estate Winery
2170 Fourth Ave Jordan Station 905-562-0035 Open Monday to Friday 10 am to 5pm Sat 10 am to 6pm Sun Noon to 5 pm Grapes used Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc Vidal riesling and Merlot. This winery is one of three in it's family (Habitant Vineyards in Nova Scotia and Paragon Vineyards). This winery specializes in white wines with Paragon vineyards (located at the St Davids Bench) specializing in Bordeaux varieties. Paragon will open in 2002. Winery tours are by appointment with free public tastings.

Crown Bench Estates Winery
3850 Aberdeen Rd. Beamsville 905-563-3959. This winery is located only 100 meters from the Bruce Trail. Grapes used include Chardonnay Vidal Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc as well as Pinot Noir. This winery is nestled right to the very back of the Escarpment. The vineyards are noted for their chardonnay grapes and the wines they have produced in the past for Thirty Bench Winery. Call the winery for hours and tour info. Public tastings are offered.

Daniel Lenko Estate Winery
5246 Regional Rd 81 Beamsville 905-563-7756. The vineyards of this winery are amongst the oldest in Niagara averaging 25 years. This is due to the fact that this vineyard had until recently been a supplier of grapes to some highly respected wineries in the region. Grapes used include Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon, and Franc Merlot and Pinot Noir. They also make Viognier which is uncommon in Niagara. Contact the winery about hours of operation. Tasting and tours are by appointment on weekdays.

Henry of Pelham
1469 Pelham Rd. St.Catherines 905-684-8423 Open daily 10 am to 6pm The land of the winery was granted to a Nicholas Smith who was a United Empire Loyalist. The Speck family who own the property are direct decendants. The winery is located behind behind a coaching in which was built in 1842. The cellars now host a tasting room wine shop and cooperage. Grape varieties used include Riesling, Chardonnay, Merlot, Gamay Noir, Pinot Noir, Baco Noir and Cabernet Sauvignon. This winery makes consistently good Baco Noir. Tours are available along with public tastings.

Kittling Ridge Estate Winery and Spirits
297 South Service Rd. Grimsby 905-945-9225. This is a both a winery and distillery . Grapes are purchased from local growers for wine production as well as fruit for it's distilled products. This winery has a large inn that is luxuriously decorated. They also have a number of wine boutique retail outlets in southern Ontario. Winery tours and tastings are available. Contact the winery for business hours.

Malivoire Wine Company
4260 King St E. Beamsville 905-563-9253 Open seven days a week This winery runs on gravity. A quonset hut was extended down a hill slope to process grapes from trucks coming from the vineyard to reloading trucks with finished wine to be sent to the barrel cellar for aging. The ladybug is not just Malivoire's symbol (shown throughout the winery) it represents their organic approach to pest control. Grapes used include Marechal Foch, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Pinot Gris, Gewurtztraminer, and Chardonnay. Future plans include the planting and use of the Grenache grape. All production comes from estate vineyard. Winery tours are by appointment and public tastings are available.

Maple Grove Estate Winery
4064 North Service Rd. Beamsville 905-856-5700. Open Weekends 10 am to 6 pm This winery is the property of Vinoteca winery in Woodbridge. This gives owner Giovani Follegot as source of Niagara grape for which he has full control over. Grapes used include Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay and Riesling. Public tastings available, phone first for winery tours.

Royal DeMaria Wines
4551 Cherry Avenue Vineland 905-563-9692 Open Monday to Saturday 10 Sunday 11 am to 5 pm am to 5 pm. The winery opened in 1997 and has concentrated on exports. More recently the public can access this winery . It has 2 vineyards of 20 and 25 acres. Grape varieties used include Vidal, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc and Gewutztraminer. Known primarily for its award-winning icewines. Winery tours conducted and self guided are available. Public tastings are available with a snall charge for specialty wines.

Stoney Ridge Cellars
3201 King Street Vineland 905-562-1324 Open daily 10 am to 5 pm. in the summer open until 6 pm. This winery used to be owned by Jim Warren but was subsequently sold to Ottawa business interest freeing him up to concentrate on making wine. The winery is now part of a composite organization consisting of Woods End and Cuesta Estates. Grape varieties include Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Gewuztraminer. This winery has one of the largest selections in Ontario. Tours are daily 11 am to 2 pm. Public tastings available with special group and specialty tour packages available.

