Reif Estate Winery

Reif Estate Winery is one of the foundational estates of the Niagara wine region, operating since the early 1980s on 125 acres of vineyards along the Niagara Parkway south of town. The winery is known for its Riesling, Vidal ice wine, and Cabernet Franc — grapes that benefit from the long growing season and the moderating effect of Lake Ontario.

Tastings are available daily at the winery shop. The vineyard walk is pleasant in summer and autumn when the vines are full. Ice wine tastings are offered year-round; the full process — including harvest, freezing, and pressing — happens in January and February. Reif is within easy cycling distance from the town centre, about 4km south along the Parkway.

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A story
The Reif family brought wine-growing expertise from the Rhine Valley in Germany, where they had been winegrowers for thirteen generations. When Ewald Reif emigrated to Niagara in 1977, he planted vinifera varietals at a time when most Ontario winemakers still relied on native hybrid grapes. The gamble that classic European varietals could thrive on the Niagara bench paid off and helped shift the entire regional industry.