From April 4th to 9th, experience an Ontario Wine Tour in your own backyard when award-winning wineries and growers from Prince Edward County (PEC) and Niagara Wine Region (NWR) come to Toronto for Riverside’s 3rd Annual Winefest.
Sponsored by the Riverside Business Improvement Area (BIA), Sugar Loaf Bakery & Cafe (catering sponsor), Toronto Food Tours, and the Ralph Thornton Center, Riverside Winefest will showcase 10+ wineries, and dozens of wines throughout the week in events at Riverside venues – along Queen St East from the DVP to Empire Avenue.
Nearly two dozen participating Riverside restaurants, service providers and retailers will host everything from prix fixe wine pairing dinners and classes to FREE wine tasting extravaganzas. Winefest culminates in the Riverside Wine Expo, bringing wineries together at the Ralph Thornton Centre on Saturday, April 8th.
Without further adieu, introducing the Wineries of Riverside Winefest 2017:
The winery opened in 2002 and now produces 35,000 cases of award-winning wines annually on their 190 acres. Their “mission” style building was designed to commemorate the Congregation of Christian Sisters who once owned the property. Winemaker Phillip Dowell says: “I like to make wines that are true to the vineyard and that show definite varietal character with a regional identity. But, the most important element that I strive for is elegance in wine.” Their grape varieties include Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewurztraminer, Merlot, Pinot Noir, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Malbec and Shiraz.
Try their wines by pre-registering for these Riverside Winefest Events:
- East + West + Wine + Wood Pairing Dinner @ The Peasant Table ($120 pp including tax & grat. – Buy tickets tofoodtours.com) – April 5, 7pm
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
Owners, partners and friends Doug and Karen Whitty and John and June Mann share a common love of wine, food and art and a genuine heart for hospitality. Their boutique winery, set amongst 25 acres of family estate vineyards, is just minutes west of St. Catharines. They specialize in hand-crafted sparkling wines, Pinot Noir, Gamay Noir, Chardonnay and Riesling. Their winemaker, Jean Pierre Colas, is one of the most talented French trained winemakers in the business.
Wines Available to ‘Try & Order’ at Riverside Winefest:
- Cuvee Rose (Non-vintage), Pinot Gris 2013 , June’s Vineyard Riesling 2015, Gamay Noir 2015, Cabernet Merlot 2015
Try their wines by pre-registering for these Riverside Winefest Events:
- Ontario 101 Talk & FREE Wine Tasting @ Queen/Saulter Library (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 4, 7-8:30pm
- Sip N’ Shop FREE Wine Tasting @ BRIKA (768 Queen E) – April 5, 6-8pm
- FREE ’20 Years Vintage’ Wine Tasting @ Quince Flowers (660 Queen E) – April 7, 4-6pm
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
- Sparkling Wine Brunch ($35 incl tax & grat –647 847 6122 or email for reservation) @ Sugar Loaf Bakery & Cafe (729 Queen E) – April 9, 11am-2pm
The Grange is a family-run 600 acre farm in Prince Edward County. The Granger family who runs it is drenched in the history of Canadian pioneers: their estate has been a working farm for two hundred years. When it came Caroline Granger’s turn to run the farm she decided to “breathe new life into this sleepy place” by transforming it into vineyards. She says”I grew up on this land – my family’s farm – and when I took it over, I knew we could produce excellent wine here. So I built a winery from the ground up…”. Over 15 years later, the Grange offers many excellent varieties including chardonnay, pinot gris, riesling, sauvignon blanc, gamay, pinot noir, and cabernet franc.
Wines Available to ‘Try & Order’ at Riverside Winefest:
- Select Gamay, Select Chardonnay (unoaked), Estate Pinot Gris, Estate Chardonnay, Estate Gamay Noir
Try their wines by pre-registering for these Riverside Winefest Events:
- Riverside Arts Market Uncorked FREE Wine Tasting (790 Queen E) – April 6, 4-6pm
- FREE Wine Tasting & Wellness Seminar @ Oma Chiropractic (1 Munro St) – April 6, 7:30-9:30pm
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
Tim and Micheline Kuepfer purchased three hayfields on a Prince Edward County backroad in 2009, they threw their first harvest party in 2010 and harvested two tonnes of quality Pinot Noir wine grapes. By 2012 they built a small building, got a license and Broken Stone Winery was born. They adopt minimal winemaking approaches and allow nature to express itself.
