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Niagara Wine Country ca_flag.gif (851 bytes)
 Wine Route Map .pdf file

   To fully appreciate Niagara wine country, the first step is to visit Donald J.P. Ziraldo's site (sorry, the site has been taken down), one of Inniskillin Wines' founders, about the history of Inniskillin and the art of wine making. He shows you all the things that make Niagara an excellent wine producing region, from the soil and weather conditions to what is needed for icewine. He gives you the whole process from start to finish on how they make their wine. Next, you'll want to discover the wine routes from the Wine Council of Ontario. Here you can spend a day and tour Niagara's wine industry. Maybe you are an Amateur Winemaker and want to do it yourself. Here you'll find links to sites where you can buy Niagara and Ontario juices and grapes and learn how to make it yourself. Now if you want a career in the winemaking field, you may want to take a course at Niagara's own Brock University, at the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI). To end your Niagara wine country learning experience, you'll have to visit the Niagara Grape and Wine Festival where you'll learn how we celebrate the grape harvest.

If you are interested in cooking with wine, there is a very important "rule of thumb" for cooking with any wine. Don't cook with any wine that you wouldn't drink! If it tastes like vinegar in the glass then you can be assured that it will taste like vinegar in your food! If added early in a recipe, wine will be reduced and intensified; if added later, the wine will add fresh taste. It all depends on what you want to achieve.

As for drinking wine with a meal, the old rule was red meat-red wine, white meat-white wine. Now the rule is any combination you enjoy is a good combination!

Vines below Woodend Conservation Area along the Niagara Escarpment

Click on the below thumbnails for a better view

Niagara vineyards
Niagara grapes waiting for the cold freezing weather for the production of ice wine
 

Protecting the grapes from the birds
To protect the valuable grapes from birds, the grapes are covered with a net
 


Have you seen this label on wine?

VQA award

  The Vintners Quality Alliance - VQA - is an Appellation of Origin system by which consumers can identify wines of Ontario and British Columbia based on the origin of the grapes from which they are produced. There are two distinct wine-growing regions in Canada - the provinces of Ontario and British Columbia. In Ontario the VQA officially started in 1988. The Ontario VQA then requested that British Columbia undertake a similar system, which it did in 1990. The label states which region the wine has come from.

Wines are evaluated by an independent panel of experts. Only those wines which meet or exceed the production and appellation standards are awarded VQA status and are entitled to display the VQA medallion. The gold VQA medallion is awarded only to those wines that perform exceptionally as judged by the VQA tasting panel.

 

Drink wine, and you will sleep well. Sleep, and you will not sin.
Avoid sin, and you will be saved. Ergo, drink wine and be saved.


Niagara Wineries
 on site restaurant = On site restaurant

Andres Wines
697 South Service Rd. Grimsby (800) 836-3555
http://www.andreswines.com/

Birchwood Estate Wines (formerly Vine Court)
4679 Cherry Ave. Vineland (905)562-8463
http://www.birchwoodwines.com/birchwood-index.html

Cave Spring Cellarson site restaurant
3836 Main Street, Jordan. Winery (905) 562-3581
On the Twenty Restaurant (905) 562-7313,
Inn on the Twenty (formerly Vintners Inn) (905) 562-5336.
http://www.cavespringcellars.com/
www.innonthetwenty.com

Chateau des Charmes Wines
1025 York Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 262-4219
http://chateaudescharmes.com/

Creekside Estate Winery
2170 Fourth Ave. Jordan Station (905) 562-0035
http://www.creeksideestatewinery.com/ Online wine ordering

Crown Bench Estates Winery
3850 Aberdeen Rd. Beamsville (905) 563-3959
http://www.crownbenchestates.com/
Daniel Lenko Wines
5246 #81 Highway, Beamsville (905) 563-7756 - call ahead before visiting
http://www.daniellenko.com/

De Sousa Wine Cellars
3753 Quarry Rd. Beamsville (905) 563-7269
http://www.desousawines.com/

EastDell Estate Wineryon site restaurant
4041 Locust Lane BeamsvilleWinery
Bench Bistro Restaurant (905) 563-9463
http://www.eastdell.com/ Online wine ordering

