Maleta Estate Winery

The only difference between Champagne and the finest Sparkling White Wines made in Niagara-on-the-Lake, is geography. Only sparkling whites produced in the Champagne region of France can carry the ‘Champagne’ designation, but when the grapes and climate are the same the winemaking process is the same, and the quality is outstanding, what is in a name? Maleta Winery would argue – nothing.

Specializing in the production of award-winning Sparkling White Wines from Riesling, Maleta Winery places an emphasis on traditional methods. The vines are bunch and leaf-thinned throughout the season to produce low, but exquisite yields. Hand picked fruit is pressed immediately on site and the juice is a living snapshot of the freshness of the vine. This emphasis on quality over quantity allows for painstaking management and careful stewardship of the wines as they progress.

The emphasis at this small, country-style winery is not on grand architecture or cutting-edge production technique, but rather to the crafting of wines using basic, old-world methods.  Great wines after all, come from great vineyards and not from great buildings. Maleta Winery affords visitors a relaxed, charming counterpoint to some of the larger wineries in Niagara-on-the-Lake, while offering wines for tasting that are stellar expressions of the quality of terroir. Enjoy a glass of bubbly on the vineyard patio or peruse Maleta’s cellar-aged Reds and oak-aged Icewines in the Winery Boutique.

Tutored tour and tasting experiences are available and December’s Disgorge Event lets visitors disgorge a riddled case of their own Sparkling White, which involves adding dosage, corking and packaging the wine. The wine is then custom-labelled with the guest’s name and disgorge date, making it a one of a kind keepsake. The Disgorge event features dinner, select Maleta wines and a demonstration in the art of sabrage (the art of opening a bottle of Sparkling Wine with a sabre).

Fun, entertaining and educational experiences are the goal at Maleta and visitors are welcome to interact with the owners and winemakers. No question is the wrong question and Maleta offers a no pressure venue, away from the large crowds, where visitors can enhance their wine and winemaking knowledge.

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