Wine.Musings

When my family moved to Canada back in 2002, I remember being deeply unimpressed with Canadian gastronomy. Where was the good bread? The fifty different types of charcuterie with on-demand slicing? Tomatoes that taste of sunshine? Cucumbers with prickles on their skin? None of this seem to exist in Canada. The food was functional, basic, mass market. 

Subconsciously, this is also how I felt about Canadian wine after years of underwhelming experiences at the LCBO (do not get me started about the LCBO, Ontario’s government agency that until recently held a chokehold on wine import and distribution). But much like the food scene, the wine scene in Canada has absolutely exploded in the last two decades, creating room for quality, creativity, and unique expressions of the Canadian terroir. My wine-tasting visits to Niagara and Prince Edward County have been full of surprises and some memorable wines.

What to drink

Each winery and sub-appelation brings something different to the table, but overall the Niagara region focuses on concentrated Chardonnay, precise Riesling, increasingly complex Pinot Noir, and sassy Cabernet Franc. It is also famous for ice wines, but you will not find much mention of ice wines in this post. While I love great dessert wine, I have yet to meet an ice wine that I truly enjoy.

Where to go

The Niagara Peninsula Viticultural Area is large and diverse, divided into several sub-appellations. The big names of Canadian wine are mostly located around Niagara-on-the-Lake, but more exciting things are happening to the west, in the Niagara Escarpment (around the towns of Jordan, Beamsville, and Vineland). Here is a non-comprehensive selection of some of my favourites.

• Big Head Wines. Rebels with a cause. These guys are at the top of my list of Niagara wineries to watch. In 2024 they blew me away with their distinctively foodie RAW Chenin Blanc, bold and savoury Select Syrah (2020), and their silky and soulful Select Merlot (2019). On my most recent visit, new vintages of these wines were not yet available, so it was the Bigbang Blanc de Noir that left an impression. On the sour side (lemon, apricot, nectarine), with a bit of toast and a lively mousse it felt like a perfect summer sparkling. 
• Kacaba. Syrah par excellence. Kacaba holds a special place in my heart, ever since (by complete serendipity) I got to taste its Syrah paired with a freshly barbecued lamb slider with blueberry sauce. Heaven. Visiting the winery means getting to completely geek out, comparing Syrahs across different parcels and vintages. My favourite is the Reserve 2020 – Kacaba’s best wine from its best vintage to date. Cherry, plum, smoke, and tons of black pepper. It is a serious Syrah that demands your full attention. 
• Leaning Post. Either mad or genius wine geeks. Leaning Post’s range is huge (though largely small batch) and includes things like The Freak, The Geek and Wild (A)mphora (F)ranc (or Wild AF for short). Their experimental wines can get very funky and are sometimes more interesting than delicious, but they certainly make for a cool tasting. My favourite of the natty bottles is the summery Pet Nat (2021) – full of cider, green tea, lychee, and mandarin notes. On the more classical side, Leaning Post excels with its Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. The Grimsby Hillside Vineyard Chardonnay (2021) was my favourite of the whites – more mineral and not as overwhelmingly buttery as the more premium Senchuk. 

A few others

• Therianthropy is a fun, natty producer experimenting with Cabernet Franc, Pinot Gris, Gamay. Think funky small batch production.
• Stratus is doing some interesting things with Chardonnay, experimenting with amphora ageing and other techniques to bring out the character of their wines.
• Southbrook works biodynamically and produces some interesting orange and even a madeira-like fortified wines.
• Tawse delivers reasonable Riesling, Cab Franc, and ice wines with a more measured and classical approach.
• There are plenty more to discover, which I can’t wait to add to this list!

Where to stay

• Stay overnight in Niagara-on-the-Lake, a cutesy little town with a pleasant high street, restaurants, and cafes
• Come on a day trip from Toronto; the drive takes about 2.5 hours. There are also plenty of wine-hopping tours from Toronto that can take away the logistical awkwardness of driving.
• Do NOT stay in Niagara Falls; it’s a complete tourist trap. Check out the falls and leave.

Where to eat

• Weirdly, there aren’t as many options to eat at the wineries (especially smaller ones) as you’d expect. Some places offer charcuterie boards, but even that isn’t a given.
• Good Earth Food and Wine Co is a beautifully situated restaurant with a fresh and creative menu and a selection of their own (reasonable) wines. Pre-booking is recommended.
• Pearl Morissette is on my hitlist for next year. High end, it’s a destination in its own right, focused on getting the best out of regional ingredients. Pre-booking is essential. 

Other travel tips

• Many wineries ask you to pre-book your visit online. It is easy and is often available even on the day itself. If you missed pre-booking, call them and they may be able to accommodate you anyway.

Happy Tasting!