Harbour Estates Winery
4362 Jordon Rd. Jordan Station 1-877-439-9463
http://www.hewwine.com/

Henry of Pelham Family Estate Wineryon site restaurant
1469 Pelham Rd. St. Catharines (905) 684-8423
http://www.henryofpelham.com/ Online wine ordering

Hernder Estate Wines
1607 8th Ave. St. Catharines (905) 684-3300
http://www.hernder.com/

Hidden Bench
 4152 Locust Lane, Beamsville, 905-563-8700
 http://hiddenbench.com/
Hillebrand Estateson site restaurant
Highway 55 (Niagara Stone Rd.) Niagara-on-the-Lake. Winery and Vineyard Cafe Restaurant 1-800-582-8412
http://www.hillebrand.com/ Online wine ordering

Inniskillin Wines
Line 3 at Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-2187
Inniskillin website: www.inniskillin.com and Inniskillin Icewine: www.icewine.com Online icewine ordering available soon.

Jackson-Triggs Estate Winery
2145 Niagara Stone Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 564-3003
http://www.jacksontriggswinery.com/

Joseph's Estate Wines
Highway 55 (1811 Niagara Stone Rd.) Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-1259
http://www.josephsestatewines.com/

Kacaba Vineyards
3550 King St. Vineland (905) 562-5625 call before visiting to confirm hours.
http://www.kacaba.com/

Kittling Ridge Estate Wines and Spiritson site restaurant
297 South Service Rd. Grimsby
Winery-Distillery (905) 945-9225
www.KittlingRidge.com
Casablanca Winery Inn
4 Windward Drive, Grimsby
 (905) 309-7171
http://www.casablancawineryinn.com/dining

Konzelmann Estate Winery
Highway 87 (Lakeshore Rd.) east of the Welland Canal Lock one, Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 935-2866
http://www.konzelmannwines.com/

Lailey Vineyard and Winery
15940 Niagara Parkway Niagara-on-the-Lake (905)468-0503
http://www.laileyvineyard.com/

Lakeview Cellars Estate Winery
4037 Cherry Ave. Vineland (905) 562-5685
http://www.lakeviewcellars.on.ca/

Magnotta Winery, Distillery and Brewery
271 Chrislea Rd. Woodbridge 1-800-461-WINE
Winery at 4701 Ontario St. Beamsville (905) 563-5313
http://www.magnotta.com/

Malivoire Wine Company
4260 King St. East, Beamsville (905) 563-9253 - call ahead before visiting
http://www.malivoirewineco.com/

Marynissen Estates
1208 Concession 1, Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-7270
http://www.marynissen.com/
Peller Estateson site restaurant
290 John St. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-4678, 1-888-673-5537
http://www.peller.com/

Peninsula Ridge Estates Wineryon site restaurant
5600 King St. Beamsville (905)563-9830 or 563-0900 Restaurant on-site.
http://www.peninsularidge.com/

Pillitteri Estates Winery
Highway 55 (1696 Niagara Stone Rd.) Niagara-on-the-Lake. Winery and Fruit Market (905) 468-3147
http://www.pillitteri.com/ Online wine ordering

Puddicombes Estate Wineryon site restaurant
1468 Highway 8, Winona (905) 643-1015
www.jefs.com/farm/wine.html

Reif Estate Winery
15608 Niagara Parkway, Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-7738
http://www.reifwinery.com/

Riverview Cellars
 Niagara Parkway between Line 3 & 4 (905) 262-0636
http://www.riverviewcellars.com/pages/505538/index.htm
Royal DeMaria Wines
4551 Cherry Ave. Vineland (905) 563-9692
http://www.royaldemaria.com/

Stonechurch Vineyards
1270 Irvine Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 935-3535
http://stonechurch.com/ Online wine ordering

Stoney Ridge Cellars
Includes Cuesta Estates Winery and Woods End Wines
3201 King St. Vineland (905) 562-1324
http://www.stoneyridge.com/ Online wine ordering

