Wine Touring Tips Wanted: Ontario

Hope forumites can help me here.
I'll be in Ontario for two or three days and would like to visit some wineries. Found there are several regions: Niagara Escarpment and Twenty Valley, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Lake Erie North Shore. The reason for going to Ontario is to visit Niagara Falls but as there are wineries nearby, may as well make a vinous diversion.
I know the Inniskillin wines and have tasted another ice wine. But I understand the region does much more.
So I'm looking for reccos for visits and need to get some idea of tasting fees and whether they charge by the glass or for a 'discovery flight'. The latter would be my preference.
I will be hiring a car.

so you are going to the falls. the nearest place is niagara on the lake aka NOTL. no use going any further. voted prettiest town in canada, eh. if you like professional theatre, the shaw festival there is supposed to be as good as it gets in north america - i agree. inniskelin and ch. des charmes are the oldest - and good - both in new homes - charmes gaudy. cayote run and ravines new and good. Coloneri is distinctive - using dried grapes for nearly all their wines. actually very very good stuff there. drive the parkway from the falls to NOTL - lovely stuff. i'd go to one play at least - i usually do 4 or 5. dinner at peller or stone road grill - res. a must. the other regions are various distances away and nothing so superior you need to wast e the time. lake erie is 4 hours away. others much closer but no real advantage. from the prince of wales hotel, drive north to the mouth of the river - terrific view. hug the shoreline west past the golf course to the little park for a picnic. lovely place. one of my favorite places in NA.

Hi David, I will look up those wineries you mentioned. I see Coyotes Run uses screwcaps. Big tick in my book.
We have resigned to getting a rental car so will be driving from Toronto airport and driving to the Falls via the Escarpment, Twenty Valley and NOTL. We plan to drive the entire parkway and after the falls head to Windsor hence the question about the Lake Erie North Shore.

Flat Rock Cellars also bottles under screwcap. I've been there a few times and like their wines. Organized Crime is a fun winery. Megalomaniac is fascinating, as most of the winery is underground. I also like Vineland. http://winecountryontario.ca/

In the Jordan area, I'd recommend Cave Spring (great rieslings in particular, nice sparkling too), Thirty Bench (ditto), Vineland Estate (ditto again) and Henry of Pelham (you guessed it, especially riesling and a nice sparkling). All make nice dessert wines too. Tawse are also solid on a range of wines.

In the Niagara on the Lake area, I'd recommend visiting Southbrook, and Stratus. Coyote Run is nice too.

Allt these recommendations are related to wine quality, not cellar door experience.

Don't have high expectations in terms of wine quality. Frankly, they can't hold a candle to any of the NZ wine regions, in my opinion. But I hasten to add there are some very good wines - the overall quality is lacking. Put another way, you have to kiss a few frogs to find a prince... Whites are usually the best bet.

Put another way, you have to kiss a few frogs to find a prince...

I have been warned. Thanks for your input John, Much appreciated.

Lailey Vineyard is a small operation on the Niagara Parkway just outside NOTL. We have had good luck with their reds.