Uncover the most effective of Canadian wines with our insider’s information to Niagara wines. Learn on to discover prime wineries, areas, and cool-climate grapes.
Canada, the land of hockey, ice fishing, and poutine, produces award-winning wines. This northern neighbor boasts eight wine areas and roughly 500 Canadian wineries. The Niagara Peninsula Appellation in Ontario has two regional appellations: Niagara Escarpment and Niagara on the Lake.
Simply 90 minutes from my residence in Toronto, the Niagara Escarpment appellation has 57 wineries. Whereas working for the Liquor Management Board of Ontario (LCBO), I picked the most effective Niagara wines for my dinner desk. Cool-climate wines—chardonnay, cabernet franc, gamay noir, merlot, pinot noir, and riesling—take heart stage. Limestone soils and the three Nice Lakes present the right situations for grape rising.
Tawse Vineyard Cellar Niagara Area. Photograph courtesy Joe Method
You’ll be able to expertise the finest Niagara area wines it doesn’t matter what the season. Wineries manage occasions for wine lovers all yr spherical, together with tutored tastings, yoga within the winery, and reside music. I tasted some implausible Niagara wines, together with ice wine, throughout this journey to Niagara.
Thirty Bench Vineyard
Thirty Bench is a boutique vineyard on the Niagara Escarpment’s Beamsville Bench. The tasting room fronts rows of sunlit vines, uniformly trimmed to direct power to the fruit. The property is ideal, with a excessive share of limestone and prevailing winds off Lake Ontario.
Thirty Bench Vineyard Niagara Area Tasting Room. Photograph by Deb Bonthron
Winemaker Emma Garner has developed award-winning wines, gaining international recognition on the Decanter World Wine Awards in 2024. Wine marketing consultant Deb Bonthron explains, “Emma lets the soil do the speaking in her manufacturing of riesling.”
Thirty Bench’s ‘Small Lot’ wines are made in restricted portions, with the variety of instances indicated on every label.
The vineyard affords two tasting menus:
- An overview of Thirty Bench wines, together with a glowing riesling, a rosé mix, a pink mix, and a late-harvest Vidal
- 4 ‘Small Lot’ rieslings from totally different vineyards, every produced in barely other ways
The price of tastings is waived when buying 4 bottles of wine. Buying six or extra wine bottles additionally offers you a 15 p.c low cost on recurrently priced bottles.
Thirty Bench Vineyard Tasting
I appreciated the 2020 Thirty Bench “Small Lot Riesling Triangle Winery” Beamsville Bench ($32 CAN). The grapes have been hand-picked and sorted, and the juice was cold-fermented and aged in stainless-steel tanks. The wine is off-dry and medium-bodied, with aromas of inexperienced apple and pear and flavors of pear, peach, and melon. I appreciated this wine a lot that I purchased 4 bottles. The 2019 classic received silver on the 2022 Decanter World Extensive Awards.
I additionally purchased two bottles of the 2020 Thirty Bench “Winemaker’s Mix Cabernet Franc” Beamsville Bench ($26.95 CAD), which earned silver on the 2022 Decanter Wine Awards. The grapes have been hand-picked from two growers—Crabtree Winery and Van Beers Winery—and macerated in open wood fermenters. The wine was then barrel-aged in French and American oak for 12 months. The full-bodied wine has a stunning garnet shade, with aromas of plum and black currant, flavors of darkish fruits, and a prolonged end.
Hidden Bench Vineyard
Additionally on the Beamsville Bench, Hidden Bench is an artisanal, low-yield vineyard crafting premium wines from three natural property vineyards. The vineyard follows ProCert-certified natural and sustainable finest practices. The wine membership coordinator, Cody German, instructed us, “The vines are touched by human fingers 16 instances.”
Hidden Bench took a number of awards on the 2024 Decanter World Wine competitors.
Hidden Bench affords three wine sequence: the Property Collection, a mix of all three vineyards; the single-vineyard Terroir Collection; and the Rachis & Derma pure wine sequence. The vineyard strives to bottle unfiltered wines when doable.
Hidden Bench Vineyard Tasting
I loved the 2021 Hidden Bench “Property Chardonnay” Beamsville Bench ($31.75 CAD) from the Locust Lane, Felseck, and Rosomel vineyards. In line with German, “You’ll be able to sip on this wine for hours and days and have one other bottle if you want to.”
