Now in its seventh year, VineRoutes recognizes the producers setting the standard for excellence in Ontario wine
Welcome to VineRoutes’ annual ranking of Ontario’s Top 20 Wineries.
Now in its seventh year, the list continues to recognize the wineries that deliver the province’s most complete wine experiences, combining exceptional wine quality with memorable hospitality, strong visitor experiences, compelling portfolios and a demonstrated commitment to excellence. All wineries considered must operate a visitor-facing hospitality space.
Learn more about the criteria involved in helping us decide Ontario’s Top 20 Wineries each year
This year’s edition marks a transition for the Top 20 Wineries series. After six years as a year-end feature, VineRoutes has shifted the announcement to late spring, positioning the list as a guide for wine lovers planning their visits throughout Ontario wine country during the busy tourism season.
Because of the change in timing, the 2026 rankings draw upon winery evaluations conducted over the last two and a half years, including extensive visits made in both 2024 and 2025 and recent assessments completed in early 2026. The VineRoutes panel was able to build upon a strong foundation of recent evaluations, ensuring that this year’s selections continue to reflect the consistent, long-term excellence that has always defined the list.
This year’s result celebrates the diversity of Ontario wine — from internationally acclaimed estates to boutique producers, from Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Benchlands to Prince Edward County.
Here are VineRoutes’ Top 20 Wineries of 2026:
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.
A winery that has steadily built a loyal following through its unconventional approach to winemaking, Big Head earns its first appearance on Ontario’s Top 20 Wineries list. Known for pushing boundaries while remaining committed to quality, the Niagara-on-the-Lake producer offers visitors a tasting experience that feels both educational and approachable. Whether exploring its signature appassimento-inspired wines or more experimental small-lot releases, guests are treated to a portfolio that consistently rewards curiosity and showcases a willingness to challenge convention.
Sustainably focused with a consistent quality track record, their rieslings are some of the best you’ll come across in the country, but that’s not all they’re known for. You’ll find that they also craft some excellent cabernet franc, pinot noir and chardonnay. In addition to their winery tasting room in Jordan Village, their vineyard tasting room is a must-experience, putting you right in the heart of the vines with the Niagara Escarpment as its backdrop. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2020, 2022, and in 2025.
Established by developer Wade Dobbin and guided by veteran viticulturists/winemakers Peter Gamble and Ann Sperling, Dobbin farms a tightly planted, low-yield vineyard on calcium-rich soils, optimized for chardonnay, riesling, pinot noir and cabernet franc. Organic vineyard management and intensive hands-on care produce wines with finesse, depth, and textural complexity. Visitors can enjoy a refined tasting experience — with a view from the estate’s tower over vineyards, the pond and surrounding woodland — underscoring the winery’s ambition to combine place, precision, and hospitality. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2025.
Revered for its Burgundy-inspired wines, Domaine Le Clos Jordanne has redefined pinot noir and chardonnay production in Ontario. Visitors to this estate (established in 2024 at 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. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2024 and 2025.
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.
Nestled along the Niagara Escarpment in Beamsville, Kew Vineyards has quietly established itself as one of the Bench’s most dependable producers. The winery’s intimate scale and relaxed hospitality complement a portfolio that highlights the strengths of Niagara’s cool-climate terroir, particularly through chardonnay, riesling, and pinot noir. Combining strong quality-to-price value with a welcoming visitor experience, Kew’s debut appearance reflects years of consistent excellence both in the vineyard and in the tasting room.
Lailey has roots stretching back to the early commercial plantings of vinifera in Niagara, with some of the region’s oldest pinot noir and chardonnay vines, planted in the 1970s and lovingly maintained across decades. Originally grape growers supplying other producers, the Lailey family gradually evolved into winemakers, embracing a small-batch, artisan approach that balances respect for old vines with modern, thoughtful winemaking. Today, Lailey crafts a range of wines from estate vineyards emphasizing terroir expression, sustainable viticulture, and minimal intervention in the cellar. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2025.
Once a very small operation – husband and wife duo, making their way into the wine business on their own terms – Leaning Post has grown in size since first debuting on this list back in 2020. Their story is an inspiring one, 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 this place. Their (expanding) portfolio features 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.
Arguably the most talked-about “cult” winery in Ontario, Pearl Morissette has built its reputation on a philosophy of minimal intervention, sustainable farming, and a deep commitment to terroir expression. Founded in 2007 by real-estate developer Mel Pearl and Burgundy-trained vigneron François Morissette, the winery draws on European sensibilities to produce wines that are textural, expressive, and often unconventional in the best sense. Beyond the wine, Pearl Morissette offers a full sensory and culinary experience: a rustic-chic black barn, regenerative farm gardens, fish ponds, herb plots and an acclaimed farm-to-table restaurant where menus shift with the seasons and reflect the surrounding land. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2025.
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.
One of the newer names to emerge from Niagara-on-the-Lake, Stone Eagle makes an immediate impression with a polished visitor experience and an ambitious wine program. The estate’s modern facilities provide a striking backdrop for tastings that showcase a portfolio of wines crafted with attention to detail and a clear sense of identity. Its debut on this year’s list recognizes a winery that has quickly established itself as a destination worthy of attention from both casual visitors and dedicated wine enthusiasts.
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.
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. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2024 and 2025.
For 30 years 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. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery from 2020-2024.
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. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2024 and 2025.
Trius Winery is a Canadian winemaking pioneer that has been crafting fine VQA wines from premium grapes for over 40 years. The winery harvests its grapes from four distinct Niagara-on-the-Lake sub-appellations to create distinctive varietals that reflect the region’s unique taste of place. The wine portfolio showcases exceptional sparkling wines, cabernet franc, and iconic blends. The winery’s restaurant, Trius Winery Restaurant, provides an elegant setting to pair these wines with exquisite, locally-inspired dishes. Also voted as a Top 20 Winery in 2023.
A familiar name to many visitors exploring Niagara wine country, Wayne Gretzky Estates earns its first appearance on the Top 20 Wineries list after years of continued investment in both wine quality and the overall guest experience. The sprawling estate successfully blends winery, distillery, and hospitality experiences into a destination that appeals to a broad audience while maintaining a strong commitment to its wine program (our panel especially took notice of the winery’s delicious rosé and sauvignon blanc wines). With an inviting atmosphere, extensive offerings, and a visitor experience unlike any other in the province, Wayne Gretzky Estates has (finally) secured its place among Ontario’s best.
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.
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