On our last vacation, about two weeks ago to Niagara, we had the pleasure of being invited to Château des Charmes, a gorgeous winery in Niagara’s wine country.
Michelle Bosc and I had been chatting on Twitter for sometime so when the opportunity finally arose that we could meet, she was generous enough to offer a private tour of the family’s winery.
Knowing this wouldn’t be the kids’ most favourite thing to do, we planned a tour that included some outside time on the grounds for the kids to run, and some inside to learn about how their wine is made.
What struck us most was their commitment to sustainability, green energy, and old world wine making. Wine in barrels are hand stirred, and their sparkling wine is as authentic to Champagne as you likely can get.
The grounds are beautiful, lush and large. Since 1978, Château des Charmes has been leading the way in the wine industry and putting Canada on the map. There are even grape varieties that are exclusive to their winery.
After a quick tasting, we had to part ways but this part of our trip was a really special one. I love supporting the Canadian wine industry, but when I have the chance to hear the stories and see the care that is put into this business, it has a whole new meaning.
Thank you Michelle for the tour and kindness. We had a wonderful time.
Find Michelle on Twitter at @MBosc
And visit the winery website for places where their wine is sold.
Any why did I call it a palace in the title? Because upon seeing it, that’s what my son thought it looked like. So all day he called it the Palace.
My husband and I have enjoyed Chateaux des Charmes wines for many years.
Oops, I hit submit comment before I was finished (and before I corrected my spelling!). I was just going to say that when I lived in the city, there used to be a lovely Château des Charmes wine store right downtown Ottawa. It was so nice to go there as there were so many more wines available at their own store of course than what was available at the LCBO. I’m assuming the store is still there.