Thirteenth Street Wine Company
13th Street South Jordan Station 905-562-5900. This venture is a collaborative effort of several partners. They get Gewurztraminer, Pinot Noir and Riesling from one vineyard and Gamay and some Chardonnay from another (owned by them). Their aim is to make small quantities of the utmost quality with production not exceeding 10000 litres. Call the winery for tour and tasting info.

Thirty Bench Vineyard and Winery
4281 Mountainview Rd. Beamsville 905-563-1698 Open daily 10 am to 6 pm This winery had it's origins going back to 1980 with some amateur winemakers buying the 35 acres where a vineyard stands. The official first crush for this winery was in 1994. Another 41 acre vineyard was purchased in 1998. Grape Varierties used include Riesling, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc Pinot Noir, Merlot and Pinot Meunier. Tours are available on weekends during store hours and by appoinment at other times. Public tastings are held during store hours.

Thomas and Vaughan Vintners
4245 King Street Beamsville 905-563-7737 Open Thurday to Sunday 11 am to 6 pm This winery opened in 1998 unde the ownership of Barbara Vaughan and Thomas Kocsis. Thomas brought over 20 years of grape growing experience with him. The focus of production is on reds. Grape varieties used include Chardonnay, Pinot Gris, Vidal, Riesling, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon Merlot, Baco Noir, and Marechal Foch Special winery tours available by appointment and free public tastings.

Willow Heights Winery
3751 Regional Road #81,R.R.#1 Vineland 905-562-4945 Open Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm Sunday 11 am to 5 pm This winery has always given us a pleasant experience. We particularly like their Chardonnay, and make a point to go every year to stock up on the latest release. The winery is a Spanish villa-style building with an outside patio to sip wine and munch on snacks. Grapes used include Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Noir, Gamay, Riesling, Vidal, Gewurztraminer, Auxerois, Chardonnay, and Seyval Blanc. Winery store sells many gift items. Winery tours are available and public tastings are available during store hours.

Domaine Vagners
1973 Four Mile Creek Rd. RR3 Niagara on the Lake 905-468-7296. Winery tours 10 am to 3 pm or by appointment. To our knowledge Canada's smallest winery. Uses grape varieties Riesling Pinot Gris, Gewerztraminer, Pinot Noir, Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc. No public tastings. Call for hours of operation.

Inniskillin Wines
RR#1,Line 3 at the Niagara Parkway Niagara on the Lake. 905-468-2187 November to April 10 am to 5pm May to October 10 am to 6 pm, closed major holidays. Donald Ziraldo and Karl Kaiser are generally credited with energizing the canadian wine industry. Karl with making quality wines from quality grape varieties and Don Ziraldo for being the major force behind the establisment of the Vintners Quality Alliance, (the Canadian Appellation system). The winery is located in a Brae Burn style barn which gives a look and feel of Napa or Sonoma valleys. Grapes used include Chenin Blanc, Viongier, Auxerois, Pinot Blanc, Pinot Grigio, Vidal, Riesling Chardonnay, Baco Noir, Marechal Foch, Zweigeltrebe Merlot Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, Gamay and Pinot Noir. Tours May to October 10:30 am to 4:30 pm once an hour November through April 10:30 am and 2:30 pm. A twenty station self guided tour throughout the winery is also available. Tasting hours are November to April 11:30 am to 4:30 pm May to October 11 am to 5:30 pm. There is a fifty cent charge for samples, and tastings are limited to what wines they are pouring that day.

Joseph's Estate Wines
1811 Niagra Stone Rd. (Highway 55) RR#3 Niagara on the Lake 905-468-1259. Open May to October Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm Sunday 10am to 5 pm November to April 11 am to 5 pm Joe Pohorly is involved in his second winery venture. His first one was a winery which is now known as Hillebrand Estates. His current winery was established in 1992. Grape varieties used include Baco Noir, Chancellor, Pinot Noir, Petite Sirah, Merlot Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Muscat Ottonel, Vidal, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris. Winery tours 11 am to 5pm every 2 hours, an appointment is required for larger groups. A small charge is applied for public tasting.

