Page 39 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to Canada

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THE PRAIRIES
CRAFTY TIPPLES
While the Prairies are not known for their
wines—the climate just isn’t suitable—the
craft brewery business is booming and spirits
are on the rise.
Capital K Distillery, Manitoba’s first craft
distillery, started with Tall Grass Vodka and
has since added Tall Grass Gin, Tall Grass
Oaked Rhumb, Tall Grass Dill Pickle Vodka
and others to its lineup (www.capitalk
distillery.com).
Saskatoon, in Saskatchewan, has two great
distilleries. Black Fox Farm and Distillery
makes truly fabulous gins, whiskies and
liqueurs made largely from local grains, fruits
and botanicals. Their Cucumber Gin won
Gold and the Haskap Gin won Masters at the
2020 Gin Masters Awards in London, England
(www.blackfoxfarmanddistillery.com).
Lucky Bastard Distillers makes whisky in
very small batches—often single barrels
yielding only about 300 bottles of whisky—
from local ingredients along with some
unusual-flavoured vodkas such as Vanilla
Espresso Vodka and Dill Pickle Vodka
(www.luckybastard.ca).
Alberta also has a flourishing craft beer
scene. Canadian Craft Tours offers a Calgary
Brewery Tour that takes in three from
Eighty-Eight Brewing, Paddy’s BBQ & Brewery,
Village Brewing, Bow River Brewing and
Common Crown Brewing, among others
(www.canadiancrafttours.ca/products/
calgary-brewery-tour). Eau Claire
Distillery, a farm-to-glass operation in
Turner Valley, produces its spirits—
including the province’s first single malt
whisky—from local Alberta grain
(www.eauclairedistillery.ca).
ONTARIO
A CENTRE OF WINE FESTIVALS
AND ICEWINE
Ontario is the largest wine grape producing
province in Canada, with over 6,880 ha
(17,000 acres) of vines and more than 180
wineries. The Niagara Peninsula is the
largest Canadian wine appellation, with 10
additional sub-appellations, encompassing
more than 100 wineries. The wine route
starts less than an hour from downtown
Toronto (www.winecountryontario.ca). In
Niagara-on-the-Lake, signature events which
take place on weekends include Chocolate &
Cheese in April, Sip and Sizzle in May and Taste
the Season in November (www.wineries
ofniagaraonthelake.com).
Canada’s largest wine festival, the annual
Niagara Grape and Wine, takes place in
September at wineries and other locations
throughout Niagara. The Summer Series
takes place in June with a tailgate party and
brunch by the lake (www.niagarawine
festival.com).
Icewine, made from frozen-on-the-vine
grapes, is an iconic Canadian wine often
touted as Canada’s greatest liquid luxury.
Niagara’s Icewine Festival offers wine lovers,
cocktail fans and foodies fabulous winter
experiences. Held over two weekends in
January, there are gala dinners, music.
icewine tasting menus, fireside samplings
and lots of icewine poured at the outdoor
street festival in the town of Niagara-on-
the-Lake.
Wayne Gretzky Estates is part of a small
but burgeoning distillery scene that also
includes Niagara Falls Craft Distillers,
Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville
CAPE D’OR LIGHTHOUSE • NS TOURISM/SCOTT MUNN
and Forty Creek Whisky in Grimsby. In winter
visitors can skate on The Great One's
Backyard Rink at WG Estates (www.gretzky
estateswines.com/on).
Prince Edward County, Ontario’s newest
wine appellation, has been touted as one of
Canada’s top tourist destinations. The area’s
allure in the past had been its giant sand
dunes, quaint towns and nature trails. It has
grown into an important wine region with
over 35 wineries and cideries; some, such as
Huff Estate, with excellent accommodation
and dining (www.princeedwardcount
wine.ca).
A visit to Essex Pelee Island Coast (EPIC)
Wine Country could mean meandering along
the shoreline to sample the wares of a dozen
or so wineries, lunch or dinner at a winery and
an overnight stay in a unique B&B (www.epic
wineries.com). Take a Wine Trail Ride for
both exercise and cool sipping (www.wind
soreats.com/places/wine-trail-ride).