General Information
Inniskillin has a proud history as one of Canada's first estate wineries and is a significant winery in the Niagara Region. Located in lush vineyards near the Niagara River, visitors can tour the vineyards and cellars, shop at the boutique or try some of the award-winning wines at the tasting bar. Private events and specialized tours can be booked through the winery.
It is the stuff of pure Niagara legend: The tale of the unlikely odd couple that went on to become the founding fathers of the Canadian wine industry. Karl Kaiser, the studious, Austrian-born chemist, and Donald Ziraldo, the young Italian Canadian agricultural graduate, both grew up with wine at the family dinner table. On July 31, 1975, Inniskillin Wines incorporated and its founders Karl J. Kaiser and Donald J.P. Ziraldo were granted the first winery license in Ontario since prohibition.
Inniskillins founders are also major supporters of wine research. Brock University's Inniskillin Hall in St. Catharines, houses the Cool Climate Oenology and Viticulture Institute (CCOVI), named in their honour. As new generations of Canadian winemakers graduate, its widely-acknowledged that the achievements of Inniskillins founders are integrally linked to the burgeoning success of Canada's wine industry.