Niagara Wines – there’s an appellation that just doesn’t roll off your tongue. Some wine growing regions are instantly recognizable even to the most casual of wine drinkers…. places like Napa, Bordeaux, Montepulciano… but Niagara?

Why not? Grapes are grown all over the world now… anywhere they can find the right microclimate and the proper grapes to grow there.

The Niagara wine region actually sprawls across the Ontario and New York border making it a two country wine region. There are over sixty wineries in this area, and the number is growing.

The majority of wineries are in Canada. If you want to visit and taste on both sides of the border, remember that you now have to show your passport even when driving across the border between Canada and the United States.

The Niagara Wine Trail represents some of the wineries. It is well organized with maps and special events at the participating wineries.

The wineries in this region will tell you that the Niagara Escarpment and Lake Ontario create a unique microclimate. One of the wines that they are most famous for is Ice Wine…. that makes a certain amount of sense doesn’t it? It gets cold there in the winter. They have a similar latitude to Bordeaux and Montepulciano, but it’s the microclimate that lets them make this liquid gold.

Ice Wine (or Eiswein borrowing from German) is a dessert wine made from grapes frozen while still on the vine. Some late harvest wines just hang on the vine forever increasing the sugar content…. In good years when the frost comes at the right time, they produce small quantities of great Ice Wine.

But Ice Wine isn’t all they make. Expect to taste wines made of all the usual suspects from Rieslings and Chardonnays to Merlots and Pinot Noirs. Plus some local varietals and natives like Catawba and Frontenac, and oh yes, even occasionally from Niagara grapes.

There are tasting fees at most of the wineries… generally between two to five Canadian dollars. If you plan to taste at more than a couple of wineries you might want to consider a “Vino Visa Passport” from the Niagara Wine Trail wineries…. that might save you money. It’s good from one year of purchase. It gets you free tastings at some wineries, discounts at others, and even some discounts at hotels and restaurants.

Whenever you are wine tasting, if you are driving yourself, remember to have a designated driver or taste responsibly.

The beauty of the Niagara Wine Trail is that you’re in the country, but not far from other tourist destinations. Niagara Falls is only minutes away from many of the wineries. You can stay at Niagara-on-the-Lake, a well-preserved town with Victorian architecture that’s worth a visit in its own right. You’re only about an hour and a half from Toronto and half an hour from Buffalo.

So if you’re visiting Toronto or Niagara Falls, treat yourself, and do a little wine tasting…. if you never knew about this wine region before, you’ll be pleasantly surprised.

Wine is the product of the nature. The characteristics and styles of wine are the expression of the grapes it is made from, as well as the natural environment of the vineyard. Thousands of grapes are made into wine. However, there are only about two dozens better known red wine grapes and another two dozens of better known white wine grapes. Here are the other major red wine grapes, made into beautiful wines in the world, to conclude the three-part article series, Types of Red Wines around the World.

Nebbiolo: The northern Italy wine region of Piedmont is home to Nebbiolo. It produces wines with scents of roses, violets, tar, and tea leaves. These unique flavors, high acidity and good tannin make Nebbiolo a darling in the eyes of Italian wine lover.

Pinot Noir: There’s no lacking of tales and mysteries surrounding Pinot Noir. A high maintenance grape in the vineyard, and a capricious wine to make in the cellar, it continue to cast spills on winemakers & wine lovers to come back for more of it. More of its roses, strawberries, plums scents, or savory, meaty flavors! Where does Pinot Noir call home? Oregon, California, Burgundy in France, Tasmania and New Zealand all make different styles of Pinot Noir, from age-worthy to fruity.

Sangiovese: Sangiovese makes the wines of Chianti, Brunello di Montacino, and Vino Nobile di Montepulciano from central Italy. Its strengths are good structure and sumptuous flavors supported by the high acidity.

Syrah/Shiraz: Syrah’s give-away is its ink dark color in the glass. Always with a robust structure and body, its medium to high alcohol leaves a warming sensation in the throat, while the flavors of violet, plum and peppery linger in your palate. It is synonymous to its homeland of Rhône Valley and adopted home of Australia.

Tempranillo: Tempranillo gives the un-mistakenly strawberries, bright berries nose. The major Spanish red wine grape, and affectionately called “the little early one” (“Tempranillo”), it makes the intense flavored, medium dark-colored wines in the Rioja region.

Zinfandel: Zinfandel is the blood-relative of the Italian grape Primitivo. It is the most planted red grape in California. When its shortcoming of uneven ripeness in the vineyard could be overcome by great vineyard management, Zinfandel has a lot to offer. Its lively, red fruit – both jammy or bright fruit styles, and spicy notes has long won the love of wine drinkers.

This concludes our three-part series of the types of red wines. However, it is just the beginning of the lasting and rewarding wine experience. I hope you will continue to explore these grapes and the wines they make, as well as more other grapes and wines. Let such wine experience add to your enjoyment of life, and quality time spent with family, friend and associates.

More Pinot Noir Wine Articles