Niagara-on-the-Lake: Wine Tastings & Charcuterie Day Tour

4.87

(311 reviews)

What’s the experience like?

I didn’t expect the air to smell so sweet when we first rolled into Niagara-on-the-Lake — not just grapes, but that damp earth after last night’s rain. Our guide, Mark, was already cracking jokes before we’d even reached the first winery. Pillitteri Estates looked almost sleepy from the outside, but inside it felt like a family kitchen at holiday time. The stainless tanks gleamed and someone (maybe Nonna?) had left a faint trace of espresso in the air. We tried three reds and a white — I honestly lost track after the second pour because Mark kept distracting us with stories about his uncle’s failed attempt at homemade icewine. The group laughed; I nearly snorted my pinot.

The next stop was Konzelmann — right on the lake, wind whipping up little waves. There’s this moment when you’re handed a glass and a plate with cheese and cured meats and you think, “Okay, this is going to be fancy,” but then you realize everyone’s just as awkward about what pairs with what. I asked if I could try the rosé with salami (apparently not traditional), and our host grinned like she’d heard that one before. The charcuterie was salty and soft; the wine cut right through it. I still think about that bite.

Old Town was busier than I expected for a weekday — shop windows full of hats and Christmas ornaments in June, which made me laugh. We wandered past Maison Apothecare (smelled like lavender) and ended up splitting fries on a bench under some trees. No one rushed us back to the van; Mark just waved when he saw us coming down the street again.

By the time we got to Reif Estate Winery, the sun had come out for real. You could see Toronto across the water if you squinted (or maybe just imagined). We stood between rows of vines older than me, tasting icewine that stuck to my teeth in a good way. It wasn’t perfect — someone spilled their glass on their shoes — but it felt easygoing, like you were part of something local for an afternoon.