Our story
The grower who didn't believe the winters would win
John Marynissen never set out to open a winery. He was a grape grower who made wine for friends, won a pile of amateur awards, and was eventually talked into it.
In the 1970s the area was switching from juice grapes to wine grapes, and almost everyone planted hardy hybrids. John replanted with European vinifera instead, and in 1978 put in Cabernet Sauvignon. He proved vinifera could survive the Canadian climate, and that Niagara's microclimate could produce outstanding wines. John passed away in 2009 and the family sold the winery in 2012, but his vision lives on in how we make wine: small lots, handcrafted, through a modern lens.
1953The property, with its old pig barn and orchard, is bought by John and Adrianna
1976Chardonnay, Riesling, Gewürztraminer, Merlot and Gamay go in the ground
1978Cabernet Sauvignon, unheard of at the time
1990First commercial vintage; the store opens in 1991
2012New owners, same philosophy
