June 17-19 & 24-26
Your Discovery Pass entitles you to 6 wine and culinary experiences designed by winemakers and chefs to celebrate the flavours of summer in Niagara, redeemable at 18 participating wineries across the Niagara Benchlands and Niagara-on-the-Lake over two weekends!
Reservations for Discovery Pass experiences are highly recommended, as some wineries do not accept walk-ins on event weekends. A valid Discovery Pass must be presented to participate in the tastings on event day. Your reservation link will be sent with your ticket confirmation email.
Raise a glass and celebrate summer! Our winery partners have carefully crafted delectable wine and food pairings that showcase the best of the season.
Our award-winning off-dry Riesling offers a luscious mouthfeel with refreshing acidity, and pairs perfectly with the crispy vegetarian samosa, delicately decorated with a mixture of spicy Italian Bomba and Tabasco sauce. Vegetarian.
2019 Off-Dry Riesling
Antipastos
Fielding Estate Winery
Richie Roberts, Winemaker
4020 Locust Lane
Beamsville
Burst into summer with our 2021 Sauvignon Blanc, our most sought after seasonal white, paired with our freshly whipped hummus, crispy breads & spices olives.
2021 Sauvignon Blanc (alternate 2020 Red Conception)
Selma Lopes, Resident Chef at Fielding
Flat Rock Cellars
Allison Findlay, Winemaker
2727 Seventh Avenue
Jordan
Chefs Ricky & Olivia have crafted the perfect pairing for Flat Rock’s 96 Point Foudnation Riesling - a wood-oven roasted Ontario pork croquette with house made apple butter and topped with pickled mustard seeds. You won’t want to miss this one!
Flat Rock Riesling
Ricky & Olivia
Kacaba Vineyards &Winery
Vadim Chelekhov, Winemaker
3550 King Street
Vineland
Kacaba's Cabernet Franc, big and brawny with expressive fruit flavours and a spicy backbone, perfectly paired with Chef Steve's LOADED meatballs with zesty marinara, parmesan cream and quick pickled vegetables. Give your taste buds the ol’ one-two punch with this blockbuster pairing!
2017 Signature Series, Cabernet Franc
Zooma Caters
King’s Court Estate Winery
Josef Zimmermann, Winemaker
2083 Seventh Street Louth
St. Catharines
Enjoy the palate sensation of our 2017 Sauvignon Blanc alongside the refreshing pairing of Mexican mango bruschetta topped with tangy feta cheese.
2017 Sauvignon Blanc
MJ Ingribelli
Konzelmann Estate Winery
Eric Pearson, Winemaker
1096 Lakeshore Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Nothing says Summer like our award-winning Pinot Blanc perfectly paired with a crispy Thai Chicken Spring Roll.
Pinot Blanc
Lakeview Wine Co.
Scott McGregor & Jessica Wallace, Winemaker
1067 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Sparkling wine-soaked strawberry shortcake homemade by Chef Burse topped with fresh whipping cream. Paired with Fresh Sparkling Rose.
Fresh Sparkling Rose
Chef Josh Burse from Creekside Estate Winery
Magnotta Winery
Marco Zamuner, Winemaker
4701 Ontario Street
Beamsville
Venture out and taste some of Canada’s largest collection of philanthropic VQA wines paired with the perfect summer taco! Our 2018 Venture Cabernet Sauvignon and 2019 Venture Sauvignon Blanc will not disappoint! $10 without a Discovery Pass.
2018 Cabernet Sauvignon Venture Series VQA, 2019 Sauvignon Blanc Venture Series VQA
Chile and Agave
Marynissen Estates
Mitchell McCurdy, Winemaker
1208 Concession 1 Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Join us at Marynissen for the ultimate sunny day pairing! Enjoy Greek Chicken with home made Tzatziki, paired with our 2017 Platinum Series Sauvignon Blanc!
2017 Platinum Series Sauvignon Blanc
Gyros On The Lake
Niagara College Teaching Winery
Gavin Robertson, Winemaker
135 Taylor Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Fresh, fruit forward, and flavourful summer wines paired with a delightful summer delicacy. Enjoy our Riesling Gewurztraminer blend as well as the Gamay Noir wines with Lobster and Peach salad and Crispy Slaw on crunchy tortilla cups.
2017 Balance Riesling Gewurztraminer and 2018 Balance Gamay Noir
Chef Oscar Turchi | Savoia
Palatine Hills Estate Winery
John Neufeld Jr., Winemaker
911 Lakeshore Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Pulled BBQ Chicken Tacos and Pulled Jackfruit Tacos paired with Lakeshore White 2018 100% Riesling. Sweet and Spicy make your taste buds dance!
Lakeshore White 2018 Riesling
James Cuttriss
Peller Estates Winery
Katie Dickieson , Winemaker
290 John Street East
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Visit Chef Jason Parsons and his culinary brigade at Peller Estates for a refreshing dessert pairing: Chardonnay Ginger Peaches with Crunchy Granola and Lemon Balm Ice Cream paired with Private Reserve Chardonnay. Stay a while at our newly re-opened Terrace Wine Bar for a meal, cocktail or glass of wine on the patio.
Private Reserve Chardonnay
Chef Jason Parsons
Pillitteri Estates Winery
Alex Kolundzic, Winemaker
1696 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Enjoy our light and airy summer chicken salad with local homegrown cherries picked right from our family farm. The accompanying Vidal Light low alcohol, low calorie, white wine, provides a crisp and floral addition to the salads sweet and savory character.