The grapes have been hand-picked and sorted. The oak regime included 9 months in concrete and French oak barrels. The wine is dry, with inexperienced apple and pear flavors. Hidden Bench took silver for this wine on the 2023 Decanter World Wine Awards.
Hidden Bench Vineyard Niagara Area. Photograph by Merle Rosenstein
Additionally of be aware is the 2020 Hidden Bench “Rachis and Derma Gamay” Beamsville Bench ($30 CAD), hand-picked from a brand new property winery throughout the Lincoln Lakeshore Appellation. Pure, spontaneous fermentation was used, and the wine was transferred to French oak barrels. The lengthy end allowed me to totally expertise the stunning style of cherry and raspberry.
Tawse Vineyard
Tawse Vineyard is situated on the Twenty Mile Bench, a sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. After attempting to purchase a winery in Burgundy, Moray Tawse, a financier by commerce, determined to look regionally. His selection was spot on, because the vineyard has received many awards, together with on the Decanter 2024 World Wine competitors. This natural vineyard is Ecocert licensed.
Tawse Vineyard in Niagara Area. Photograph by Merle Rosenstein
Two child goats sparred on a picnic desk beside the vines whereas the others appeared on. A flock of sheep strikes across the winery to graze on weeds. Cowl crops preserve the soil and the foundation system wholesome.
Tawse Vineyard Grounds Niagara Area. Photograph courtesy Joe Method
Tawse Vineyard Tasting
I tasted 9 wines and was kindly provided extra. I loved the 2023 Tawse “Quarry Highway” Rosé Twenty Mile Bench ($28.15 CAD). The limestone within the Quarry Highway winery could be very near the topsoil, making mineral-driven savory wines. The colour could be very mild. The wine is dry and fruity, with hints of cherry and raspberry.
In line with Daniel Lafleur, nationwide gross sales supervisor, “The development over the previous 4 to 5 years is for Rosé to be lighter shade—just like what you discover within the south of France.”
I additionally appreciated the 2023 Tawse “Cabernet Franc” Icewine Twenty Mile Bench ($37.05 CAD), displaying flavors of rhubarb and strawberry. Tawse medaled eight instances on the 2024 Decanter World Wine Awards for numerous wines.
Megalomaniac
Additionally on the Twenty Mile Bench in Vineland, Ontario, Megalomaniac Vineyard affords panoramic views of Lake Ontario and the skylines of Toronto and Niagara Falls. Megalomaniac crafts “inexpensive wines with a contact of sass.”
Wines have names comparable to Sonofabitch Pinot and Narcissist Riesling. Megalomaniac Vineyard exudes a European class, with a black and white decor, huge glass chandeliers, and pictures of males in black bowler hats. In the course of the pandemic, the vineyard crew traveled 900 miles to ship 720 bottles of A lot Obliged Chardonnay to 30 care services throughout southern Ontario.
Megalomaniac Vineyard Niagara Area. Photograph courtesy Joe Method
Megalomaniac Vineyard Tasting
I attempted the 2022 Megalomaniac “Outspoken” Chardonnay Twenty Mile Bench ($20.95 CAD). This unoaked wine is pale gold, with a nostril of inexperienced apple and stone fruit. It’s citrus-forward and mild on the palate, with pear, peach, and apple flavors. The 2020 classic received a bronze medal at Canada’s 2021 WineAlign Nationwide Wine Awards.
The 2022 Megalomaniac “Unconventional” Cab Merlot Twenty Mile Bench ($34.95 CAD) was contemporary out of the cellar. The wine was garnet in shade. I famous aromas of black fruit and plum. On the palate, there have been flavors of blackberries.
Having fun with Niagara Wines
I’m fortunate that Niagara is virtually in my yard, and I’ll go to each season to benefit from the many wine occasions. In September, you’ll be able to try Occasion within the Tent, an evening full of scrumptious wine, the most effective beer, fabulous meals vans, and reside dance music. In the course of the January Niagara Grape and Wine Competition, you’ll be able to discover ice wine on the Cool As Ice Gala. On the April Spring Sparkle, you’ll be able to sip on glowing wines and style meals from native cooks. Niagara vineyards have a lot to supply: a handy location, the most effective award-winning wines, and extra.
We invite you to discover Wander With Marvel for extra of our favourite wineries and our suggestions for issues to do if you go to Canada.
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