The Niagara
region has so much to offer: incredible scenery, great tourist attractions, and
maybe most importantly, amazing wine! The wines that come from Niagara are truly unique due to the landscape of the area and is a must visit for any wine enthusiast. Here is my guide to visiting Niagara’s
wineries.
New to wine
tasting? Take a guided tour.
If you have
never visited the Niagara region before or have never been to a winery, I would recommend
booking a guided tour. It is possible to book tastings with each winery, however,
a guided tour will show you a variety of different wineries and often include additional perks that the tour companies have negotiated. Some tours also have
additional stops at other hidden Niagara gems like chocolate factories or local markets. Overall, they make for an exciting outing for any occasion.
In
Niagara-on-the-lake there are several different types of guided tours to choose
from. They range from group to private and often include some sort of
transportation. For the more adventurous folks, I would suggest taking a bike tour. The flat landscape makes for an easy ride and a great way to make your
trip a little more unique. As an added bonus, most tours will pick you up from
your hotel and drop you off at the end of the tour. This will give you peace of
mind knowing you will not need to drive after all of the great wine you sampled!
The length
of the tours is also very flexible. Whether you are looking for an afternoon
trip to tack onto a morning of shopping or an all day expedition for dedicated explorers,
there is definitely options for any schedule.
If you are
being price conscious, there is no shortage of deals to choose from on Groupon and TravelZoo. If you are booking as a group, contact the tour company directly
as a group rate may be available. Also, if you are staying in the area
overnight, many of the local hotels will have wine tastings bundled into
overnight packages.
Must-See
Wineries
The
wineries in Niagara range from large productions; with full restaurants, shops, and
estate properties to small family run operations. All offer something unique
and a great product to be sampled. Of the places I have visited here are a few
of my favourite:
This winery
has been in operating in Ontario for 35 years and is primarily known for their ice
wines. In the summer months, they have a great patio food stand that makes for a
perfect lunch stop or a quick snack on the go. They offer dishes like gourmet
poutine and pulled pork sandwiches that pair great with their outstanding
variety of wines.
Located on
a beautiful estate, Trius at Hillebrand offers a great tour that is both detailed
and informative. I found they really take the time to both showcase their
property and make sure you understand what goes into making a great wine. Be sure to try their Trius Red, it is a blend and it is sure to please even those who may not always love a red wine.
Colaneri a
fairly new winery to the Niagara region as it only began operation in 2010. All of
the names of their wines have very interesting backstories based on relatives
of their family. The main building exterior is a picturesque estate that looks
like it could have been shipped straight from Italy. Inside is contrasted by an
open-concept look at their wine making production, a one-of-a-kind feature.
When
visiting PondView you must try their ice wine and chocolate shot. They are
available in a selection of their ice wines and are served in a fully edible,
dark chocolate shot glass. It is an incredible experience and my group may have
purchased a few packs of chocolate shot glasses for further sampling.
Any of the Niagara regions wineries is sure to be a great destination. Just be sure to try new things with an open mind, there are always discoveries to be made and wines to enjoy!
