Announcing the Top 20 Wineries of 2024! Standouts from diverse regions throughout the province, determined by our editorial team’s visit experiences, and celebrated for their exceptional wines
Each year, the VineRoutes editorial team tastes hundreds of Ontario-made wines through a mix of scheduled visits and spontaneous drop-ins. From these experiences, the team curates its annual list of the Top 20 Wineries, determined through a preferential ballot.
Learn more about the criteria involved in helping us decide Ontario’s Top 20 Wineries each year
This is the fifth annual such edition, and for the fourth consecutive year, our list features wineries from Ontario’s three designated VQA wine regions: the Niagara Peninsula, Prince Edward County, and Lake Erie North Shore. These wineries are celebrated not only for their outstanding wine portfolios but also for their exceptional hospitality and unique visitor experiences.
Join us in celebrating this year’s top wineries and their incredible achievements!
Listed in alphabetical order, the Top 20 Wineries in Ontario are:
Since 1998, 13th Street Winery has continued to establish itself as one of the top small producers in the province, winning praise for many of its small lot, estate grown table and sparkling wines. The winery has become an experiential visit for its customers, offering a popular bakery boutique and art gallery in addition to its full-service tasting bar. Pop-up events are a regular occurrence during spring, summer and fall months, utilizing the larger outdoor space surrounding the winery. Voted as a Top 20 Winery since 2022.
Situated in the heart of Niagara-on-the-Lake, AMO Estate Winery is a boutique operation that celebrates the art of small-lot winemaking. Focused on crafting premium wines that highlight Niagara’s unique terroir, AMO specializes in varietals like cabernet franc, pinot noir, and chardonnay. Visitors are treated to a personalized tasting experience in their intimate, scenic setting, making every visit memorable. This is AMO’s first appearance on the Top 20 Wineries list.
Experts in crafting premium chardonnay, pinot noir, and pinot gris, they’ve helped put Prince Edward County on the map for wine lovers and casual tourists. An early advocate for sustainable practices, Closson Chase crafts fine wines that reflect each individual vintage, capturing the distinct qualities imparted by the soil and climatic variations of the year. Their penchant for producing quality, terroir driven wines match their focus on the customer experience. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
Revered for its Burgundy-inspired wines, Domaine Le Clos Jordanne has redefined pinot noir and chardonnay production in Ontario. Visitors to this newly established estate (the former home of Angel’s Gate Winery) are invited to indulge in a complete winery experience that includes guided tours, engaging tastings, and a retail boutique featuring their award-winning wines. It’s all designed to provide a welcoming and educational environment. The terrace, offering stunning views of wine country, is a beautiful setting to enjoy a glass of wine paired with Burgundian-inspired hors d’oeuvres.
As a certified sustainable Ontario winery, the strategy at Flat Rock Cellars is to combine sustainable, quality-driven vineyard management practices with proven traditional winemaking techniques and an uncompromising commitment to quality and innovation. Utilizing their 5–level gravity flow design, their wine can be crafted using the gentlest of processes from picking of the grapes through to the filling of the barrels. Their ‘Gravity’ Pinot Noir is a true standout and testament to their process. Voted as a Top 20 Winery since 2021.
An artisanal, terroir-focused winery dedicated to crafting premium wines solely from their own sustainably operated and certified organic estate vineyards. Whether single vineyard or estate blends, the wines produced here have a very distinct and pronounced complexity and character which bear a sense of place and time. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
The first vegan certified winery in the world is situated on a historic loyalist property. People don’t just come here for the wine, they come to experience the barn (originally built in 1805), the dry-stone bridge and the intimate live concerts (with vegan food and wine, of course) that act as the perfect escape. The winery tends to have a wider array of offerings, consisting of interesting single varietals and eclectic blends that showcase both the style and image of the winery. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
A small operation – husband and wife duo, making their way into the wine business on their own terms. It’s an inspiring story, the type that defines the spirit of entrepreneurship. So many wineries are started this way, yet so few are able to produce as exceptional a product as these two are. Their portfolio continues to expand, featuring more wines made with grapes from other neighbouring Niagara vineyards, in addition to their own estate property, situated in Winona, Ontario. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
A winery that has become a base for innovation, creativity and eco-centric sustainability. Always a pleasure to visit, taste and speak with the many helpful and knowledgeable service representatives, this is a place that clearly has principles and the initiative to succeed. One of the best quality-to-price-ratio wineries in the province. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
North 42 Degrees Estate Winery
A 17-acre vineyard, winery and Bistro producing award winning wines from their own estate-grown grapes in Essex County, Ontario. Husband and wife owners Martin Gorski and Suzanne Dajczak, along with the entire North 42 team are truly welcoming, inviting guests to not only taste their wines, but to experience the natural beauty of their surroundings, their culinary team’s delicious creations, and warm southern (Ontario) hospitality. They offer an authentic winery experience where you can personally engage with the owners, learn about their history, the viticultural practices and winemaking techniques. Standout wines here include their Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve – the best in the region? – and their lineup of rieslings. Voted as a Top 20 Winery since 2021.
