Inniskillin Wines

Make sure to check the times for the tours because they end rather early. Their ice wine is absolutely delicious though and the man working at the tasting counter will be happy to fill you in on how they are made, after arguing with you about whether or not you will actually like sweet wine. The wine is delicious though! Absolutely loved it! Though, you should be warned, ice wine is much pricier than standard wine. However, they do have both.

Popped in to taste some wines on my way from Toronto to Niagara Falls with my husband. We didn’t feel like taking the full tour, so we sidled up to the bar for some $ 1 samples of wine.
First of all, the grounds are very beautiful. There is a huge patio area outside with tables/​chairs/​umbrellas, and a counter where you can purchase glasses of wine, full bottles of wine and delectable looking snacks like poutine and oysters. The tasting room/​store was full of wine lovers sipping away on a scorching afternoon. We sampled a few wines without much guidance from the lady doing the pouring. She was pleasant enough but the place was very busy and she didn’t do too much explaining or suggesting, just the minimum. I like being able to try little tastes for only $ 1 each.
There is another counter set up specifically for ice wine tasting, ranging in price from $ ⁵⁄₇ per glass and up, or $ 15 and up for a flight of three samples. Our flight consisted of a Riesling, a Vidal and a Cab Franc. I enjoyed this experience moreso than tasting the regular table wines. The guy who was pouring ice wines for us also didn’t explain much, and I noticed another staff member offering much more explanation to the men down the bar from us, even offering some dark chocolate to go with the wines. Another girl noticed this as well and jumped in, giving us a lot of information about the ice wines and offering us the dark chocolate, which was a great compliment to the wines. I can’t recall her name, but she was really chipper and I’m glad she eventually came over and gave us some insight into the wines!
Inniskillin obviously does very well for itself and the grounds and vineyards are beautiful. Having staff that are overall a bit more engaging would be a cherry on top.

We did a wine tour here and our guide was very green, but still friendly and game. It was fun.
Yes, this is probably one of the biggest operations in NotL, but they do produce some good wines. Especially their ice wines. I loved their Cab Franc ice wine and purchased a bottle after the tasting.

So this is definitely a pretty commercialized winery, but that’s to be expected. Perhaps the most recognized name in the world of ice wines, they are truly at the top. Upon entering the tasting room out back, you have the table wine tasting bar up front and the ice wine tasting bar at the back right. We started there, actually, though I’d recommend you start with the table wines. The standard ice wine flight ($ 10, waived with bottle) included a vidal blanc, riesling, and cabernet franc, and all were delicious. The riesling was packed with green apple flavors, though all of them were exceptionally sweet. While this is a certainty with ice wines, it seemed a bit over the top at times. We then moved to the table wine bar ($ 1 /​wine sample, waived with purchase) and were delighted to find that they also produced some extremely solid table wine offerings. The cab-​merlot and meritage were solid offerings, though many were quite good. Staff was exceptionally good, friendly, and willing to provide advice on wines as well as other wineries we might try. Definitely worth a visit!

Great tour of the winery for some great wine. Really informative and lovely spaces. The guided tasting was also really nice.
I’ll have to come back to try out their resto and see the vines covered in grapes.

Oh the ice wine here. Ontario is known for it’s ice wine and Inniskillin is where you want to get it. The price is steeper because ice wine is a much harder wine to make. (More restrictions in place for certain temperatures etc) If you understand the reason behind the price you will truly appreciate its taste. I highly recommend the Vidal or Riesling.

Stopped by on a Saturday for a tour. The tour lasts about 45 minutes and is $ 5 but includes a tasting. Our tour guide said that normally only 3 wines are included in the tour tasting (a red, white, and ice wine) but on Saturdays you get a 4^th tasting as well. We lucked out and got to try a champagne ice wine which goes for $ 120/​bottle, so good deal. If you buy a bottle of ice wine afterwards, the $ 5 tour ticket acts as a $ 5 off coupon, so essentially the tour and tasting was free when you buy a bottle.
Our tour guide was friendly and knowledgable, and I liked that they covered all areas — the vineyards, wind machine, production, and storage. Learned a lot of tips about vines, storing wine, and how ice wine changes color with age. She also went over the 4 S’s during the tasting which many other places don’t do.
I’d stop in again for more tastings and wouldn’t mind spending the money on the ice wine tasting.

