It’s not an overstatement to say that most people don’t know that there is a vast region of vineyards near Niagara Falls called the Niagara Wine Region. Hidden in plain sight, the Niagara Wine Region offers a surprisingly mild climate to cultivate grapes more
This is Canada’s prime wine production region (one of their few). While Canada is not exactly known for its wine, the southern parts of Ontario produce a lot of wine and have some pretty picturesque vineyards.
This article will go what you need to be aware of to make the best of your visit to the surprisingly beautiful Niagara Wine Region. We will also go through the best wineries to hit and touch in Niagara Falls a bit too.
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Niagara Wine Region – What You Need to Know
Where is the Niagara Wine Region?
The Niagara Wine Region is nestled between two of the world’s largest lakes, Erie and Ontario. The vast majority of the vineyards are found on either side of the city of St. Catharines, just northwest of Niagara Falls.
The nearest major city is Buffalo, NY. But considering it’s in Canada, it’s probably easier to make your way from Toronto, about 100km down the highway.
How to get there
St. Catharines is only about one hour by car from Toronto Pearson International Airport and barely 40 minutes from Buffalo. A vehicle will be needed unless you’ve booked an organized tour from Toronto or Niagara.
The region is quite compact so it is easy to stop numerous vineyards in one day. Uber and taxis are also possible, but the cost of getting a ride from Toronto will likely not be worth it.
For renting cars in Canada we use Rentalcars.com. You can book a great rate on a rental car from the Toronto Airport using the search bar below.
Weather and when to visit
It’s Canada after all. Summers are nice but the rest of the year can be cold and dreary. Even late Spring can be cold and rainy. You shouldn’t expect the daily sunny skies in Napa, but summer is usually pretty nice. Given the Canadian weather, the best time of year to visit is between May and September.
Niagara wine varieties
All types of wine are produced in this region but it is most known for Riesling, chardonnay and pinot noir. It’s also known for production of ice wine, which is sweet dessert wine made from grapes that are frozen while still on the vine (it just a wee bit chilly in Canada in the winter, eh)
Vineyards
There are about 100 vineyards in the Niagara Wine Region, making it Canada’s most productive wine region, as well as dozens on the American side of the border. Wine tasting is offered nearly everywhere and prior arrangements are not needed most places. Note that the drinking age in Canada is 19.
Money
You can survive in this part of Canada without ever seeing a Canadian bank note. Card payment is preferred and you’re close enough to the US border where plenty of places would take American cash if that’s all you have.
Wine tasting in the Niagara wine region is, unfortunately, very expensive. The going rate for a tasting of 4 wines is $25 CAD. And we are not talking generous pours here. I mean a sip or two at most.
Most wineries do not offer to refund the tasting price if you purchase a bottle either. Buying a bottle for takeaway is often far cheaper than doing a tasting. If you just want a glass, might as well buy a bottle, as prices can range up to $20 for a single glass.
Language
You’ll be speaking English in this part of Canada. While many Canadians are English and French bilingual, you don’t need to know any French in this part of Canada.
Niagara Falls
The world famous Niagara Falls is just around the corner. Most people come to this region of the world for the Falls and the wine region is just an added benefit. If you’re vineyard hopping around the Niagara Wine Region it’s probably an add-on to your visit to Niagara Falls. If you come for the wine, then be sure to stop for the falls!
Where to stay in the Niagara Wine Region
Where to stay after a day at the vineyards depends on how much wine you plan on drinking. There are a wide array of options in the area, from charming boutique hotels on the lake to budget hotels on the side of the highway.
Most people, however, will stay the night in either Niagara or Toronto and just visit the vineyards during the day. I recommend a day at the vineyards and then catching rays of evening sun on Niagara Falls, though keep in mind staying in Niagara can be very expensive for what you get. For a cheaper option, consider the American side.
You can book a great place to stay on Booking.com on the Canadian side or the American side. A few particular recommendations are shown below.
Accommodation recommendations in the Niagara Wine Region
- Niagara-on-the-Lake: Blue Skies Bed and Breakfast
- In the vineyards: Green Oaks Bed and Breakfast
- Niagara Falls, Canada: Niagara Falls Marriott on the Falls
- Niagara Falls, USA: Hyatt Place Niagara Falls
Travel Insurance
You’ll want travel insurance for any trip to Canada. If you’re American, you can probably get away without it. But it’s still a good idea. World Nomads provides coverage to travelers in over 100 countries. You can find a great rate with World Nomads by clicking the link below.Â
Transportation Options in the Niagara Wine Region
There are essentially three ways to visit the Niagara Wine Region vineyards: drive yourself, take an organized day tour, or rent a bike and cycle between vineyards. If no one in your group wants to volunteer to be the designated driver, you might want to consider the tour option or bike rental option.
I recommend the freedom of your own wheels, provided someone is sober to drive if you’re taking the car route. It’s easy to drive from winery to winery and easy to stop at numerous different ones without driving more than a minute or two at a time.
If you go the bike rental route, your day will be longer as you will need to cycle out from the town of Niagara-on-the-lake, but you’ll get the experience of biking through vineyards, which everyone should do at some point somewhere in the world. For $35 CAD you can get a bike for 24 hours from Zoom Leisure Bikes.
