Niagara Peninsula
The heart of Canadian icewine, between two Great Lakes.
The Niagara Peninsula lies between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, at a latitude close to Tuscany's but with a far colder winter. The lakes and the Niagara Escarpment moderate the climate: breezes off Lake Ontario circulate against the escarpment, reducing spring frost and stretching the autumn. The region is best known for icewine. Grapes are left on the vine into winter and picked only when the temperature falls to −8°C or below, when the water inside them is frozen. Pressed frozen, they give tiny amounts of concentrated, intensely sweet juice. Cool-climate Riesling, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir and Cabernet Franc are the dry-wine highlights.
Grapes grown here 5
What the region makes
From grapes pressed while frozen: apricot, lychee and honey, with vivid acidity.
Lime and mineral, from dry to off-dry.
Chardonnay and Pinot Noir.
Worth knowing
Under Canadian rules, icewine grapes must be picked at −8°C or colder.
Canada is the world's largest producer of icewine, and Niagara makes most of it.
Try this region if you like dessert wines with bright acidity.
Get in before the public launch.
Join the waitlist for a beta invite, plus a first-week credit at a partner shop near you.
No spam, one email when your invite is ready. Unsubscribe anytime.
We use your email only for the waitlist. Read our privacy policy.