2020 Market Collection Vidal Light
BarrelHead Wine Pizza Patio @Pillitteri
Rockway Vineyards
Simone Ardiel, Winemaker
3290 Ninth Street
St. Catharines
Nothing says summer like our deliciously aromatic off-dry 2020 Gewürztraminer, paired with Tempura Shrimp on a fresh bed of Thai Mango Slaw, with pickled chilis and a Ginger Lime Drizzle. It’s Thai-Tastic!
2021 Pinot Gris
Matt McDowell
Sue-Ann Staff Estate Winery
Sue-Ann Staff, Winemaker
3210 Staff Avenue
Jordan
Kick off this spring with an inspiration! Enjoy our zippy and dry Fancy Farm Girl Foxy Pink pairing with a fresh and crispy Panzanella Salad topped with a crunchy garlic crouton and succulent fresh cheese expertly prepared onsite by The Yellow Pear. Come for the pairing, stay for the ambiance. Vegan option available.
2020 Fancy Farm Girl Foxy Pink
Yellow Pear
Trius Winery
Craig MacDonald, Winemaker
1249 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Visit Trius Winery for a sweet treat from Chef Frank Dodd. Enjoy fresh Ontario Strawberries with a pistachio cookie and sea buckthorn cheesecake drizzled with balsamic syrup paired with Trius Rosé. Before your arrival, visit myWineCountry.com to reserve a spot on #TheTriusTour, the most Instagrammable winery tour in Niagara!
Trius Rosé
Chef Frank Dodd
Vineland Estates Winery
Brian Schmidt, Winemaker
3620 Moyer Road
Vineland
Take in the beautiful vistas of the Bench while your tastebuds dance! Indulge in chilled jumbo shrimp served with a cucumber & kohlrabi salad drizzled with a sesame miso vinaigrette, crispy wontons and a smoked pepper aioli. A perfect pairing with our 2019 Hand-Crafted Dry Riesling.
2019 Hand-Crafted Dry Riesling
Chef George Ward, Vineland Estates Restaurant
Wayne Gretzky Estates
Craig McDonald, Winemaker
1219 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake
Stop in at Wayne Gretzky Estates for a delicious apricot tarte served with local brie cheese and a honey glaze. Paired with The Great One’s personal favourite sipper, the Founders Pinot Grigio. Head over to Trius Winery, just a 2 minute walk next door, for your next pairing!
Founders Pinot Grigio
Whether you’re a seasoned Discovery Pass professional or a first-timer, here are some tips to help you get the most out of your tour in Niagara.
Your Discovery Pass entitles you to six (6) wine and culinary pairings. You can choose from 18 participating wineries across Niagara-on-the-Lake and the Niagara Benchlands (Niagara West).
Your Discovery Pass is valid for the full weekend, so use the Discovery Pass map to plan a route that leaves you plenty of time to relax and enjoy your experience. Better yet, plan one day in Niagara-on-the-Lake and another in the Niagara Benchlands to get a full taste of Niagara.
It is highly recommended that you reserve your tasting experience in advance (some wineries will only welcome guests with reservations. You will be asked to select which day, and if you'll be tasting between 11am-2pm or 2pm-5pm (not a specific appointment time). You will also receive an emailed itinerary and option to add your tastings into your calendar.
After you’ve sipped and savoured the Discovery Pass pairings, give yourself some time to experience the distinct features of each winery. Spend some time sampling new releases at the tasting bar, take a stroll through the vineyards, or snap some pictures of you and your friends enjoying your Discovery Pass in the snow-covered vines!
No problem! You can easily purchase another Discovery Pass via the Festival website – your e-ticket will arrive in your inbox instantly.
You’re going to love several of the wines that you taste as you make your way through your Discovery Pass, so pick up an empty case from a participating winery and store your purchased wine easily in your vehicle.
Discovery Pass tickets are $49 +HST each and include 6 wine and food pairings at participating wineries. Driver's Discovery Pass tickets are $39 +HST and include 6 culinary pairings with a non-alcoholic beverage at participating wineries.
Your Discovery Pass ticket is valid for the weekend you have selected – either June 17-19 or June 24-26. Wineries are open for the Discovery Pass from 11am – 5pm daily (unless noted in their description)
The Discovery Pass includes six VQA wine tastings with culinary pairings. The Driver’s Pass includes six non-alcoholic cocktails with culinary pairings.
Yes, you can! Each Discovery Pass includes 6 tasting tickets – which means 6 food and wine pairings total. You can divide them up however you'd like – just ask the winery staff to scan your QR code for as many tastings as you’d like to use.
Most wineries have a vegetarian option. Review the Wine & Food pairings and look for notations of vegetarian or vegetarian options, then plan your route!
Please contact gabby@niagarawinefestival.com no less than 48 hours prior to the event start date.
Contact gabby@niagarawinefestival.com for assistance.
Please review the Discovery Pass Listings to see which wineries will welcome groups of 9 or more guests. All groups will require advance reservations.
Tickets are final sale. Refunds will only be issued for extraordinary circumstances, or upon request if the province mandates another shut-down due to COVID-19. Registration/ticket processing fees are not refundable. Event is rain or shine - refunds will not be issued for weather.
Participating wineries operate in accordance with current Ontario and regional protocols. At current, masks and proof of vaccination are not required, however this policy is subject to change based on guidelines and local ordinances as the event approaches. COVID safety protocols are in place at winery locations, including sanitization and outdoor tasting spaces. By purchasing ticket(s) you acknowledge that you are in compliance with current provincial mandates.