It was our last day here at Niagara, Ontario and we had some time to kill before heading back to Toronto so we decided to take a drive out to Wine Country at Niagara on the Lake and check out some wineries. There was only one winery that i had mt heart set on, and that was here at the Inniskillin Winery and i left here very impressed and a little light in the wallet but well worth it.
Inniskillin Winery is in a beautiful area and for us it was raining pretty hard that particular day and that didn’t dampen our visit here. I skipped eating at their restaurant and went srtaight to the Tasting Room where Ice Wine and other things can be purchased here.
I had my mind made up of buying the Sparkling Ice Wines, White or Red, but they were all out of the White so iwas a little disappointed. But what brightned me up was the Ice Wine tastings here. I had a flight of Vintage ice wines and they were all amazing. I did end up buying a Bottle of the Sparkling Cabernet Franc and a couple more bottles of the Cabernet Franc Ice Wine and a few other bottles. It wasn’t cheap at all, but buying it with U.S. dollars was a plus considering we have the buying power here in Canada.
What shocked me here even more was how friendly the people were here at Inniskillin. I really dont; what it is with the Niagara and Toronto people, but they really must hate tourists that come here or really hate their jobs tremendously. No Aloha Sprirt at all with me being from Hawaii, i really felt the coldness of the people here in this part of Canada. I think the Vancouver people must teach them a taste of the Aloha Spirit because they sure have it on that side of Canada.
It was nice leaving a place like Inniskillin where people actually greeted you here and actually thanked you when you left. If i;m ever back here visiting Niagara Falls on the Lake once again, this will be my stop for amazing tasting Ice Wine once again… Mahalo Inniskillin

This is one of the better known ice wineries. We came here for a tasting. Did the classic ice wine tasting of 3 glasses for $ 10. The lady who poured was very knowledgeable and helpful. She actually advised against the more expensive tastings since we amateurs and tourists probably wouldn’t be able to tell the difference between aged and now recently produced ice wines. Also one tasting is plenty to share, especially considering it’s so sweet and we were hitting multiple spots.
The pours were very generous. The lady who poured for us also took the time to explain the history and science of making each wine. They also take a discount off the tasting fee if you purchase items. We bought a pack of 4 ice wines that we could bring on the airplane as carry on. We also grabbed a package of caramel popcorn or the like, and the lady suggested we get the peanut butter brittle instead as it was almost half the price. With each item we added to our shopping list, our discount from the tastings got larger.
It was also interesting to note that there were a group of mainland Chinese tourists and the gentleman pouring for them was conversing in Chinese. I know ice wine is popular out there and it’s nice to see that the staff is making an effort to connect with this demographic.

Inniskillin Wines was the perfect stop for a large group winery tour {I should also note it was the only winery I went on a tour during my recent NOTL visit}. They have public tours daily for $ 5/​CA person from 10:30 — 4:30pm every hour, and our group of 16 adults {six children – who were free since they weren’t tasting!} was easily accommodated. When you arrive, it can be a little confusing because there is a restaurant that greets you first. If you want wine, you must head towards the barn on the back, left-​hand side. The winery itself is beautiful, and prides itself on being the first licensed winery after the prohibition [according to the tour guide]. The wine tasting area was very crowded on a Sunday afternoon at 12:30p, although it was convenient that they had two different counters for «table wine» tasting and «icewine» tasting. Table wines ran $ 1CA/​oz and icewines were pricier, about $ 10-​$ 15CA/​flight (of two to three 1oz tasting). So, if you’ve already taken a tour, the tasting alone might be the way to go, since on the tour you receive three samples: a white, red and icewine. The tour itself is about an hour long and is quite in depth about the process on wine/​icewine as well as the history of Inniskillin. You are led through the vineyards, cellars and production line.
Make sure to dress properly for the weather, the tour is indoors as well as outdoors. Ask questions! I learned a lot and our guide, a native of the Philippines, was happy to explain things in greater details or repeat facts. Also, your $ 5 tour price can be used towards the purchase of one bottle of wine {I believe the cheapest bottle they had was $ 30CA}. Overall, a lovely experience in a welcoming winery and some delicious wine. At the end of our tour, we stopped by the restaurant (grill) and ordered the poutine, you’ve got to try it when in Canada, and this a great spot for it! Try some bites of the salty, savory goodness while enjoying the view of the vineyards and beautiful architecture of the buildings.

We had a great time here! They have an awesome selection of wines as well as ice wines (which they are known for). We were traveling with our dog and heard this winery was dog friendly. They allow dogs in the piazza area but not in the buildings which was fine but we had to take turns going in to taste wines to not leave our dog alone.
Lunch at the grill was delicious– our group has the oysters, pulled pork, brisket, capers sandwich and poutine. All were great and flavorful! We had purchased a bottle of wine to go with our meals. There is indoor seating, but again because our dog we sat outside on the picnic benches. There are benches located in the vineyard area too!
We made our way inside and for $ 1 each wine tasting unless you purchase a bottle; we had about 3 glasses and purchase a bottled of Reisling. Afterwards we moved over to the Ice Wine area and had a variety flight. Some ice wine bottles cost $ 50 while others over $ 150! They have sets you can purchase as well.
The staff was super friendly and helpful. We enjoyed our lunch outside in the beautiful weather! I recommend this place for anyone and if you are traveling with pets this is definitely the winery to visit!

Ok winery. Better out there in NOTL.

