For a fruit wine experience guaranteed to blow away any preconceptions, stop by Sunnybrook Farm Estate Winery. This family-run enterprise is the first winery in Canada to specialize in wines made from 100% Niagara grown fruit and berries. The wines are naturally fermented, light and balanced. Most are Fruit Wines of Canada Quality Certified (QC), which is the fruit wine equivalent of VQA. There’s a wide range of luscious flavours to taste including peach, black raspberry, pear, apple and the gloriously decadent Limited Edition ‘Chocolate Embrace’, a blueberry wine infused with rich chocolate. When you find a favourite, you might want to stock up before your next visit. Sunnybrook’s wines are available only at the winery (you can, however, order online).
Strewn Winery is home to Canada’s only winery cooking school and “Terroir La Cachette” restaurant. If you’d like to learn the secrets of Niagara regional cuisine and wine and food pairing, a weekend class at the cooking school may not make you a master of the universe, but it will certainly give you a head start. At the winery, be sure to sample the small production and super-premium releases. There’s a scheduled tour of the property each afternoon or you can book a themed private tour. Plan ahead and you can participate in special structured tastings of ultra premium wines that are held each month at the "Terroir" tasting bar, monthly seminars, and Winemaker's Dinners at Terroir La Cachette.
When you tour Konzelmann Estate Winery and take in the expansive vineyards and lake views, you sense that Herbert Konzelmann picked the site as much for its aesthetics as its being and ideal location for grape growing. Herbert Konzelmann knows his grapes. He hails from Stuttgart Germany, where his family founded a winery over 100 years ago, and he has carried on the traditions of German winemaking - with a touch of New World finesse. There’s a diverse range of wines to taste including the “Winemaker’s Collection”, top tier premium wines crafted from the oldest vines on the property, and available only at the winery.
The winery may be new, but the vines are old. The owners of Palatine Hills Estate Winery have been in the business of growing premium grapes since the early 70s, but it was only as the century came to a close that they embarked on winemaking. Their Icewine was an immediate success, winning awards and devotees. And further triumphs with other fine wines indicated it was time to build a smart retail boutique amidst the 120 acres of vineyards. Now visitors can sample a variety of wines and Icewines, and hobby winemakers can purchase the same high quality juices that are sold to wineries in Ontario and New York State.
Stonechurch Vineyard has been producing fine wines since 1990. The winery is located in a peaceful spot just off Lakeshore Road and if you’re looking for a few quiet moments to yourself, the self-guided vineyard trail is a great place to start. In-depth guided tours provide a behind-the-scenes understanding of the winemaking process. Follow with a structured wine tasting and take a few minutes to indulge your inner foodie with the boutique’s selection of gourmet food items.
 Click here to download a printable PDF of this page.
|
