You never forget your first love—and as Ontario wineries go, that was Vineland Estates for me.

I loved her physical attributes at first sight, including the stunning circa-1877 “wooden cathedral” log barn nestled on the slopes of the Niagara Escarpment that houses the tasting bar and shop. And there’s the adjacent wedding chapel and acclaimed restaurant, the deck of which provides sprawling views over the vineyards.

And I loved her good taste—her 180 acres possessing some of the oldest Riesling vines in Canada, all tenderly nurtured by longtime winemaker Brian Schmidt.

And I loved that I didn’t have to drop a week’s wages to buy her affections—that, in fact, Vineland’s wines offer some of the best bang for the buck in Canada (although the tasting fees have jumped significantly since the pandemic rules came into effect).

Fact is, this is one of the most intimate settings in Niagara to curl up to a tasting bar, where you might be lucky enough to get the effervescent Tommy Nguyen (video below) to serve you.

And this is also a great base from which to tour Niagara wine country, with two accommodation options adjacent to the estate: a bed-and-breakfast cottage and a three-bedroom estate guest house (the rates are quite affordable, given that their fridges are filled with all the possible breakfast fixings you could desire, along with a welcome bottle of wine for each couple).

So much to see, do and sample at Vineland Estates.

What’s not to love?

 

Check out all of Niagara’s Top 10 Wineries:

#1: Domaine Queylus

#2. Creekside

#3. Tawse

#4. Kacaba

#5. Southbrook

#6. Vineland

#7. Colaneri

#8. Ravine

#9. Back 10

#10. Malivoire