Discover Ontario’s Wine Region

Whilst internationally recognised for its Ice wine, Ontario is also responsible for producing some of the most delectable wines on the planet. The province is home to three Designated Viticultural Areas – the Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County and Lake Erie North Shore – encompassing over 17,000 acres of vineyards for visitors to explore.

Explore Ontario’s wine routes: With over 150 wineries and vineyards to explore, budding sommeliers are spoilt for choice when it comes to deciding which vineyards to visit. One of the key wine making areas is the internationally renowned and UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, Niagara Escarpment & Twenty Valley region, which is also one of the most productive wine growing regions in North America with seemingly endless vineyards. This area boasts a growing culinary scene and a number of boutique wineries, including Angels Gate winery, and is located just over an hour’s drive from Toronto.

For those looking for something off the beaten track, visitors can sample wines from the lesser-known wine regions of Lake Erie’s north shore and Pelee Island, and Prince Edward County. Lake Erie’s north shore, four hours by car from Toronto, enjoys Ontario’s longest growing season and the combination of intense summer heat and moderate lake breezes make it the perfect location for producing full-bodied wines.

Prince Edward County is the province’s newest wine region and is heralded as one of Canada’s top tourist destinations. The area is easily accessible, just 2.5 hours by car from both Toronto and Ottawa. Prince Edward County boasts sensational views of Lake Ontario and wine routes that meander through charming towns and villages, as well as Karlo Estates – the world’s first Vegan-certified winery!

The idyllic region of Muskoka is famous for its fruit wines – most notably cranberry wine from the internationally acclaimed Muskoka Lakes Winery and Johnston’s Cranberry Marsh. The winery produces a wide variety of the elixir, from dry to desert wines, and Muskoka Lakes Winery also produces a number of stunning artisanal wines. In Georgian Bay, notable wineries that also produce fruit wine include Coffin Ridge Boutique Winery and Georgian Hills Vineyards, both just short drives from the Blue Mountain area.

Treat your taste buds to world-famous Ice wine: Niagara-on-the-lake, located just 90 minutes’ drive from Toronto, is world-famous and internationally recognised for its Ice wine; produced when grapes are harvested whilst frozen on to vines in temperatures colder than -8^oC. During this time, the grapes are left to freeze on the vine and when harvested, the grapes are pressed immediately to get the best of the juices that are concentrated to develop delicious wines with notes of tropical fruits such as lychee and papaya.  Ice wine tends to be sweet yet balanced and as such are often enjoyed with desserts or to complement rich savoury foods such as foie gras or cheeses. Noteworthy wineries in this region include Inniskillin, Peller, Stratus, Southbrook and The Ice House Winery.

Niagara-on-the-lake also plays host to the annual Ice wine festival, now in its 22^nd year, from 13-29 January 2017. Budding sommeliers have the opportunity to sample the sweet wine Ontario is famous for as well as learn about wine and food parings. They can even have a go at roasting Ice wine marshmallows.