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The wineries: Cattail Creek Estate Winery, Coyote’s Run Estate Winery, Hillebrand Winery, Jackson-Triggs, Joseph’s Estate Wines, Marynissen Estates, Pillitteri Estates Winery, Southbrook Vineyards.
This is the largest of the four Icewine Trails in Niagara-on-the-Lake. It lies below the Escarpment, slightly inland, and stretches into an expansive flat, fertile plain. Red shale soils contain silt and clay, retaining water well. Days are warm, with lots of sunshine, and nights are cool. Conditions are optimal for growing many premium grape varieties.
Cattail Creek Estate Winery has been growing grapes for Icewine and supplying the juice to numerous award-winning wineries for many years. It was only in 2006, when the winery first opened that Cattail Creek decided to produce Icewine under their own label. That first year, the winery produced only a single barrel of Barrel Fermented Vidal Icewine. Fermented and aged in a barrel made from a combination of three oak forests in France, this Icewine is truly a luxurious experience. In 2007, the winery decided to add Cabernet Franc and Riesling Icewines to their Icewine portfolio. Icewine is always available for tasting for $2/sample.
Although Coyote’s Run is one of the newest wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake, its Icewine roots run deep. Winemaker, David Sheppard, spent a large portion of his career at Inniskillin Winery working with co-founder Karl Kaiser for many years making their Icewine. He was even involved in their first Icewine harvest back in the ‘80’s. Coyote’s Run offers year-round Icewine samples of their 2004 Barrel Fermented Icewine and their newest 2006 Riesling Icewine for $2/sample.
Hillebrand Winery is the birthplace of Icewine making in Niagara. In 1983, the winery created the region's very first Icewine and since then, they have produced award-winning Icewine that has brought home medals from several prestigious competitions throughout the world. Hillebrand made the first Icewine ever to come from Niagara-on-the-Lake in 1989. Over the years, their Icewine family has evolved to include Vidal, Riesling and Cabernet Franc.
Jackson-Triggs opened their doors with only two wines in 1993 and quickly became one of Canada’s leading wineries, celebrated around the world. In that same year, Jackson-Triggs launched its exclusive line of VQA Icewines and today their Icewine portfolio has grown to include Vidal, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, and Cabernet Franc varietals. Both the Proprietors’ Reserve and the Proprietors’ Grand Reserve labels distinguish these sweet and aromatic wines. Jackson-Triggs wines have enjoyed consistently high achievements in national and international competitions, including the prestigious trophy for Best Icewine two years in a row at the International Wine and Spirit Competition in London, England.
Joseph Pohorly is one of the first Canadian Icewine pioneers. He initially made Icewine in 1983 for Hillebrand Estates Winery – the winery he founded in 1979 as Newark Estate Wines and he helped launch the Icewine revolution in Canada. At Pohorly’s current winery, Joseph’s Estate, great pride is taken in their Vidal Icewine. This stellar beverage has won numerous national and international awards, including many gold medals, and continues to be one of their flagship products. Both the ’98 & ‘99 VQA Vidal Icewine captured the Grand Champion American Airlines Trophy for the Best Commercial Dessert Wine at the Indy International Wine Competition in Indianapolis, Indiana. More than 3,000 wines from 17 countries were entered in this prestigious competition. Joseph’s next bottling of Icewine will be the vintage of 2000.
Marynissen is a small estate winery boasting some of the oldest vines in Canada and especially noted for Vidal Icewines. Two generations of winemaking excellence combine to craft award-winning VQA Icewines in small quantities from their low-yield vineyards.
Pillitteri Estates Winery is the largest producer of Icewine in the world. Proprietor Gary Pillitteri made his first Icewine in the winter of 1988 and unbeknownst to him, his children entered his Vidal Icewine in an amateur competition where he won gold! And the winning tradition continues. Pillitteri has achieved international acclaim by winning North America’s only medal at the 2005 Effervescents du Monde Wine Competition in addition to receiving their highest honour with a rare Grand Gold for the Vidal Sparkling Icewine. Their Vidal Icewines have received the coveted Civart Trophy, a Grand Gold from VinItaly, and a rare Double Gold Medal from the American Wine Society. Pillitteri Estates Winery has also been innovative in releasing the first Shiraz, Semillon and Sangiovese Icewines.
With a certified organic and biodynamic vineyard and a LEED Gold-certified hospitality building, Southbrook Vineyards has a solid “green” story – even in the winter! Southbrook produces three styles of Icewine – the classic Vidal, as well as a Vidal with the added complexity of barrel fermentation. In addition, they currently have available a Cabernet Franc Icewine that won Gold in the 2009 International Wine Challenge. Currently in production from the 2009 vintage is Canada’s first biodynamic Icewine.
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