Nestled in the heart of Niagara wine country, Ravine Vineyard is a charming family-owned estate best known for producing exceptional cool-climate wines and world class farm-to-table dining. It’s a place steeped in history, family legacy and agricultural heritage. Situated in the heart of St. Davids, their charming and historical fifth-generation family property offers a unique escape from the everyday hustle and bustle while being conveniently located only minutes from the QEW. With a commitment to organic practices, the farm-to-table restaurant, set in a historic farmhouse, complements the experience with locally sourced delights. Voted as a Top 20 Winery since 2023.
Founded in 2001 by grape grower and winemaker Dan Sullivan, Rosehall Run has been at the forefront of Prince Edward County winemaking and is noticeably among a select few wineries that can be considered a cut above in terms of quality. Producing consistent, elegant and approachable pinot noirs, chardonnays and sparkling wines as well as innovations with unique varietals. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
A leader in organic and biodynamic viticulture, Southbrook Vineyards in Niagara-on-the-Lake is celebrated for its commitment to sustainability and environmental stewardship. Known for its exceptional rieslings, chardonnays, and cabernet-based blends, Southbrook crafts wines that express the purity of their origins. The LEED®-certified winery also offers an immersive visitor experience, blending wine education with tastings in a serene setting. A perennial favourite, Southbrook continues to set benchmarks for quality and innovation. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2020, 2021, and in 2022.
This is a winery built for modern day winemaking, guided by ingenuity and gravity, all with the smallest possible environmental impact kept in mind. Stratus’ signature wines are much more than just a representation of this adaptable state-of-the-art LEED® certified facility; they are wines that rediscover the noble tradition of assemblage – the art of combining several grape varieties to create a single wine. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
Inspired by a love for Burgundy and dedicated to producing terroir-driven wines of exceptional elegance, depth and character, Tawse’s portfolio is one of the most diverse in the province. The application of rigorous organic methods to every aspect of production, from grape-growing to winemaking, results in wines with year-over-year consistency and excellent quality-to-price-ratio. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
Housed in a beautifully restored barn, this is one of Prince Edward County’s pioneering wineries, combining rustic charm with a renewed sense of pride. With its full-scale rejuvenation, The Grange of Prince Edward has once again established itself as a premier wine destination, celebrated for its picturesque property, food, events, and most importantly, exceptional terroir-driven wines. This is the winery’s first appearance on the Top 20 list.
For over 25 years now, Thirty Bench has firmly placed itself among some of Canada’s finest wineries. A boutique-style operation that’s committed to quality ‘small lot’ winemaking, every wine is limited quantity and very special in its representation of place and time. Originally built on producing world-class riesling wines, the portfolio has expanded to include a diverse range of award-winning wines across nine varietals, all made with an artisanal approach at the hands of winemaker Emma Garner. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
A hidden gem in Prince Edward County, Three Dog Winery is renowned for its welcoming, relaxed atmosphere and its range of approachable wines, including crowd-pleasing pinot gris and baco noir. The winery prides itself on being dog-friendly and community-focused, hosting events that bring locals and visitors together. With expansive outdoor seating and trails for exploration, Three Dog offers more than just delicious wine; it’s a destination for connection and discovery. This is the winery’s first appearance on the Top 20 list.
Located in the heart of the Niagara River sub-appellation, this is one of Ontario’s most spectacular estate properties – complete with sweeping vineyard views of the 130-acre property. The winery’s elegant tasting room, fine dining restaurant and stunning patio complete the standout visit experience, but there’s something that needs to be said about their wines as well. From complex, full-bodied reds, to elegant terroir-driven whites, everything done here is with class in mind. A heightened experience. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
Located within the picturesque Vinemount Ridge VQA appellation in Jordan, this family-owned winery is housed in a 200-year-old lovingly restored Mennonite barn and pays homage to the unique terroir it rests on. The gorgeous views are usually enough to draw people in, but it’s the wines and friendly hospitality that keep them coming back. With a specialty in pinot noir and chardonnay, wines produced here are a full expression of terroir, made to reflect a belief in a sense of place and implement low yield, low intervention practices. Voted as a Top 20 Winery each year since 2020.
Announcing a list of wineries, which we feel as a team represent Ontario’s best, holds true to our vision of independently evaluating and highlighting wine tasting experiences from all around the province. Through this innovative review, we aim to encourage an exploration of our local wine industry, whilst learning about the passionate work of often previously unheralded wine makers.