Konzelmann Estate Winery
RR#3 Niagara on the Lake 905-935-2866. Open April to March 10 am to 6 pm Mon to Sat Sun 12:30 pm to 5:30 pm. January to March Wed to Sat 10 am to 6 pm. Herbert Konnzelmann comes from a traditional German winemaking family who have been making wine since 1893 in Wurttemberg. Since 1986 Herbert has been making award winning wines at his lakefront winery outside of Niagara on the Lake. He had a cement breakwall constructed at the lake shore to stop shoreline erosion. Grapes used include Pinot Blanc, Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurtztraminer, Geisenheim 311 Vidal Pinot Noir, Gamay, Zweigelt, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon and Merlot. Winery tours at 2pm May to September. Public tastings during store hours.

Marynissen Estates
RR#6,1208 Concession#1 Niagara on the Lake 905-468-7270 November to April: Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5pm. Sunday 11 am to 5 pm May to October: 10 am to 6pm Sunday 11am to 6pm. John Marynissen took his talent for winemaking as an amateur and in 1990 started his own winery. His vineyards are located between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario. Grape varieties used: Vidal, Gewurztraminer, Riesling, Chardonnay, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Merlot, Gamay and Syrah. Winery tours available, but tours of 15 or more people require an appointment and have a charge of $2 pp. Public tastings available at 50 cents per sample during store hours.

Pillitteri Estates Winery
1696 Niagara Stone Rd. (Hwy 55) Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-3147. Hours May 15 to October 15: 10:00 am to 8 pm. October 16 to May 14: 10 am to 6 pm. Family owned and operated, Canada's largest producer of icewine. New underground barrel cellar. Fruit market attached. Grape varieities used: Riesling, Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Vidal, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Tours and tastings available. Try their Gewurztraminer/Riesling.

Reif Estate Winery
RR1 Niagara Parkway Niagara on the Lake 905-468-7738 Open May to October 10 am to 6pm November to April 10 am to 5 pm. Back in Germany, Klaus Reif enjoyed playing hide and seek in the wine barrels as a child. He is part of a thirteen generation family tradition of winemaking. In 1987 he took over the winemaking operation, which is done in a historical stagecoach house. Grape varieties used Zinfandel, Gamay, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Franc and Sauvignon, Merlot, Baco Noir, Riesling, Chardonnay, Gewuztraminer, Vidal, Seyval Blanc, Trollinger Riesling, Pinot Gris, Sauvignon Blanc. Tours May to September daily at 1:30 pm Groups require an appointment. Public tastings are available year round during store hours.

Stonechurch Vineyards
1270 Irvine Rd. RR#5 Niagara on the Lake. 905-935-3535. Open May to September Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm Sunday 11 am to 6 pm October to April Monday to Saturday 10 am to 5 pm Sunday 11 am to 5 pm. This winery is the largest family owned and operated in Ontario and is the most western location in the Niagara on the Lake region. Grape varieties used include Chardonnay Morio Muscat, Riesling, Seyval Blanc, Vidal, Cabernet Sauvignon and Franc, Pinot Noir, and Baco Noir. Self guided vineyard tours are available. Public tastings avaiable. Private tastings by appointment.

Pictures - two images of Strewn Winery

Strewn Estate Winery
1339 Lakeshore Rd. Niagara on the Lake 905-468-1229. Direct number for restaurant reservations 905-468-1222. Open summer daily 10 am to 6pm. Other seasons 11 am to 5 pm. This winery is housed in a 35000 sq. foot facility, along with a cooking school and a restaurant, Terrior La Cachette which specializes in regional cuisine. Grape varieties used include Canernet Sauvignon and Franc Chardonnay, Riesling, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Blanc, Vidal, and Gwurztraminer. Winery tours on the weekends at 1pm and groups require an appointment.

Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery
1425 Lakeshore Rd. RR#3 Niagara on the Lake 905-468-1122 Open May through October Monday to Saturday 10 am to 6 pm Sunday 1o am to 5 pm November through December daily 10 am to 5 pm January through April Wednesday to Sunday 10 am to 5 pm This winery does have a Rebecca (the owners daughter). A 1992 hailstorm resulted in 80 tons of damaged fruit. This led to the first batches of fruit wine. Wines are made from peaches, cherries, pears, plums, apricots and berries. eighteen varieties of wine are available.This winery has not looked back since Group tours only available by appointment. There is a nominal charge samples at public tastings which are available during store hours.