4.5 stars, not quite a full 5 stars because our tour guides Andrew and Erica looked like they hated their jobs… and didn’t want to do the tour. That kind of ruined the mood.
However.
The winery is large and beautiful! They have chairs for you to sit facing the crops, or tables to eat and drink wine at. There’s fresh salads, sandwiches, oysters and grilled items to purchase.
A $ 5 tour gets you a 20 minute tour, $ 5 off any 200mL ice wine purchase, and 3 wine tastings (2 table wine, 1 ice wine). They also have 1 oz tastings of table wine for $ 1, however if you end up purchasing a table wine you don’t pay the $ 1.

I LOVE Inniskillin Icewine and imagine my excitement when my husband told me that the winery was close to Niagara Falls! The first visit, we missed the winery tour but were able to do some icewine tasting. Oh, when we pulled up, I was in heaven! We tasted some icewine and purchased some bottles. The next day, we did the winery tour with our son. We learned so much and I was über envious of their wine cellar. Definitely a must see if you like wine.

The wine educational tour here is outstanding! I have been to vineyards before in Napa and the Okanagan and done tours there but this our was really well planned and talked about more than just the wine but also the history of the area. The market and wine selections are great — there is an awesome outdoor area to sit and enjoy your purchases. I was skeptical that they would be too much about their big name — but it was a very enjoyable stop on our wine trip!

Inniskillin Wines has a 35 year history and has two locations one in Niagara-​on-​the-​Lake, Ontario and the other in Okanagan Valley, British Columbia. Inniskillin Icewine was born in 1984, when then winemaker, Karl Kaiser harvested the first Icewine from Vidal frozen grapes.
Inniskillin is the one Canadian winery I knew about prior to my visit to Niagara-​on-​the-​Lake. I liked that this tasting room was modern and even though packed with people felt more intimate than some of the other wineries. I loved how they had the parking amongst the actual growing vines. The found the tasting room service to be friendly and knowledgeable. They had a separate tasting place for dry wines and Icewines. We were able to taste at both and pay for one bill at the end. I found the dry ones to be OK here, but the Icewines for which they are known were incredible. Some of the best Icewine I have had. I also loved their sparkling ice wine. They had a variety of price ranges for their Icewines, but their 2012 Reisling Icewine which was delicious was also the cheapest, and actually pretty affordable when compared overall. Very much enjoyed my visit here, and loved the outdoor patio with the comfy wooden chairs.

Of all the wineries I visited while in Niagara-​on-​the-​Lake, this was my least favorite.
We arrived pretty late in the day, paid our $ 5/​person for the tour and tasting, and waited for the tour to begin.
Our tour guide was very knowledgeable about both Inniskillin and the wine making process (including ice wine). However, she was reather soft spoken and hard to understand, so I missed most of what she was saying when we were outdoors. The tour didn’t take us too many places — we started outside, then walked a few feet to the outside of a vineyard, then to an ice wine barrel, then downstairs into the wine cellar, then back to the store/​tasting room.
Our guide answered every question that was asked, especially while we were tasting the wine. We tried one white, one red, and one ice wine. I wasn’t too into any of them, and we left without buying any. They did have vouchers for $ 5 any ice wine if you went on the tour, we just didn’t use it.
I think I’d say to skip this winery if visiting the area. There are many other, better ones nearby.

Here for the icewine festival! I was only able to do the icewine tasting and not the regular tasting. Why? Because that sometimes happens.
During the winter it doesn’t seem like the clean their parking area that well, I only noticed that because my girlfriend is in a cast and has to walk around with a knee scooter. That was impossible here so we had to use a walker.
For the icewine festival they had a great 2012 Riesling Icewine paired with a delicious lobster chili. Yum, this was a perfect choice since it was like 12º F. Outside the had a huge truck with a hot tub and an ice bar. In my opinion those are two very cool things.
This winery has a very modern look, and a spacious sitting area. Spacious sitting area are far and few in between the Niagara on the Lake wineries. So it is worthy to mention.

After purchasing a tour of the N-​O-​T-​L wineries from my hotel, I drove out to them with my parents. About 15 minutes from Niagara Falls. Inniskillin was my favorite. The staff was super friendly, patient, helpful and extremely knowledgeable. Quick lessons and tips from the bartender and I was off. Ounce after ounce was pure heaven. Their wine is splendid.
I also arrived around 4:55PM, it was a Friday and they closed at 5:00PM. No rush from the staff to close or kick anyone out. Really great atmosphere. The open space and decorations outside with the wine barrels were very cute. I loved every minute of every sip. Would recommend to anyone. Only winery I ended up purchasing something at.

It’s huge winery with modern tasting room. I assumed there are many international visitors because welcome signs starts with English, French and finishes with Chinese, Korean, Japanese.etc. Tasting bar was small but had private tasting bars on the side. Table wine sample fee is $ 1 per sample and ice wine sample fee is $ 5-​$ 10 per sample depend on which one you choose. 2010 Merlot-​Cabernet and 2010 Shiraz-​Cabernet were smooth and delicious. 2001 oak aged Vidal icewine was great. I bought 2 bottles of wine, they waved our tasting fee.
Wine was tasty but my tasting experience wasn’t that memorable. I saw some other reviewer said «partially unfriendly and inattentive «and I experienced same. Hope they will improve customer service better.