Niagara Falls had two wineries that opened in 1890, Brights on Dorchester Road and the Stamford Park Winery, on Stanley Avenue. Stamford Park, founded by the Marsh family, changed names a number of times, but was best known for the years it was Chateau-Gai Wines.
Chateau-Gai was the only Canadian winery using a French sparkling-wine technique, known as the "methode Charmat".They invented the "Canada Cooler", a popular sparkling wine beverage , and pioneered the somewhat controversial concept of packaging wine in plastic bags held within cardboard boxes. At one point they held 18% of the Canadian wine market, with favourites like "Alpenweiss", "L' Ambiance", and "Capistro".
In the late 1980s, Chateau-Gai became "Cartire Wines & Beverages", then "Cartier - Inniskillen Vintners Incorporated". All the brands became part of "Vincor International" in 1994.
Most of the buildings at the former winery have since been demolished. This site has since been occupied by Great Lakes MSR Lumber Limited, Allen's Landscape Supply, and Advantage Restaurant Supplies. Ontario Power Generation now occupies the large Chateau-Gai factory building on the east side of Stanley Avenue.
Niagara Falls Public Library. 2017. Niagara Falls - Then & Now: A Photographic Journey Through The Years. Chateau-Gai Wines/Ontario Power Company
Niagara Falls Then and Now
A collaborative project
Niagara Falls Museums - Niagara Falls Public Library - Dept. of Geography and Tourism Studies,Brock University.
Original newspaper series by
Sherman Zavitz, Official Historian for the City of Niagara Falls from 1994 - 2019.
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