Wine Country Ontario

#DYK: some wines are aged in oak barrels to develop more complex and balanced flavours and others are aged in stainless steel tanks. This step depends on the grapes used and how the winemaker wants the wine to taste. Aging can last anywhere from a few months to many years!

*Patiently awaiting the time where we can safely return to our regularly scheduled program.* In the meantime, we would love to know, what your favourite Ontario #VQA tasting experience was in 2020 and what experience you're most looking forward to in 2021? : @wine.by.renee

We’ve added a VQA twist to this classic cocktail unwind this weekend with a #VQA Icewine Cosmopolitan! 1oz VQA Vidal or Riesling Icewine 1oz Premium Vodka 1/2oz Grand Marnier... 1 1/2oz Cranberry Juice 1/2oz lime juice Citrus peel for garnish Pour VQA Icewine, vodka, Grand Marnier, cranberry and lime juice into a cocktail shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously, then strain into a chilled martini glass and garnish with a citrus peel.

When paired with savoury dishes, #VQA Icewine shines! Rich, full-flavoured foods stand up to the full-bodied nature of VQA Icewine, while the high acidity of the Icewine cleanses the palate between each bite. Our favourite savoury #VQA Icewine pairing? Go bold with a blue cheese and charcuterie board!

It's all about the grapes To be certified #VQA, the wine must be made from 100% fresh Ontario grown grapes, meaning 0 concentrates. The grapes must also meet a quality standard for their variety, which is measured by natural sugar content in the ripe grape. Who wants to learn more about #VQA standards? ... : @drinkcollab

It’s #WineryWednesday and this week we’re featuring De Simone Vineyard! De Simone Vineyards is a small lot winery producing premium VQA wine. Located on over 40 acres of land, they have 10 acres of grape vines planted and grow 8 varieties 4 reds and 4 whites. At De Simone Vineyards, they’re big fans of Carbonic Maceration, fully berry fermentation, vineyard pre-pruning and drying grape clusters in the vineyard.... Head over to @desimonevineyards for more info and to check out their online shop!

When choosing VQA wines from a Sustainable Winemaking Ontario Certified winery, you’re supporting your local economy, community and a clean environment! Local wines have a smaller carbon footprint and are an integral part of our communities. Now more than ever, it’s crucial to shop local and support our communities. Look for a green leaf icon found on the label of Sustainable Ontario Certified Wines. Tell us, which SWO #VQA are you sipping on tonight?... CaveSpring Cellars Château des Charmes Flat Rock Cellars Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery Hidden Bench Estate Winery Malivoire Wine Pelee Island Winery & Vineyards Inc Pillitteri Estates Winery Reif Estate Winery Southbrook Organic Vineyards Stratus Vineyards Strewn Winery Ontario Craft Wineries Grape Growers of Ontario

Its #WineryWednesday and this week we're featuring @goodearthniagara , who are all about VQA wine...and food! @goodearthniagara started as a cooking school over 2 decades ago and slowly evolved to a winery. Located on over 55 acres (with 10 acres under vine) in Niagara, they have a broad offering of small lot VQA wines. Their two signature wines are Betty's Blend, a Riesling blend, and Big Fork Red, a Cabernet Franc blend, named after their iconic Big Fork!... Make sure to plan a visit the next time you're in Niagara! Have you been to @GoodEarthNiagara before?

With the traditional Taste the Season experience on hold this year, the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake winery members have created a one-of-a-kind Taste the Season at Home experience! These six packs featuring 100% local Ontario VQA wines are perfect for holiday entertaining. You can get these hard-to-find wines delivered straight to your door! Order now at: https://wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com/shop

Looking for holiday inspo? Look no further! Follow this link to check out some gifting recommendations from right here in Wine Country Ontario: https://winecountryontario.ca/event-listings/ Support local this year with #VQAtheHolidays.

Gift that someone special on your list #VQA4theHolidays this year and support local! That way, they can enjoy evenings like this more often If you could describe this pairing in one word, what would it be?

#DYK that every #VQA wine needs to meet the following standards? Wine must be made from 100% fresh Ontario grown grapes no concentrates are permitted Grapes used must meet a quality standard for each variety (measured by natural sugar content in the ripe grapes) No water can be added in the winemaking process... Labels must be truthful and accurately represent the wine in the bottle All wines, except for table wines, sparkling wines and fortified wines must be vintage dated and meet vintage requirements All finished wines are evaluated by an expert taste panel and a laboratory analysis and must meet minimum quality standards before release Look for VQA on the label to make sure you're getting the best of the best!

With the holidays around the corner, the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake are inviting you to celebrate the holiday season at home with hard-to-find wines available only at the wineries, shipped directly to your home! The @niagarawine wineries have put together a one-of-a-kind Taste the Season at Home experience perfect for holiday entertaining. Each gift pack includes a curated selection of six VQA wines and a recipe from a local restaurant chef that has been expertly paired with the wines. You can shop the pack now at: https://wineriesofniagaraonthelake.com/shop

This #WineryWednesday we're featuring @colaneriestatewinery, located in the St. David's Bench in Niagara. @colaneriestatewinery is simply picturesque. The winery's family ties run deep, as each label comes with a story about a family member or different parts of their heritage. The Romanesque-style building sits in the heart of the 25-acre vineyard, amongst the lush vines. But the winery isn't just beautiful - it also produces exceptional and bold wines, specializing in the a...ppassimento, ripasso and recioto styles. If you like wines with BIG flavour, you'll love Colaneri's VQA wines. Is Colaneri on your wine country wishlist? Let us know below

What's your favourite Ontario VQA wine to sip on when you want to relax? This holiday season support local and gift #VQA4theHolidays so that special someone in your life can have the ultimate self-care set-up : @winebythebottle

The start of something beautiful Which #VQA wine comes to mind?

