Reasons Why We Love Wine Country Ontario

If you’re hopeful like us and are counting down the days until lockdown is over in Ontario then you’ve come to the right place. Take a page out of our book and get hot girl summer ready with our guide here then take the plunge and start pre-booking or planning your future escape for the coming months. We’ve created a long list of summer plans, but one of our top priorities is visiting Wine Country Ontario again.

The thought of sipping Rose or a white wine spritzer at a winery while basking in the sun is getting us really pumped for a potentially “normal” summer. But until then, you can support local wineries and order direct from a VQA winery here, or take a virtual tour with us through some of the images we’ve captured of local vineyards, and restaurants BC (before covid).

Still unsure of why our love runs deep for Wine Country Ontario then keep scrolling to uncover all of the reasons why we adore these local wineries.

megalomanic winery grapes

Wine Tasting

We’d be lying if we said the number one reason why we love visiting wine country isn’t for the wine itself. With a plethora of signature varieties to taste like Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noire, Cabernet Franc, and Gamay Noir, its obvious why we visit for the vino. Not only does Ontario’s wine region share the same latitude with well known wine regions like Tuscany but its one of the few wine regions that is founded on limestone like Champagne France. Since every winery experience is so unique it’s best to contact the wineries directly. However, narrowing down which wineries to visit for a tasting can be daunting especially when there’s over 150 options to choose from.

Though we love having options in life, we’ve found that deciding which region you want to visit (Prince Edward County, Lake Eerie North Shore, Emerging Regions, Niagara Escarpment & Area or Niagara-on-the-Lake) is a great place to start then pick 1-3 wineries to tour for the day. Below are some of our favorites from the list based on wine, and the overall experience.

1. Kew
2. Megalomanic
3. Peller Estates

4. The Good Earth Winery

*Wine tasting tip* Remember to: see, swirl smell and sip

2. Close Proximity

Some wineries are less than 100 KM from Toronto which means you can plan a one day experience or staycation. If you prefer the latter consider booking a car service or organizing a DD so you can enjoy every drop of wine from the tasting. Keep in mind most of the wineries require a reservation for the tastings.

3. Dining Experience

Wine Country Ontario is a hidden gem when it comes to culinary experiences. With first class chefs on hand prepare to taste mouthwatering cuisine that hits the palette different when paired with wines from the region. Known as the epicentre of food and wine culture, we can vouch and say that some of the best food experiences we’ve had were while we were visiting wine country.

Some of our favorite restaurants to note are below:

1. The Restaurant at Redstone