Strewn Inc. (Estate Winery)on site restaurant
1339 Lakeshore Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake
Winery, Cooking School and Restaurant (905) 468-1229
http://www.strewnwinery.com/

Sunnybrook Farms Estate Winery
1425 Lakeshore Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-1122
http://www.sunnybrookfarmwinery.com/

Thirty Bench Vineyard and Winery
4281 Mountainview Rd. Beamsville (905) 563-1698
http://www.thirtybench.com/

Thomas & Vaughan Vintners
4245 King St. Beamsville (905) 563-7737
http://www.thomasandvaughan.com/

Trillium Hill Estate Winery
3420 9th Street St. Catharines (905) 684-4419

Vineland Estates Wineryon site restaurant
3620 Moyer Rd. Vineland. Winery, Restaurant and B&B Cottage (905) 562-7088
http://vineland.com/ Online wine ordering

Willow Heights Winery
3751 Regional Rd #81, Vineland (905) 562-4945
http://www.willowheights.on.ca/ Online wine ordering
Royal DeMaria Wines
4551 Cherry Ave. Vineland (905) 563-9692
http://www.royaldemaria.com/

Stonechurch Vineyards
1270 Irvine Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 935-3535
http://stonechurch.com/ Online wine ordering

Stoney Ridge Cellars
Includes Cuesta Estates Winery and Woods End Wines
3201 King St. Vineland (905) 562-1324
http://www.stoneyridge.com/ Online wine ordering

Strewn Inc. (Estate Winery)on site restaurant
1339 Lakeshore Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake
Winery, Cooking School and Restaurant (905) 468-1229
http://www.strewnwinery.com/

Sunnybrook Farms Estate Winery
1425 Lakeshore Rd. Niagara-on-the-Lake (905) 468-1122
http://www.sunnybrookfarmwinery.com/

Thirty Bench Vineyard and Winery
4281 Mountainview Rd. Beamsville (905) 563-1698
http://www.thirtybench.com/

Thomas & Vaughan Vintners
4245 King St. Beamsville (905) 563-7737
http://www.thomasandvaughan.com/

Trillium Hill Estate Winery
3420 9th Street St. Catharines (905) 684-4419

Vineland Estates Wineryon site restaurant
3620 Moyer Rd. Vineland. Winery, Restaurant and B&B Cottage (905) 562-7088
http://vineland.com/ Online wine ordering

Willow Heights Winery
3751 Regional Rd #81, Vineland (905) 562-4945
http://www.willowheights.on.ca/ Online wine ordering


Niagara Facts

 The Niagara Region is located along side the Niagara river, which connects Lake Ontario and Lake Erie. Because of the Niagara Escarpment, Niagara features some of the best farmland to be found anywhere. The lower escarpment is where most of the vineyards are located. Niagara wines have been recognized around the world in competitions as being outstanding. This rich soil and moderate climate also is beneficial to the tender fruit growers (peaches, strawberries etc.)

Niagara Falls
Niagara Falls

With Niagara Falls being the biggest attraction, it certainly isn't the only one. 12 million visitors a year can't be wrong. Tourism is a boom here with Casino Niagara, the historic landmarks and shopping of Niagara-on-the-Lake, the Welland Canal, Great Lakes fishing, and the Wine Route that connects over 20 wineries. We have an abundance of scenic walking trails such as the Lake Ontario shoreline, the Niagara Parkway, and the Welland canal.

The Welland canal is a true tourist attraction in itself. It, like the Niagara river, connects Lakes Erie and Ontario, basically allowing ships to bypass Niagara Falls.
Niagara is blessed with many hotels, ranging from the big 4 star hotels in Niagara Falls to the quaint Bed & Breakfasts of Niagara-on-the-Lake

 Niagara, which covers 1896 sq. km (715 sq. miles) with a population of over 400,000, is made up of 12 unique and distinct municipalities. Two of the larger populated cities are St. Catharines and Niagara Falls with a more rural setting in Wainfleet and West Lincoln.

All things considered, the Regional Municipality of Niagara is a very special place
"Wine makes daily living easier, less hurried with fewer tensions and more tolerance"
Benjamin Franklin