| VITAL INFORMATION | |
| Population | 32,270,000 |
| Languages spoken | English, French (both official) |
| Currency | Canadian dollar (1 CAD = $.88 USD) |
| Average temperature | Summer to fall: 64°F to 86°F (19°C to 30°C) |
| High season | Summer through early fall |
As you’ll recall from previous articles, summer wine touring has taken us to the places you’d naturally associate with great wines: California, France and Italy. Now, you can add Canada to this list. This may come as a surprise, but Canada is becoming well-known for some admirably high-quality wine.
The Niagara Peninsula, Pelee Island and the Lake Erie North Shore all represent Ontario’s three viticultural areas, with over 15,000 acres of vines. This year, Ontario’s wineries -- over 90 strong -- expect $436 million in total retail sales.
For an off-the-beaten-path getaway, try a three-day wine tour of the Niagara Peninsula. As word spreads about Ontario’s viticultural offerings, it is predicted that they’ll become more popular for tourists, so catch them while they’re still some of Canada’s -- and wine lovers’ -- best-kept secrets.
All prices are listed in U.S. funds.
Day 1: Niagara’s quiet corner
Upon arriving in the Niagara region and Niagara-on-the-Lake, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find so many wineries near each other. Start with a stop at Maleta Estate Winery. Located next to the former Sunnieholme Winery and possibly on the site of Niagara’s original commercial vineyard, you can bet the grapes are great. For under $5 you can tour the winery and sample some of its best. Because hours vary and tours are offered by request, it is suggested you make arrangements in advance.A short distance away, you’ll drop by Château des Charmes. Here, Paul Bosc and his family follow the traditions of their French ancestors. Huge, yet inviting, the winery offers daily scheduled tours at 11:00 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. Château des Charmes also features a tasting room and boutique to cap the tour.
Before concluding the day’s touring, be sure to save time for the smaller-scale Coyote’s Run Estate Winery. Located on the site of a former wine grape supplier, Coyote’s Run was established in 2004. The property has the enviable distinction of containing brown and red clay soil in separate areas, allowing the winery to offer separate and blended wines alike. Complimentary tasting is available, but you should call ahead if you’d like to tour.
As enjoyable as the touring has been so far, it’s time to call it a day. Head to the Heritage District and check into the historic Post House Inn (about $175 to $335, depending on the room and day of the week). This bed and breakfast offers room to stretch and modern conveniences in a well-preserved, historic setting.
While you're in such a unique area you should enjoy a unique dinner. Niagara Culinary Institute’s chef students prepare outstanding meals for can’t-beat prices. The four-course, fixed-price menu of about $32 per person and entrees for under $20 represent outstanding value. You’ll need to make reservations and the menu changes from time to time, but watch for the grilled pork tenderloin or the pan-seared Atlantic salmon.
Day 2: Ice, ice, baby
After breakfast, head out for more of Niagara-on-the-Lake’s great wineries. Drive over to Stonechurch Vineyards. You’re welcome to a self-guided tour of the vineyards before tasting the fruits of their labor. Be sure you sample Stonechurch’s ice wine. It’s fruity and smooth, often enjoyed as a dessert wine. Production of ice wine poses extra challenges to the vintners, as the grapes are harvested later in the year only after having experienced a hard freeze. Naturally, the grapes are subject to weather damage or serve as food for hungry critters.Your next stop, Palatine Hills Estate Winery, was awarded Ontario Wine of the Year honors in 2003 for its 1998 Vidal Icewine. In addition to the finished products that are available to taste and purchase, Palatine Hills offers its juices for sale to wine-making hobbyists. Daily tasting is offered, but you should call ahead if you’d like to tour.
Billed as Niagara’s exclusive lakefront winery, nearby Konzelmann Estate Winery is as welcoming as it is beautiful. Tasting and touring is widely available, with several options offered. Having relocated from Stuttgart, Germany, in 1984, the Konzelmanns also brought nearly a century of wine-making know-how across the pond. Their award-winning ice wine and Chardonnay are sure to impress.
