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Niagara Wine Region in Ontario

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My Napa of the North

I grew up in the Niagara Wine Region of southern Ontario, also called the Niagara Fruit Belt or Niagara Peninsula.

This peninsula is surrounded on three sides by the waters of Lake Ontario, the Niagara River, and Lake Erie. Since it is protected by these bodies of water, the soil and climate are ideal for producing fruit, especially grapes.

My great grandparents had a farm where they grew grapes and sold them to a local juice company. Oh, and their last name was Vine.

Every year the city of St. Catharines, where I lived, had a Grape and Wine Festival. Today this area is very different; it has grown up just like me.

Vineyards, fruit stands, and B&Bs dot the countryside. Niagara wines win international awards and there are now three annual wine festivals.

On this page you will find descriptions of the three distinct wine regions of the Niagara Peninsula and the wineries they include. You will find links to maps for Niagara wineries, as well as places to stay and eat. Vote for your favorite Niagara wineries.

Come and take a tour of my Napa of the North.

Image: Taken at Good Earth Wine and Cooking School

Contents at a Glance

It All Started With Inniskillen
Download a Niagara Wineries Map
Niagara Escarpment: Grimsby and Beamsvil...
Niagara Escarpment: Vineland, Jordan, St...
The Niagara Escarpment
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Including the Lakes...
A Video Tour of the NIagara Wine Region
Ontario Icewines Win International Award...
Take A Niagara Wine Tour

at Niagara-on-the-Lake

Karl Kaiser, a chemist, and Don Ziraldo, an agriculture grad, were the founding fathers of Inniskillen Wines, the first winery in the area to produce premium varietal wines, after incorporating in 1975.

Their early mission statement was "Not so much bound by tradition as inspired by it".

The winery grew from a converted packing shed to the beautiful winery there today. From the beginning, their wines received a lot of attention. In 1984, Kaiser produced his first Icewine and in 1991 Inniskillin's Vidal Icewine won a Grand Prix d'Honneur at Vinexpo in Bordeaux. Now, most Niagara wineries make icewine.

Ziraldo was the founding chair of the Vintners Quality Alliance (VQA). This regulatory organization sets high standards for quality wines, Inniskillin's founders have also been major contributors to Brock University's Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI).

The Niagara Wine Region lies at approximately 43°, similar to Burgundy in France. While the climate is not exactly the same as Burgundy, Niagara has many qualities essential for the production of fine wine.

Download a Niagara Wineries Map

At the Wines of Ontario website, you can download a copy of the map above plus a Wine Country Ontario Guide. Click on "Downloads" at the top right of the home page and you will see a drop-down menu for maps.

3 Main Areas of the Niagara Wine Region

1. Niagara Escarpment: Grimsby and Beamsville
2. Niagara Escarpment: Vineland, Jordan, and St. Catharines
3. Niagara-on-the-Lake, including the lakeshore

Niagara Escarpment: Grimsby and Beamsville

Photo: From "The View" Restaurant at East Dell Estates in Beamsville. You can see Lake Ontario and even Toronto (do you see the CN Tower?) in the distance.

Grimsby and Beamsville are on the western side of the Niagara Peninsula, nearest the city of Toronto. This area is called the Beamsville Bench because the land slopes gently towards Lake Ontario and rises sharply along the Niagara Escarpment (like a bench).

Here are links to wineries in this area. Wineries that include a restaurant are indicated with an (R). Please vote for your favorites.

Where are Grimsby and Beamsville?

in the NIagara Wine Region

Wineries of Grimsby and Beamsville

Vote Up or Down

Photo: The Good Earth Winery and Cooking School

Niagara Wine Region in Ontario

My Napa of the North

Contents at a Glance

Contents at a Glance

It All Started With Inniskillen

at Niagara-on-the-Lake

Download a Niagara Wineries Map

3 Main Areas of the Niagara Wine Region

Niagara Escarpment: Grimsby and Beamsville

Where are Grimsby and Beamsville?

in the NIagara Wine Region

Wineries of Grimsby and Beamsville

Vote Up or Down

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Video from Thirty Bench Winery

Niagara Escarpment: Vineland, Jordan, St. Catharines

Where are Vineland, Jordan, and St. Catharines

in the Niagara Wine Region

Wineries of Vineland, Jordan and St. Catharines

Vote Up or Down

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Please pick your widget size and display. Then click "Make the Widget" to get the code that's just right for you.

Voila! Just copy and paste this code into your own site. Have fun!

Oopsey! Please login to Squidoo in order to add this module to your lens.

The Niagara Escarpment

Niagara-on-the-Lake, Including the Lakeshore

Winery Map for Niagara-on-the-Lake

Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake & Lakeshore

Vote Up or Down

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