Love wine tasting? Then you might be interested in these posts:
- The Ultimate 2-week New Zealand Road Trip Itinerary
- Sighnahi, Georgia and the Ancient Kakheti wine region
- Siena and the World Famous Chianti Wine Region Wineries
Wine Tours
If no one in your group wants to be the sober driver, there are numerous tour companies that will happily take you winery hopping. You can check out these tours on GetYourGuide. A few recommendations are below.
- Full day wine tour from Toronto
- Boutique wine tour from Niagara Falls
- Half-day wine tour from Niagara-on-the-lake
An Overview of the Niagara Vineyards
As most vineyards close at 6:00 PM, so make sure to get there by lunchtime so you have enough time to enjoy a few vineyards before they shut their doors. The region itself is mostly flat, which makes biking a solid option. There are a few hills here and there but it’s not California.
There won’t be any epic mountain views here, but vineyards are always beautiful. If you want the best views, head over to Konzelman Wines, which is one of only a few wineries that is actually on Lake Ontario. On a clear day you get a view of downtown Toronto across the lake.
The various vineyard estates themselves feature some beautiful buildings with lots of European inspired architecture. The properties are all very clean with well manicured grounds featuring attractive outdoor seating areas to enjoy a glass of wine on a nice summer day. Many of the vineyards also have restaurants so grab lunch at one of them if you can.
The wines in the region are surprisingly good. I honestly wasn’t expecting much so I was pleasantly surprised when most of the wines I tasted were pretty damn good! The sweet wines are a bit better than the dry wines, as the grapes that produce the sweeter varieties seem to grow better here.
Ironically enough, my least favorite wine I tried was at Wayne Gretzky’s vineyard. But hey, he’s a hockey player. Winemaking is more of a passion for him (the estate also makes whiskey). According to the workers at his vineyard, he comes by every few months to check things out. He still lives in Los Angeles and doesn’t have any plans to move back to Ontario.
Which Wineries to Hit
While there are a ton of options, the one thing I will say is you gotta check out Gretzky’s vineyard. While his wine isn’t quite as good as the other wines in the region, it’s pretty badass to have a glass of wine that Wayne Gretzky made. The estate is also beautiful with a nice outdoor sitting area by a pond. Unfortunately I don’t have any nice pictures of the estate – or any other vineyards in the region for that matter – since the weather was so bad when I was there.
Here are some other wineries to consider hitting:
Two Sisters Vineyards Niagara
Two Sisters tries to look like Tuscany in Italy. Not quite as beautiful but still a marvelously manicured property with good wine.
Chateau des Charmes
If Two Sisters is trying to get you to feel like you’re in Italy, Chateau des Charmes does it best to convince you’re actually in France. Located on a spectacular site, Charmes offers 60 minute vineyard tours for $35 CAD. The winery is a bit commercialized and is frequented by large tour buses, but it’s beautiful nonetheless.
Jackson Triggs Niagara Estate
A large vineyard with an amphitheater that hosts occasional concerts, Jackson Triggs has excellent wines at a reasonable price.
Ravine Vineyard Estate Winery
One of few vineyards in the area that is open past 6:00, Ravine offers eclectic wine tastings with a beautiful vineyard view. The cover photo from this article as actually from the terrace at Ravine Vineyard!
Niagara-on-the-Lake
If you can squeeze it into your day at the vineyards, consider a side trip to the beautiful lakeside town of Niagara-on-the-lake. The downtown is only a few blocks long and features numerous family run restaurants and shops.
From Queen’s Royal Park you can see across the narrow Niagara River to Fort Niagara State Park in New York and decide if you can swim to it. If you swim to New York, you don’t even need to show a passport!
Walk around the town for 30 minutes or so and take in the charming old houses and manors. Niagara-on-the-lake is the polar opposite of the commercialized city of Niagara, which lies 25 minutes south down the river, and I mean that in a good way.
While Niagara itself is full of American chain restaurants and tacky tourist traps, Niagara-on-the-lake is local and inviting. Definitely consider stopping here before heading to Niagara Falls if you hit the vineyards by car.
Niagara Wine Region – FAQs
What wine is Niagara known for?
Niagara is known primarily for ice wine, a type of sweet specialty wine that comes from the grapes being frozen on the vine. This is Canada after all. The region also produces a lot of chardonnay, pinot noir, and various blends.
Is Niagara wine any good?
Yes! Niagara wine is surprisingly good. You get a wide range of wine styles and qualities, but if you’re going for something that isn’t the cheapest on the menu, chances are it will be pretty damn good.
How many wineries are in the Niagara Region?
There are about 100 wineries in the Niagara region of Canada. This includes wineries both north and south of the Queen Elizabeth Highway.
What is the largest wine producing area in Canada?
The Niagara Wine Region is the largest wine producing area in Canada in terms of acres of vineyards and wine production. British Columbia, however, has more individual wineries overall than Ontario.
Can you walk between Niagara wineries?
Not really. The wineries are pretty close to each other in many locations, but the walk between wineries will be pretty significant. Instead, try renting a bike.
Final Word
The Niagara Wine Region between Toronto and Niagara is an underappreciated wine region that any visitor to Niagara Falls should take some time to explore. You’ll find wonderful wines from stunning estates, all on your way to one of the most scenic natural wonders east of the Mississippi!
