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So you’ve seen Niagara Falls and visited the many fun things to do in Canada’s #1 tourist destination’. Now what?
Well, that’s easy! We recommend you head to Niagara-on-the-Lake, one of Ontario’s most beautiful small towns, to savour one or two superb NOTL wine tours.
This historic town on the Niagara Peninsula is an ideal base for a scenic drive around the region’s rich terroirs. From the ice wines of Inniskillen to the mature reds at Stratus, here are some of our favourite winery tours in the Niagara region.
The Best Niagara-on-the-Lake Winery Tours
Inniskillin Wines
A Canadian wine industry pioneer, Inniskillin Wines is renowned across the country for producing some of the best vintages in the Niagara-on-the-Lake wine-growing area. Visit this award-winning vineyard and sample some of their Vidal, Reisling, Cabernet Franc, and sparkling ice wines.
Winemaker Bruce Nicholson heads up operations at this 35-year-old vineyard just 25 minutes by car from Niagara Falls which is open daily for tours. Inniskillin Winery also boasts one of the best Niagara-on-the-Lake restaurants: the Market Grill.
We recommend a stay at the White Oaks Resort & Spa, the perfect base from which to tour the region. For further details, visit www.inniskillin.com
Between the Lines Winery
One of the Best Niagara-on-the-Lake winery tours can be enjoyed inside the Big Red Barn at the famous Between the Lines Winery. Make a reservation for a winery tour and enjoy the wine-tasting space, cellar, and clubhouse all under one roof. Riesling, Izumi White, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc are all available to taste during your visit to this winery located on Mile Creek Road.
One of the best Niagara-on-the-Lake restaurants is located here and serves delicious beef goulash and warming Gluhwein. Make a reservation now for the Grape to Glass wine-tasting tour which introduces guests to the vineyards and the entire wine-making process.
For further details, visit https://betweenthelineswinery.com.
Big Head Wines
Owner Andrzej Lipinski has been crafting great wines at Big Head for around 20 years, using a unique tobacco kiln-drying method that aerates the fruit and concentrates the flavours. Taste the vineyard’s unique white, dessert, sparkling, red, and raw wines on a tasting session with six 1oz pours per person.
If you can’t make it in person, then join the Big Head Wine Club online. Every quarter you’ll get six bottles of mixed reds and whites shipped to you, as well as invites to complimentary tastings. This top Niagara-on-the-Lake vineyard also has 33 wines for sale in their online shop, including Izumi Red.
For further details, visit https://bigheadwines.ca.
The Hare Wine Co
A hop, skip, and jump from Niagara Falls, The Hare Wine Co is a special destination for your Niagara-on-the-Lake wine tour. Located on a 10-acre farm in the Four Mile Creek winegrowing area, the climate is ideal for creating perfect ice wines, as well as full-bodied reds and subtle whites, using Vidal and Reisling grapes in both the whites and the dessert wines.
Tasting experiences here include three 1oz samples from The Hare Co’s Jack Rabbit Series, and a Premium Flight tater with four 1oz snifters from the Frontier and Crown Land series.
For further details, visit https://theharewineco.com.
Konzelmann Estate Winery
The beautiful Niagara-on-the-Lake Konzelmann Estate is the only winery located directly on the lakefront and has an ambiance to match its surroundings. Originally from Germany, the Konzelmann family began their winery here back in 1984 and have become a major success with their white, rose sparkling and ice wines.
One of the best wineries on Niagara-on-the-Lake, the wine tasting here includes a seated tasting and a private 45-minute tour of the estate followed by delicious wine-and-cheese tasting. Cuddle up with a fireside flight experience, or maybe the novel junk food and wine-tasting experience with sweet and savoury options.
For further details, visit www.konzelmann.ca.
The Lakeview Wine Co
Set your GPS for Niagara Stone Road and sample one of the best Sauvignon Blancs in the Niagara-on-the-Lake wine region. Lakeview Wine produces instantly recognizable Ontario wine brands: Seasons, Lakeview Cellars, FRESH and 20 Bees, and even actor Dan Aykroyd’s own wine offering.
The vineyard sources grapes from more than 25 local growers and creates its magic in state-of-the-art cellars. Walk among the 800 barrels on an informative wine-tasting tour with a chance to sample some of the delicious blends from this award-winning Niagara-on-the-Lake winery.
For further details, visit www.lakeviewwineco.com/site/home.
Lundy Manor Wine Cellars
Lundy Manor Wine Cellars offers visitors one of the best Niagara-on-the-Lake winery tours. Enjoy a range of superb wines in the cellars here. Bold reds, subtle whites and sophisticated dessert wines – aged in acacia barrels for the Vidal Special Select Late Harvest – are on the menu here.
In summer you can explore some of the gardens in this 60-acre vineyard which cultivates eight acres of Riesling for VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) production. In winter, stay warm in the Edson Taylor lounge with a wine flight and delicious food pairings.
For further details, visit https://lundymanor.ca.
Palatine Hills Estate Winery
A must-visit on your list of winery tours, Palatine Hills Estate Winery on Lakeshore Road has been lovingly tended by the Neufeld family for more than 40 years. From their imaginatively named Wild and Free Pinot Grigio to their renowned Lakeshore Red, via the Late Harvest Vidal and Ice wines, the tasting flights here are highly recommended and accompanied by local cheeses and meats.
If you can’t make the tour now, then check out the website for member benefits in the Palentine Hills Wine Club. For further details, visit https://palatinehillsestatewinery.com.
Stratus Vineyards
Stratus Vineyards has successfully used a pump-free production method creating unique assemblage wines under the expert hand of Frenchman J-L Groux who cut his oenophile teeth in the Burgundy and Bordeaux wine regions. Gravity fed production here has created 10 red varieties and six unique white wines.
M Groux has raised wine blending to an art form here with the vineyard’s Ice wines, Stratus, Wildass, Tollgate, and Kabang labels. The tasting room and boutique here have a refined aesthetic created by Diego Burdi whose skilled use of interior design elements makes for a sophisticated yet welcoming experience.
For further details, visit www.stratuswines.com.
Turn Your Niagara Wine Tour into a Weekend Affair
Thinking of making a weekend getaway or mid-week break out of your Niagara-on-the-Lake winery tour?
Check out the following related articles for more great ideas on how to turn your winery tour into an unforgettable Niagara Region experience.
Where to Stay:
- The Top Luxury Hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake
- The Top Luxury Hotels in Niagara Falls Canada
- The Best Unique & Boutique Hotels in Niagara Falls
Where to Eat & Drink:
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Contributor Gina Baksa is a keen wine lover and writes about luxury travel, hospitality and lifestyle for international publications. See her work at https://ginabaksa.journoportfolio.com.
