niagara wine trail

Went to Niagara for the Ice Wine Festival. Working in the wine business, I had average expectations. However, the wines of Twenty Valley and Niagara-on-the-Lake were outstanding. We found many wines that we loved and came home with two cases of mixed still wines and a couple of ice wines. The wineries are worth a visit and paying attention too. Well done, Canada!

There is something for everyone along the Wine Trail between Buffalo and Rochester NY. I've had the pleasure of visiting all of the wineries and the newer breweries and cidery across the region and always find a reason to come back to my favorites. Smaller wineries, predominantly family-owned and operated make shopping and enjoying local a lot of fun!! (Yes, quite a few wines and gifts from my travels tend to make it under the Christmas Tree). Cabernet Franc and Riesling grow so well up here and it's exciting to see each winemaker's take on the varietal. Arrowhead Springs' sustainable growing practices yield some beautiful wines and I look forward to each vintage of their Syrah, I love being greeted by Ian, the Border Collie and watching the chickens go about their pest-control tasks. The tasting room at A Gust of Sun is warm and welcoming and the staff there does a great job of making newbies feel comfortable, I have some 2010 Cabernet Franc and Chardonnay tucked away for a special occasion or two. Chateau Niagara's Bull's Blood is a unique wine and I love that they are introducing me to grapes I'd not previously encountered. Leonard Oakes Estate Winery is a little further out in Medina but not to be missed. The wines speak for themselves and I look forward to every new vintage. I'm very partial to the 2010 Reserve Meritage and the 2011 Frontenac. Their Steampunk Cider is not to be missed nor is their annual Steampunk Festival which is something I look forward to at the end of each summer. I'm looking forward to revisiting Schulze as I haven't been in for a couple years and enjoyed some lovely wines at a recent wine pairing dinner. Foodies should make sure to "like" the wine trail's Facebook page as announcements of events such as wine pairing dinners as well as happy hours, musical events, discounts, movie nights, and the new additions to the Trail that pop up regularly. The beer fans have to make a trip to Woodcock Brothers and the new Barker brewery for good food and tasty brews! Shout out to BlackBird Cider Works as I am now obsessed with their Premium Draft Cider. There are some great wineries out there (some of which I haven't visited recently as they cater to the lovers of sweeter wine and I will have to leave that to the experts) but my drier palate never runs out of new wines to taste. The people on the wine trail make every jaunt out that way worthwhile. Take a day or a weekend, you won't regret it - tasting fees vary but are very reasonable - weekdays are great in the busy season as you get more time to talk to the tasting room staff and winemakers when the bus groups aren't as prevalent.

I had a surprise trip scheduled for my wife & I to celebrate our anniversary. We were going to be flying in from Colorado to spend a romantic weekend in Buffalo. This particular tour was something that I booked & paid for in advance due to the wonderful reviews it received. I knew it would be something that my wife would love! Unfortunately, we had a last minute family medical emergency & were obligated to cancel our entire trip, to which the company did not refund the amount of $350 which was paid in full. I had to consistently call & leave messages, because I could not get in contact with a live person, nor did they return my phone calls, even after leaving numerous messages. They stated that unless they filled our spots that there was nothing that they could do. They showed no sympathy to the situation & simply stated that it was "non-refundable". Beware while reserving & paying for your spot in advance, because getting a refund from the company is impossible.

NIAGARA FALLS HAS MANY ATTRACTIONS, the vineyards productions rivals any vineyard I've been thru California, and British Columbia, if you want to treat yourself, bring along a couple or driver that simply enjoys the scenery and ambiance and you and yours can savour one of life's big pleasures the galaxy of good vinos right hereat Niagara.. if you're a foodie delight in simple fare or gastronomic fare at most B & B's it wouldn't be fair to sort one over the other, they're all good."Time for me to visit our much loved American friends and neighbours to experience their Niagara wine trails to compare.." So neighbours come on over to the Canadian side and compare as well.. It will help all our economy likewise.Best,Jackie

Being a previous winery owner I have some experience behind me and my husband and I both have to rave about most of the wineries on the Niagara trail. Excellent wines. Beautiful facilities friendY and knowledgable staff what great wines. California watch out. Canada is our new land for wine exploration.

We have been to every winery on the Niagara wine trail and Love almost every one of them. Its great to know such good wines are made right here in Niagara county and we have such nice people working in the wineries. If you visit Western NY the Niagara wine trail is a must visit.

I have been on Wine Trails for over eight years and have found this to be one of my favorites. Not only do you get a wide variety of wines at each winery, but the people really make you feel at home. The employees seem very knowledgeable of the wines, and greets everyone with enthusiasm and a smile. I started going on these trails when with a few friends, and that became a monthly tradition. The prices are very reasonable, and there is usually some sort of deal you can get for larger groups. There are a couple wineries that offer a chocolate pairing with their wines. I know that A Gust of Sun is one of them, and the variety is amazing. You will be surprised how a wine's flavors come out after taking a bit of their crafted chocolates. Most of the wineries on the trail offer a relaxing area to just sip on a glass or bring a bottle out to enjoy the afternoon. Honeymoon have a very nice patio out front that is a very welcoming image before entering the tasting room. A Gust of Sun has a lounge upstairs and seating by a pond near their vineyard. Freedom Run has seating setup right in their tasting room to allow you to bring your glass and sit down to relax while having full view of their distribution area.Marjim Manor is winery on the trail (more sweet fruit based wine) that has been featured on Ghost Hunters twice. This winery is setup inside a beautiful old brick house, and the staff will actually tell you the story of it's past families.I will recommend this trail to anyone who loves wine, or anyone that is just getting started.