Finish the second day of touring just a short distance from Konzelmann’s, at Strewn Winery. Winemaker Joe Will is as serious about his craft as he is patient and thorough in explaining the process to visitors. He has plenty of opportunities to do so, as the winery is always busy with events throughout the year. Strewn is also home to Canada’s only winery cooking school -- but by this point in the day, the only hands-on experience you’d prefer is dinner. Strewn has you covered: You’ll find Chef Alain Levesque and Terroir La Cachette in the winery. For just under $30, you’ll love the smoked Ontario lamb loin.
Day 3: Last call
After your final breakfast at the hotel, drive west of Niagara-on-the-Lake to nearby Jordan. A visit to Cave Spring Cellars marks the beginning of your final day. The Niagara Escarpment is the setting for this 10-year-old establishment, featuring vines first planted in 1978. The plants are intentionally dense; Cave Spring says this yields more flavorful grapes. The location is blessed with some of the region’s most temperate weather, allowing for a slightly longer growing season. Frequent tours and tasting allow you to experience the results firsthand.Vineland’s Stoney Ridge Estate Winery has become quite familiar with collecting awards, and one taste will tell you why. With over two decades of wine-making experience, Stoney Ridge has challenged a lot of perceptions about Canadian wine, and is also becoming a favorite stop on wine tours.
The final stop in this unique wine-growing area is, appropriately, a unique winery. Established in 1999, Jordan’s Flat Rock Cellars produce wines via a five-level, gravity-flow system that produces wines with minimal handling. Flat Rock offers Estate and Reserve tiers of their Riesling, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Daily tours and tasting are offered, allowing you to experience one of the world’s up-and-coming wine regions.
tips for the trip
Pass on the passport? U.S. citizens are not currently required to carry a passport to enter Canada, but you’ll at least need proof of citizenship in addition to your I.D., such as a copy of your birth certificate.VQA is A-OK. Look for the seal of the Vintners Quality Alliance; the province’s best will be sporting this label.
Supplies are limited. Ontario’s liquor control law allows no more than four, one-ounce samples (without food) to be served at a winery’s tasting room.
Get educated. It’s okay if you aren’t a seasoned wine taster, as long as you have the interest. Before your trip, brush up on your wine knowledge.
I do declare… or do I? If you’d like to enjoy Canadian wine when you return home, you’re probably better off having it shipped instead of carrying it and declaring it at the border. Still, be sure you reside in a state that allows incoming alcohol shipments before you buy that case of vino.
It pays to visit. You could be eligible for a refund of taxes paid on goods during your trip.
the great wine north
Summer touring has taken us to some expected places for great wine, but Canada is gaining acclaim for producing great wines as well. For an off-the-beaten-path getaway, this three-day wine tour of Ontario’s viticultural best is a great way to go.Resources:
http://www.ontariowinesociety.com/
http://www.ontariotravel.net/TcisCtrl?site=consumers&key1=travelTools&key2=travelTips&key3=weather&language=EN&linkType=I
http://www.gov.on.ca/ont/portal/!ut/p/.cmd/cs/.ce/7_0_A/.s/7_0_252/_s.7_0_A/7_0_252/_l/en?docid=EC001035
http://www.tourismniagara.com/wine_country.html
http://winesofontario.org/
http://www.maletawinery.com/
http://www.chateaudescharmes.com/welcome/welcome.html
http://www.coyotesrunwinery.com/toursevents.html
www.posthouseinn.com
http://niagarac.on.ca/features/nci_dining_room/
http://www.stonechurch.com/tours-tastings.html
http://www.palatinehillsestatewinery.com/
http://www.konzelmannwines.com/Online/
http://www.strewnwinery.com/english/events/default.asp
http://www.lacachette.com/menus.php
http://www.cavespring.ca/history/history1.html
http://www.stoneyridge.com/content/tours_winery.html
http://www.flatrockcellars.com/wine.html
Canada Travel Guide
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