Best cellars

best cellars by Emma Dykstra

Ontario breweries and wineries GET TO KNOW

From the grape growing regions of Niagara to Prince Edward County and as far north as here in Ottawa, passionate growers are creating excellent wines in Ontario. There is something very special about enjoying a glass that was produced so close to home.

Turning to beer, the last decade has seen Ottawan’s embracing the local suds. Ottawa is hopping with craft breweries. More than simply a place for a pint, Ottawa’s craft breweries are cultural hubs for arts, music, entertainment and some pretty great food.

Here are just a few Ontario wineries and breweries to check out. Look for them online, at your local retailer, or better still, take a drive and visit them in person.

Kin

1KIN Vineyards

Nestled along the Carp Ridge by the Carp River lies KIN Vineyards, a special place with much to offer. They are the most northern vineyard in Ontario that is producing true vinifera pinot noir and chardonnay, and all of their practices are organic and successfully biodynamic. Visitors can walk among the vines while listening to a wine expert tell all about the process in a beautiful setting and even sample a whole flight of wines.

2225 Craig's Side Road, Carp, ON kinvineyards.com

Owners Lorraine Mastersmith and Shawn McEwan

Lowertown Brewery 2 The Byward Market’s first brewery, located right in the heart of the market, features a fully functioning brewery and open-concept kitchen, replete with a smoker and chicken rotisserie to meet all of your hunger needs. Through historic beers, paired beers and snacks, visitors can expect a place full of innovative drinks and a historic setting. You won't want to miss what they’re brewing next. 73 York Street, Ottawa, ON lowertownbrewery.ca

Whitewater Brewery Co 3

Whitewater Brewery has a true commitment to producing high quality products. They support local business, and almost every ingredient that goes into their product is Canadian. The combination of well-brewed beer, locally sourced food and positive atmosphere gives the staff and visitors to their pubs a reason to smile. They have a wide variety of beers that can be purchased at the brewery, The Beer Store, LCBO, licensed grocery stores, and on tap all over Ontario.

22 Fletcher Road, Foresters Falls, ON whitewaterbeer.ca

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Traynor Family Vineyards is a great destinations in Prince Edward County. Visitors to the vineyard see exactly how the wine is made while sampling some of the best drinks in the vineyard’s cozy tasting bar, and even talk to the people behind the wine. The tasting experience is accompanied by wine and chocolate pairings from local chocolatiers. The newly renovated bar includes a warm fire place that’s always on the go along with a gorgeous wood interior.

1774 Danforth Road, Hillier, ON traynorvineyard.com

Traynor Family Vineyard

(RE)COLLECTING THE GROUP OF SEVEN A CENTENNIAL CELEBRATION

January 18, 2020 to January 10, 2021

A new installation of artworks that celebrates the centennial of the Group of Seven, featuring highlights from the Firestone Collection of Canadian Art.

Broken Stone Winery 5

Broken Stone Winery is a small family owned winery located in the heart of the beautiful Prince Edward County. Founded in 2013, owners Tim and Micheline Kuepfer are dedicated to providing some of the tastiest wine, their specialties being in pinot noir and cool climate vinifera grapes. ”Our family is involved in all levels” Tim promises. “We’re not just throwing money at it and having other people do our dream for us, we’re doing it. We have the dirty hands and knees to prove it”.

524 Closson Road, Hillier ON brokenstonewinery.com

PHOTO: COSMO CONDINA

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“The best wine is the wine you share with the best company and the best meal to create a great memory!”, says Bill Redelmeier of Southbrook Vineyards. The pursuit of great wine has shown Southbrook the importance of organic and biodynamic viticulture, and to prove it, they produce top notch wines. Visitors to the vineyard can attend The Grand Tasting which involves relaxing in their beautiful Oak Room as you enjoy a guided tasting of three samples of their Estate and Single Vineyard wines.

581 Niagara Stone Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON southbrook.com

Southbrook Organic Vineyards

Southbrook co-owner Bill Redelmeier (RIGHT)

THE ART OF

Nicole Allen Naturally beautiful

As I walk up the steps of the old Standard Bread Company building at 951 Gladstone Avenue, I wonder if I’ve come to the right place. The only reason I press the bell for the third floor buzzer is the sign above the door marking The Loft Art Studios and the note telling me to be patient to give time for the artists to race down from the third floor to welcome visitors. Within moments artist Nicole Allen meets me at the door in jeans and a long sleeve shirt spattered in paint. I’ve definitely come to the right place.

Allen’s studio is bright, spacious and covered in art and painting supplies. She has been a part of the collective of 18 different artists who have their studios at The Loft for seven years. Prior to that she was painting at home but as her business grew, she found that she needed a separate space to let her creativity blossom. “My work got bigger and my art started taking on a life of its own,” she says. “Having a space like this is a game changer.”

which turned into Art in the Park,” she says. “It just grew and grew and grew.”

Allen now shows her work at art shows across Ontario as well as in galleries in Ottawa, Toronto and Oakville. She is inspired by nature and is often drawn to florals which allow her the opportunity to play with colour, form and composition. “I’ve always been drawn to a certain style that was somewhat representational but also loose and gestural,” she says. “It’s hard to express artistically but it is not about just painting a pretty vase of flowers.”

Allen has been focusing on florals for the past four years but also enjoys painting landscapes and small birds. She does small paintings of birds for art shows and open houses which sell at a lower price point than some of her larger, more intricate work. “They’re fun and very whimsical,” she says.

taught her to appreciate art at a young age. After taking art all through high school she decided to make what she thought was the practical choice and take art history at Queens University. “I didn’t really believe I could make a living as an artist,” she remembers.

After travelling and working in the museum sector for a while she and her husband decided to settle in Ottawa and No hard feelings, 6" x 6", A star is born, 6" x 6", Golden opportunity, 6" x 6"

raise a family. Her art fell by the wayside while she was raising young children but once they got older, she felt the urge to paint again. She started taking night classes at the Ottawa School of Art while also going back to school at Algonquin for museum studies. “I was thinking I would paint and work in the museum sector because I thought that was a more practical approach,” she says. “I was still holding on to the idea that I couldn’t paint full-time.”

Allen did contract work in the collections department at the Canadian War Museum for about a year while taking classes and painting in her spare time. She says she fell into showing her art by fluke when she was asked to contribute some paintings to a school fundraiser. “That turned into a collective show in the neighbourhood As someone who never thought she could make a career as an artist Allen is trilled that she gets to come to work every day and do something she loves. She says joining the community at The Loft has been wonderful for her creative process and she values being around other talented artists every day. “The value of having my own space and being a part of a community is huge,” she says.

Allen says she knows she is on the right path when she sees the joy that her paintings bring to other people. “When I hear that somebody is happy when they look at my work then I know that I am doing the right thing,” she says. “I only wish I could have figured it out sooner.” n