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2016-12-20

Winter is in full-swing and the holidays are just around the corner. Whether you are searching for the perfect weekend getaway or looking to shop for the wine-lover on your list, look no further than the Niagara region this season. Niagara-on-the-Lake is home to beautiful vineyards and attractions with many wineries producing icewines all year long.

Not familiar with icewine? Icewine, often called dessert wine (sweet and generally served at the end of a meal), is made from frozen grapes. It comes in a range of flavours from fruits to chocolate. It tastes the best with rich flavoured foods like foie gras and aged blue cheese.

Ontario’s Niagara region is a large producer of the country’s icewines, and is actually considered to have some of the best icewine in the world…

The following three wineries have extra-special winter tours and icewine tastings for the perfect day trip:

Peller Estates Winery (Niagara-on-the-Lake) At Peller Estates, wine lovers can explore the winery and end the tour by stepping into the 10 Below Lounge. The lounge is made with more than 13 thousand kilograms of ice and visitors enjoy a tasting while they hang around in what feels like an igloo (parkas are provided!). In January, they have an outdoor seated icewine cocktail experience where you can explore the production of Niagara Icewine and the history of the delicacy.

Inniskillin (Niagara-on-the-Lake) Inniskillin dessert wines are a classic. With both an Icewine Tasting Bar, and the Icewine Tour, it is a great place to visit for a quick getaway. At the Tasting Bar, guests learn about icewine production and have the opportunity to taste-test various flavours. During the tour, you can learn about the origins of icewine in Niagara and get a quick history lesson.

The Ice House Winery (Niagara-on-the-Lake) This winery is solely dedicated to the production of icewine. It is a great place to visit if you are interested in immersing yourself in the history of various icewines. They also make delicious spiked-slushies for tour participants to enjoy!

January is icewine month, so it might be a good idea to book your tastings and tours early for a great holiday gift!

Visiting Niagara in Winter has its Perks

Since winter is Niagara’s slow season for tourism, you can find great deals on hotels, entertainment and parking. There are beautiful sights to be enjoyed, such as the light display on the frozen falls, and the U.S. border is nearby for state-side attractions. Visit Niagara Falls Tourism and Niagara on the Lake Tourism for an up-to-date list of attractions and helpful information.