My husband and I started wine touring about 10 years ago and really enjoy it. We have been to Canandaigua, Canada and Niagara, and I must say we really enjoy Niagara Wine Trail the most. There are many choices of wine for everyone's pallets and the prices are the most reasonable. And the people who work at the wineries we frequent the most are the most friendly and knowledgeable. Our favorites are A Gust of Sun, Leonard Oaks and Schultz. We had friends come from Canada and Germany and they loved the Wineries. We shall be stopping in real soon!

Always so friendly and a unique set up. Did you know you can spend a few hours there on a bottling day, help out and learn AND you can take home a bottle for your time?! They offer dry to sweet wines and offer a wine and chocate pairing. (Which is a must) I have been to the Niagara Wind Trail many times and this is always a stop for me!

The Niagara wine trail is a great day experience. I have done the wine trail by bus and in my personal vehicle. I ha e gone on party weekends or just with a few family members, some of them even have some juice samples for kids. Each winery has their particular wine everyone loves and some even have chocolate /wine pairings.... Gust of sun is my favorite for that one!!! The wineries all make you feel as if your family walking in the door, they greet you with a smile.... And a glass of wine, could it get any better.

We got Niagara Wine Trail coupons as part of our Travel Zoo package with our stay at Sheraton At The Falls.I am still shaking my head at how this huge hotel chain would associate itself with a "do it yourself" wine tasting package without offering affordable, organized transportation packages to these wineries. It's a drunk-driving litigation lawsuit waiting to happen if you end up driving "yourself" around on this "wine trail," just to get some free tastings. Save yourself about $30 in tasting charges, but how much do grief do you risk in DUI or Taxi charges???Well .... if you want to do REAL wine tasting and see REAL wineries with ESTABLISHED VINES ... DO YOURSELF A FAVOUR and bite the bullet on the higher taxes; drive the extra 40 minutes into Canada and tour the beautiful and ESTABLISHED commercial wineries in NIAGARA ON THE LAKE, ONTARIO, CANADA.At least you have access to affordable, organized and friendly transportation services to the Niagara On The Lake wineries.FROM WHAT I SAW, the Niagara Wine Trail is a group of disorganized, under commercialized and inexperienced very SMALL mom & pop wineries trying to act like the big boys.I give them an A++ for effort and friendliness, but these wineries need to get their heads out of their butts and make some WINE NOT VINEGAR. Ugh!!!Hey, if you don't know any better, you will probably enjoy yourself puttering around these wineries. The pink-hat society girls seemed to be having a ball. It was certainly fun for us ... but it was the first time in my life I was DUMPING WINE out of my glass into a "do not like this crud" crock on the bar. :-(Read my reviews of each of the 5 wineries we toured: Gust Of Sun; Victorianbourgh; Black Willow; Schulze; Marjim Manor.

I live in NJ and while I enjoy wine, I had never thought to do the wine trail. I was in Buffalo for work and took the wine trail this weekend. It as a gorgeous day and still early in the season so there weren't alot of people. I really enjoyed speaking to the owner, they were say nice, attentive and informative. The tastings were inexpensive ($2-$5), the wines were good and the scenery was beauitiful. There are not a lot of places to eat around here and the wineries I stopped out don't have restaurants although some did sell cheeses and pretzels. You may want to pack yourself a picnic basket. I stopped at the following wineries: 1. Flight of Five (great view of the Erie Canal locks) 2. Freedom Run (I like dry wines and Freedom suggested I also visit wineries listed as #2and#3). 2. Eveningside (owner is a nice gentleman and the tasting room is a restored barn) 4. Arrowhead Spring 5. A Gust of Sun (their pairings come with chocolate and they have a patio to sit and enjoy your wine).

The wine trail is about 30 minutes from the falls. We just stopped at a few of the wineries and were the only visitors since it was off season. The staff were informative and pleasant, the Arrowhead Winery was an especially enjoyable place to stop. Good for some yummy wine and a few laughs with the family who owns and runs the place.

As part of a trip for a family reunion, my wife and I spent an afternoon along the western end of the Niagara Wine Trail. Some thoughts and comments about the wineries we visited...My wife often comments that the pourer at a winery tasting room often makes or breaks her opinion of the wine and winery. At Freedom Run Winery, Ryan made the experience for her. He knew his wines, talked about the winery, and gave a good impression. He treated us like we were the only people in the tasting room and that he had nothing better to do than to wait on us. They had a nice 2010 Meritage blend and a 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon. I couldn't decide which one to buy. Because of the Ryan effect, my wife told me if I couldn't decide on one, to buy a bottle of each. So I did.Another good experience along the Niagara Wine Trail was the Arrowhead Spring Vineyards Winery. The owners' son was pouring wine that day. So we got to hear a lot about how they make wine in western New York. I ended up purchasing a 2008 Cabernet Sauvignon, although the 2010 Cabernet Franc and 2008 Meritage were good tasting wines. The last stop was Spring Lake Winery on the east side of Lockport. Their wines were centered mostly on whites (Rieslings) although they do bring in some California (Mendocino) zinfandel grapes to make a red in the style of the family back home. I bought a glass and walked around their beautiful grounds. Apparently there was going to be a wedding there that weekend as a wedding party showed up and went through their paces. Great entertainment. I liked the zinfandel enough that I bought a second glass, sat on the patio and listened to a 2 piece band had playing for the evening tasting. It made for a nice end to the our day on the Niagara Wine Trail.

I love the Niagagra Wine Trail, it is always a fun trip. The scenery is beatuful and very rustic. I like it much better than the Canadian wine trail. The Canadians all have the same wines there is no variety, if you've seen one you've seen them all, but the Niagaga Wine trail offers a much larger variety to try, including many native varieties. These are unique, not the same old Reislings and Cabernets. Try them all, they are flavorful and delicious!