Travel to Ontario wineries while visiting Niagara Falls

Ontario, Canada is home to more than 108 wineries, second only to British Columbia with over 180 wineries. The providence has several regions for wine enthusiasts to travel. The region with the most wineries is Niagara-on-the-Lake. Just a few miles north and west of Niagara Falls is a wine region that is diverse. French vinifera and hybrid grapes grow well in this area. One can travel to small boutique wineries or large wineries with worldwide distribution.

Perhaps the most widely sought after wine is the Icewine. By law, the grapes can not be harvest until the temperature dips to 17º F. This means that if the temperature falls to 20º F the grapes cannot be harvested. Grapes can go through several nights of below freezing temperatures just to warm up again during the day. This freezing and thawing gives the grapes character and perhaps the excellence of the regions Icewines.

News Source : Travel to Ontario wineries while visiting Niagara Falls

Ice Wine Is More Than Just Frozen Grapes

One of the most rapidly growing trends in the world of wine seems to be with the rise in popularity of ice wines. This is interesting because these wines have been around for almost 200 years yet have not had much time in the spotlight until recent history. The most famous ice wines are from Niagara on the Lake Wineries, however many other countries such as Germany, Austria, and even Australia have been known to produce ice wines of their own. Because Canada is much colder and is capable of more consistent freezing temperatures has actually surpassed Germany in the production of ice wine.

Ice wine is a dessert wine that is made from frozen grapes. Natural ice wines require a hard freeze to occur after the grapes have ripened. In Niagara winery of Canada , this temperature is a minimum of 17 degrees Fahrenheit while in Germany this temperature is 19 degrees. This means that the grapes must remain on the vines for several months after a normal harvest and risk being lost to rot if there is no freeze. At the other extreme, if the freeze is too severe the grapes cannot be harvested and pressed.

Ice wines are becoming the latest trend in the wine world and it is easy to see why. Delicious and refreshing, ice wines are a delicacy and a testament to the skills of the wineries. More expensive than a traditional wine, it is not something that the average person can afford to purchase on a regular basis, but are an essential addition to a special occasion or meal.

North America's top 10 wine destinations

I love touring Ontario's Niagara-on-the-Lake wine region. My friend Lauren lives in St. Catharines and we regularly tour the wineries in the area, stopping to sample whites, reds and ice wines from our favourite vineyards, including Peller Estates, Konzelmann and Hillebrand.

Travellers are particularly interested in wineries this fall, with searches for the term "vineyards" up 10 per cent on TripAdvisor over the past six weeks, compared to the same period last year.

"European destinations often get the spotlight when it comes to fine wine," said Christine Petersen, chief marketing officer for TripAdvisor, "but North America holds its own with varietals, between the wonderful west coast wine regions and other hidden gems across the continent."

News Source : North America's top 10 wine destinations

Making scents of it all - The Niagara wine industry

Nestled in between the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario is one of Canada's biggest and most well-known industries: Wine.

A myriad of wineries to choose from are spread around the region, offering almost anything a true wine aficionado could need. But, for us normal folk, this precious part of the area tends to fall by the wayside, that is, at least during the 50 weeks of the year that there is no specific event dedicated to drawing our attention to it; thats is, The Niagara Wine Festival. Wine can be an intimidating thing.

Those who have ever attempted to go to a winery for a tasting know exactly what I am talking about. Walking into the boutique, having to pretend like you know what you're doing. Following all the formalities of testing that tiny little glass of wine, and at the same time, watching the person beside you to make sure that you didn't miss an important step that would 'ruin' the tasting experience. All the while, being confused because you don't actually see any difference in the colour, smell the rich scent of dark chocolate, or know what the heck a full-bodied wine really entails.

News Source : Making scents of it all- The Niagara wine industry

Indulge your tastebuds at the Niagara Wine Festival

The Niagara region, with its myriad of quality conscious wineries, benefits from the heat shield of Lake Ontario and several unique smaller microclimates which foster and nurture vineyards long into the fall.

This year, because the summer lacked sunny days and heat for ripening, the grape crop is a bit behind, just like Ontario fruit and vegetables were in July and August. But with a recent burst of sunny days and a protracted dry spell, the harvest should get under way in fine shape.

September unfolds as a magical time, when winemakers and producers throw open their winery doors to share in the fruits of their labours with wine travellers. Dozens of events have been organized at individual wineries to seduce and charm visitors.

News Source : Indulge your tastebuds at the Niagara Wine Festival

Niagara on the Lake Wineries

Niagara wineries tours are an amazing journey that is designed around the best Niagara wineries canadian ice wine where you get to taste the top class icewines. Niagara-on-the-lake-events are the region where icewine grapes are grown for the production of icewine.

This region has the best climatic conditions that are perfectly suitable for growing icewine grapes. These grapes are handpicked frozen from the vines and then processed to produce canadian ice wine. People who go for wine tasting tours get to taste hundreds of different varieties of icewines from some of the best niagara wineries.

They get to know more about the details of making of different icewines canada - wineries in ontario and their exotic tastes. The wine tasting tours are planned around the wineries and include knowing every aspect of the icewines. You also get to meet wine producers and see some tasting rooms where wines from some of the best Niagara wineries are poured.