As the end of the year rolls around I think back to the year that was and which wineries left me with an impressionable mark. This is not to suggest that these are the only great wineries in the province; they are merely the ones that caught my attention this year.   My list varies in length from year to year as I like to focus on achievements rather than listing a specific number of wineries.

Here is my list for 2024. The wineries are presented in alphabetical order.

Henry of Pelham Family Estate

I was surprised when I checked back to my past lists and found that Henry of Pelham has never appeared until now. It was the top Ontario winery this year at the National Wine Awards.

This six-generation family farm is situated in the Short Hills Bench sub-appellation of the Niagara Peninsula. In 2006, Henry of Pelham was the first vineyard to be certified as local and sustainable by Local Food Plus. They have followed Sustainable Winemaking Ontario’s world-leading standards in their farming practices since 2004. In 2017, they became one of only six Ontario wineries to be certified by the Wine Council of Ontario as following sustainable winemaking practices from vine to table.

This year’s award-winning wines included:

• Henry of Pelham NV Cuvée Catharine Brut Rosé
• Henry of Pelham 2022 Speck Family Reserve Chardonnay
• Henry of Pelham 2023 Pinot Grigio
• Henry of Pelham 2020 Speck Family Reserve Cabernet-Merlot
• Henry of Pelham 2023 Speck Family Reserve Riesling

Peller Estates Niagara-on-the Lake

This is Peller Estates fourth appearance on my Movers and Shakers list in the past five years. This year Peller Estates placed eighth at the National Wine Awards.

The Peller Estates team has operated in Niagara-on-the-Lake, in the heart of the Niagara wine region, as a family-owned Canadian company for four generations. Their winemaker is Katie Dickieson, who has previous work experience in vineyards in New Zealand and France, as well as in Ontario and British Columbia.

Their 2024 award winning wines included:

• Peller Estates 2020 Signature Series Cabernet Sauvignon
• Peller Estates 2022 Signature Series Sauvignon Blanc
• Peller Estates 2021 Signature Series Estate Red
• Peller Estates 2023 Private Reserve Sauvignon Blanc
• Peller Estates 2023 Signature Series Vidal Oak Aged Icewine

The Organized Crime Winery

Organized Crime previously appeared as a Mover and Shaker in 2020. This year it was recognized as the fifth small winery at National Wine Awards.

Organized Crime is a second-generation, family-owned, small boutique winery located on the Beamsville Bench of the Niagara Peninsula.

They farm the land themselves and assist in the winemaking throughout all stages of the process. Their production volumes are very small as they intentionally lean towards the passion side of the business rather than the commercial.

Greg Yemen is Organized Crime’s Consultant Winemaker.

Award winning wines from 2024 included:

• Organized Crime 2022 Sacred Series Cuvée Krystyna Chardonnay
• Organized Crime 2020 Pipe Down
• Organized Crime 2020 Sacred Series Tara Block Pinot Noir Unfiltered
• Organized Crime 2020 Cabernet Franc Unfiltered
• Organized Crime 2023 Riesling

Thirty Bench Wine Makers

Thirty Bench Wine Makers has previously appeared three times on the Movers and Shakers list, last in 2022. This year they were fifth at the National Wine Awards.

Thirty Bench is committed to “Small Lot” winemaking, which means that many of their wines are made in extremely limited numbers. With Riesling vineyards dating back as far as 1980, they are proud to be considered one of Niagara’s first true boutique wineries.

The Thirty Bench Wine Makers portfolio includes a diverse range of award-winning wines across nine varietals.

2024 award winning wines included:

• Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Riesling Wood Post Vineyard
• Thirty Bench 2022 Winemaker’s Blend Cabernet Franc
• Thirty Bench N/V Sparkling Riesling
• Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Chardonnay ‘Extended Barrel Aged’
• Thirty Bench 2021 Small Lot Riesling Triangle Vineyard

Vieni Estates

Placing tenth at this year’s National Wine Awards, this is Vieni Estates first appearance on the Movers and Shakers list.

Vieni Estates brings the passion for wine from Italy and combines it with the love for this Canadian wine region. Located in the rolling hills of the Vinemount Ridge along the Niagara Escarpment, master winemaker Mauro Salvador takes the best of the many varietals grown on the estate to produce a broad range of still wines, ice wines and sparkling wines.

In addition to the many fine wines produced here, Vieni Estates also offers traditional Italian-style grappas and spirits distilled from the many fruits of Ontario.

This year’s award winning wines included:

• Vieni Estates 2022 Cabernet Franc
• Vieni Estates N/V Sparkling Apple Cider
• Vieni Estates 2020 Cabernet Franc Reserve
• Vieni Estates 2020 Aglianico Reserve
• Vieni Estates 2023 Novello Nouveau Gamay Noir

Final Thoughts

The list of award-winning wines includes only a sampling from each winery in order to provide you with an idea of the noteworthy wines each winery produces. It is not an all-inclusive list.

As this is the final post for 2024, I would like to wish you all a safe and happy New Year!

Sláinte mhaith