Wines Available to ‘Try & Order’ at Riverside Winefest:
- Intensity 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, Chardonnay, Cabernet Franc 2015, Simplicity (Vidal/Pinot Gris) 2015
Try their wines by pre-registering for these Riverside Winefest Events:
- FREE WOGA = Wine & Yoga The Chi Junky Studio (70 McGee St) – April 5, 6-8:30pm
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
- Stand-Up & FREE Wine Tasting @ The Underground (670 Queen E) – April 9, 8-10pm
John and Sacha Squair started Three Dog Winery in 2000 with 500 vines. Today Three Dog Winery’s estate covers 100 acres in beautiful Prince Edward County. They started off with a focus on Pinot Noir, soon followed by Pinot Gris, and since then have been slowly adding more Pinot clones and some French hybrids, a little Baco, a little Foch, a little Vidal and lots of love. Three Dog Winery was named for their three Golden Retrievers, rescues from their friends at Golden Rescue Canada – needless to say the winery is a very dog-friendly place!
Wines Available to ‘Try & Order’ at Riverside Winefest:
- Doghouse Red (2015), Doghouse White (2016), Reiki Riesling (2015), Baco Noir (2014)
Try their wines by pre-registering for this Riverside Winefest Events:
- Ontario 101 Talk & FREE Wine Tasting @ Queen/Saulter Library (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 4, 7-8:30pm
- ‘Wine Down’ with FREE Wine Tasting at Dimensions Framing (733 Queen E) – April 6, 6-8pm
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
Built on a 100 acre waterfront estate, Waupoos Winery officially opened in 2001 and is home to award-winning wines, a young history, and a field-to-table experience sustained by their farm. Founders Ed Neuser and Rita Kaimins, who call themselves the modern pioneers of Prince Edward County wine, got the idea to plant grapes after they drank a couple glasses (or maybe bottles) of wine. As Neuser jokes, “Everybody thought we were off our rockers—we had no experience growing grapes or making wines.” Today, they grow four red grape varieties and eight whites and have helped put Prince Edward County on the world map.
Wines Available to ‘Try & Order’ at Riverside Winefest:
- White Rabbit (2015), Red Rabbit (2015)
Try their wines by pre-registering for these Riverside Winefest Events:
- Ontario 101 Talk & FREE Wine Tasting @ Queen/Saulter Library (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 4, 7-8:30pm
- ‘Buy, Sell & Wine’ FREE Wine Tasting @ Common Sort (804 Queen St E) – April 7, 4-6pm
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
For over thirty years, Vineland Estates Winery has continually elevated the wine and culinary experience in Niagara. Open all year, they are not only the home of fine wine and cuisine, but an unmatched touring facility and wine country destination. The result is a legacy of great Riesling, exceptional dining, and memorable wine adventure.
Try their wines by pre-registering for this Riverside Winefest Events:
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
Devil’s Wishbone, founded in 2002, was the name early settlers gave to the land due to the poor soil conditions for farming. But poor soil for farming has the potential to be great for growing grapes! Today, the family winery’s fifteen acres of rolling vineyards overlook the Bay of Quinte, near the picturesque landscape of Lake on the Mountain. The century barn houses the winery and tasting room where the handcrafted wines are made. The winery is the winner of Taste the County’s Peoples’ Choice for White Wine in 2013.
Try their wines by pre-registering for this Riverside Winefest Events:
- FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – April 8, 2-5pm
More participating Riverside Winefest wineries and where you can enjoy their wines:
- CAVE SPRING CELLARS (NWR) – enjoy these wines with an exquisite dinner at the 5-course Cave Springs Wine Pairing Dinner ($65pp + tax & grat.) By Reservation @ Tabule Middle Eastern Cuisine (810 Queen E) – Thursday, April 6, 7pm
- TRAIL ESTATE WINERY (PEC) – savour their wines with a special 7-course East + West + Wine + Wood Pairing Dinner ($120pp including tax & grat.) @ The Peasant Table. Buy tickets on tofoodtours.com. Wednesday, April 5th, 7pm.
- ROSEHALL RUN (PEC) – enjoy their wines with an excellent six-course dinner at Ontario Wine with an Italian Flair ($85pp + tax & grat.), while supporting a good local cause with proceeds going to Nellie’s Shelter. By Reservation @ il ponte cucina italiana (625 Queen E) – Wednesday, April 5th, 6:30pm.
- HENRY OF PELHAM (NWR) – taste their wines at The Magic of Wine and Cheese ($40 + tax) @ I’ll be Seeing You Bar (747 Queen E) – Buy tickets here – Sunday, April 9th, 7pm (Doors open at 6pm)
- CASA-DEA (PEC) – FREE Riverside Wine Expo @ The Ralph Thornton Centre (765 Queen E, 2nd Fl) – Saturday, April 8, 2-5pm
So why not step outside and enjoy this Ontario wine tour – in your own backyard!
Pre-register to let us know your coming!
