5 Must Visit Wineries Near Toronto!

---

I have recently returned from a great trip to Toronto with a group of 5 friends, we all grew up together but now live in different zip codes, countries and continents. Throughout the 10 days we spent in Toronto, we ticked off just about every experience there was to be had, and my most favorite were the days where we ventured out to visit some of the best wineries in the surrounding areas. We decided to visit these wineries on a DIY basis rather than taking a tour and if you are traveling in a group, I suggest following in our footsteps for a more flexible tour and so none of your group will have to be designated driver, consider renting a Toronto charter bus or minibusto get you there safely. We visited 9 wineries in total and here are my top 5 which I think you’ll enjoy.

Flat Rock Cellars

In my view this was probably the most beautiful winery that we visited, a tall building which looks right out across the vineyards, and a destination as much as a wine producing location. Here you can take the general admission tour but if you are in a group I’d recommend spending the $100 to get a tour with the founder of the winery as your guide, a great experience with a very knowledgeable man.

Jackson Triggs

This is probably one of the busiest wineries in the Toronto area and when you visit you can easily see why. This location has become far more than a simple winery which produces some of the best whites in the region, it is also perfectly set up for visitors with many tasting rooms, vineyard tours and even an outdoor amphitheater which it uses to host concerts throughout the summer months.

Hidden Bench

This quaint winery may have only been open for a decade, but that hasn’t stopped it from quickly rising up the ranks to produce arguably the best wines in Beamsville. The showstopper from this winery is the Nuit Blanche White Brodeaux blend, a delightful wine which you will no doubt be taking home with you. The tour itself isn’t to the level of some of the others in this list, but the wine itself makes up for what they lack in the tour guide stakes.

Norman Hardie

Of all of the wineries in Prince Edward County, they don’t get much better than Norman Hardie, an award winning winery which offers visitors the complete package. The tour here was arguably the most informative that we took during our time in Toronto and to top it off we were able to enjoy some of their delightful Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, sat on their beautiful designed patio overlooking the vineyard, whilst eating a fresh slice from the outdoor pizza oven, overall a wonderful experience.

Stratus

Stratus is quite the celebrity when it comes to Niagara’s wineries, a big money location which is elegant and classy. The tour here will cost you $20, a little more than most, but you certainly get bang for your buck. A behind the scenes peek at this sophisticated winery is worth the entrance fee alone, and to look into some of the modern methods of wine making is truly fascinating. A little pricey but not over-priced at all.

Have you been to some of the wineries near Toronto before? Let us know what your experience was like in the comments section below, we’d love to hear from you.

---