Colaneri Estate Winery

The moment you lay eyes on Colaneri Estate Winery you realize in an instant that it is a truly special place.  Located in the heart of the St. David’s Bench sub-appellation, the almost impossibly grand building is sprawled out in the lush Colaneri family vineyards.  Built in the Romanesque style, the winery is an exceptionally unique point of interest in Niagara-on-the-Lake, as there are no other wineries, nay, buildings, made in this style in the region.  The winery is a large semi-circle, representing a ‘C’ for the Colaneri name and also to allow guests the finest panoramic view of Niagara-on-the-Lake wine country, stretching from the Niagara Escarpment to Lake Ontario.  

Owned and operated exclusively by the Colaneri family, Colaneri Estate Winery opened its doors to the public in 2010.  It is a testament to the Colaneri family legacy, both in Niagara-on-the-Lake and in their homeland of Frosolone, Italy, where the rather enchanting story of how this winery came to be begins.  When Joseph Colaneri set eyes on Maria it was love.  They soon wed and had two sons, Mike and Nick.  The possibilities of the new world beckoned and in 1967 the family moved to Canada, eventually acquiring a 40-acre vineyard, which ‘Ma and Pa’ Colaneri lovingly tended to.  The boys married sisters, Angie and Betty, they had children and they all settled in the vineyard, the place that would eventually house the winery that would be dedicated to the Colaneri family and ancestors.

The wines made by Colaneri are indeed a testament to La Famiglia, the driving force of the Colaneri family.  Each of the Colaneri family members has had the opportunity to select a wine varietal that they would like to be represented by.  The label for each Colaneri wine is designed to precisely suit the family member it represents.  Already award-winning, the quality of the VQA wines crafted here is impeccable.  Winemaker Andrej Lipinski ensures that only the finest fruit is handpicked before being made into wine of varying styles.  Appassimento is the most commonly made style of wine by Colaneri, but wines are also crafted in the Ripasso, Amarone and Recioto styles as well.  At this moment, the wine portfolio of Colaneri is made up of an impeccable collection of very limited availability wines.  At this time it is a rare treat to see a Colaneri wine outside of the walls of the winery.  When you taste a Colaneri wine you like, it is always advisable to buy it then. 

Speaking of tasting, currently Colaneri Estate Winery is offering tastings in the stunning tasting room daily.  The charge is also waived if you purchase a bottle.  Interestingly, the tasting area overlooks the winemaking production facility.  No, this is not a design flaw.  The intent is for the Colaneri Estate Winery visitor to have a distinct tasting experience, one where they observe what goes into the crafting of the very wine they are enjoying.  There could be no more true a way to experience the terroir of a wine.

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