It's #FoodieFriday Pair your favourite Ontario #VQA wine with a slice of delicious pizza! Comment your favourite pairing ... : @dialaskitchen

Happy Thanksgiving! This year we are thankful for your support of Ontario's #VQA wineries What are you most thankful for?... : @theharewineco

There's nothing like supporting local and our favourite way to do it is by sipping on a locally crafted Ontario #VQA wine! Getting a head start on holiday shopping? Support local and gift #VQA4theHolidays! Follow the link for a list of VQA gift packages and promos - there's something for everyone on your list: http://winecountryontario.ca/event-listings/!

DYK: Sustainable Winemaking Ontario Certified Wineries (SWO) are audited annually to ensure that environmentally sustainable practices are adhered to? Certified wineries are audited on environmental, economic and community factors including: water conservation energy efficiencies... recycling, reducing, reusing production of VQA wines & local material sourcing community leadership, social responsibility & being a good neighbour Visit our link in bio for a list of participating wineries and comment below your favourite SWO #VQA wine Cave Spring Cellars Château des Charmes Flat Rock Cellars Henry of Pelham Family Estate Winery Hidden Bench Estate Winery Malivoire Wine Pelee Island Winery & Vineyards Inc Pillitteri Estates Winery Reif Estate Winery Southbrook Organic Vineyards Stratus Vineyards Strewn Winery Ontario Craft Wineries Grape Growers of Ontario

We're enjoying the Thansgiving long weekend and have been sipping some of our favourite Ontario VQA wines Support local and pick up your favourite VQA for all this weekend has in store! What's on your to-taste list? : @thewineoceros

Together, we can rebuild Ontario's food & beverage industry The LCBO has launched a new initiative called Pair It Forward" in which local Ontario VQA wineries share their favourite pairings for their products, and we are able to shine a spotlight on the local farmers, growers, makers, bars and restaurants throughout Ontario You can support and celebrate local too. Follow the @lcbo to get inspired by the ways Ontario businesses Pair It Forward and share your own favour...ite local pairings! #PairItForward : @vinfatuation

It’s #FoodieFriday and this week we’re celebrating Ontario VQA Chardonnay. Chardonnay is the most widely planted white vinifera here in Ontario. It can produce light wines with refreshing acidity and citrus fruit or be gently oaked to create a rich, creamy experience with hints of vanilla and ripe orchard fruits. With this in mind, VQA Chardonnay lends itself well to an array of delicious dishes such as creamy pastas, risotto, roasted poultry or pork, shellfish and snacks like popcorn. We want to know! What are you pairing your Chardonnay with? Comment below

ICYMI: the LCBO has shared their Together for Ontario video. Follow the link to watch an engaging conversation between Marie Cundari, Director, New World & Ontario Wines @LCBO and Paul Speck, President, @HenryofPelham as they explore the Ontario VQA wine industry and how we can support and celebrate local VQA wines and producers! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8riasAOarjU&t=5s

There's no such thing as too much flavour This orecchiette with fresh beans, mushrooms, herbs and parmesan from Cork Screwed TV has it all What Ontario VQA wine would you pair with this dish? #FoodieFriday : Cork Screwed TV

Thankgiving is just around the corner, and we know one thing that you'll be thankful for... Your Ontario VQA wine selection! Be sure to shop local when prepping for the holidays with your favourites

This #WineryWednesday we're featuring @tawsewinery! Tawse is a family-owned, certified organic winery located in the heart of Vineland, on the lower slopes of the #NiagaraEscarpment. The state-of-the-art winery is known for combining traditional winemaking techniques with new technology and has been awarded Canada’s Winery of the Year 4 times since 2010. Tawse is dedicated to producing terroir-driven wines of exceptional elegance, depth and character - hand-picking and sortin...g all of their grapes, resulting in premium wines that a LOT of time, love, and care goes into. Plan a visit to Tawse on your next trip to wine country Have you tried Tawse yet?

Thanksgiving weekend is almost here! Support local and order direct from your favourite #Ontario VQA wineries . Tell us which Ontario VQA wines you're pairing with Thanksgiving dinner in the comments below!

#Harvest2020 is in full swing in Wine Country Ontario. As @cavespringvineyard put it, "this is when the real fun begins ". : @cavespringvineyard

The perfect line up for a Saturday night Share a photo of which #VQA you’re sipping on in the comments : @worebylaur

This month stay tuned on #FoodieFridays for Ontario VQA Wine & Food Pairing 101 where we’ll share tips for pairing Ontario’s signature VQA varieties with food. Ontario’s cool climate wines are especially food-friendly, making a great addition to your table all year round. Check back each Friday over the next 5 weeks for some inspiration and be sure to share what you’re pairing at home using #EmbraceTheTasteofHome. So, to kick things off, why not toast to the weekend with a... charcuterie board? We’ve built this board using locally crafted meats and cheeses and paired it with a #VQA Chardonnay and Cabernet Franc a perfect match for anyone’s taste buds! #EmbraceTheTasteofHome #FoodieFriday

Did you catch our Embrace the Taste of Home giveaway post last week? Enter for your chance to win 1 of 3 limited edition Embrace the Taste of Home prize packs valued at over $200 and join us in celebrating all things local! Harvest 2020 is underway and it’s the perfect time to celebrate Ontario’s bounty. The prize pack contains a selection of hyper-local goods that are homegrown, crafted with care and pair perfectly with Ontario VQA wines! The contest is live from now until October 6. Visit our post from Thursday, September 24 for more details and to enter for your chance to win!