Weekend Adventures

IN NIAGARA'S TWENTY VALLEY

Weekend Adventures Don't Get Much Better Than This

Spend a weekend in Niagara’s Twenty Valley region with a visit to a local fruit farm, a winery that features numerous varieties of wine (including Mead), a winery overlooking Lake Ontario and a local’s favourite conservation park.

Weekend Adventures in Niagara's Twenty Valley

Hildreth Farms, Beamsville

Must-haves:

Variety of local produce
In-season pick-your-own fruit (see website for details);

Hildreth Farm Market has been in the Hildreth family for over four generations and is a proud partner and member of OFA, Niagara’s Twenty Valley Tourism and the Niagara Greenbelt. The market is open annually from June to late October, and pick your own is climate dependent (strawberries & cherries) during the months of June and July.

Address: 5529 Greenlane, Beamsville, ON, L0R 1B3

Hildrethfarms.ca

Rosewood Estates Winery, Beamsville

Must-haves:

Estates Honey Meads;
Notorious PTG (80% Gamay Noir + 20% Pinot Noir)
Follow the White Rabbit (91% Chardonnay / 9% Pinot Gris.)
Estate grown Honey & Honey products

At Rosewood our viticulture & winemaking philosophy is very simple – Earth to Bottle.

As farmers of flavours everything we do in the vineyard is in pursuit of great flavour, concentration and balance in the grapes grown. At the same time, we want to ensure we are looking after our little piece of the world. We want our impact on the natural environment and our surroundings to be negligible. This viticulture philosophy leads us to tend to our vines by hand to achieve optimal soil health and vine balance. We use an integrated pest management program, and we move away from or limit chemical inputs wherever possible to protect our vineyard biodiversity, our bees, our neighbours and community.

In the cellar, our philosophy is to do everything we can to allow the flavours of each individual vineyard block show through. Our two estate vineyards are unique to us, and we want to capture the flavours of these vineyards to project their uniqueness through the wines. To achieve this we take a hands off approach in the winery. We practice gentle processing, indigenous yeast (wild) when possible, careful use of oak, and minimal manipulation of the wine. We use a combination of modern technology and traditional old world techniques to help us handcraft premium wines that reflect the terroir.

Sustainable beekeeping has been at the core of the Roman family for three generations. Today this tradition is kept alive by continuing to incorporate innovative and sustainable practices to maintain healthy and productive hives. An multi-tiered IPM strategy is employed to help reduce the impact of natural pests and mites, while specific site selection helps ensure optimal nectar flow. Keeping our bees happy and healthy is our top priority.

Our approach to viticulture, winemaking and beekeeping guides us in our day-to-day operations. At every step, we remember our goal of bottling a product that is unique to Rosewood, and reflective of where it was grown. Through precise and sustainable farming and thoughtful winemaking techniques, we are able to craft distinctive wines that are highly aromatic, full of flavour, intensely concentrated and finely balanced.

Honest low-intervention wine. Innovative mead. Local honey.

Address: 4352 Mountainview Rd, Beamsville, ON L0R 1B2

Rosewoodwine.com

Fielding Estate Winery, Beamsville

Must-haves:

Sauvignon Blanc;
Rosé Cherry Cider;
Visit to Winery for Seasonal Dining & Limited Releases;

Fielding Estate Winery is nestled on Niagara’s Beamsville Bench. The Fielding Family welcomes their guests to hear their story and share in their wine and memories. The Fieldings searched the Niagara Region for the perfect location and came across the cozy Beamsville location with the rolling hills and the awe-inspiring view of Lake Ontario. Their son, Curtis Fielding and his wife Heidi, lead the dynamic team who are passionate about winemaking and Niagara’s wine industry. When Curtis started farming, his goal was to grow the best quality wine grapes to supply the family winery with the crops to make a small batch of high quality wines. The Fieldings continue this practice and are committed to sustainable farming. Richie Roberts, winemaker, joined the team in 2007 and has led the winemaking team to success with innovative and enjoyable wines from the Fielding vineyards.

Address: 4020 Locust Ln, Beamsville, ON L0R 1B2

FieldingWines.com

Ball's Falls Conservation Area, Lincoln

Must-visits:

Waterfalls;
Historical Barn Area;
On-site Bruce Trail Access;

Set within the breathtaking Twenty Valley, Ball’s Falls Conservation Area offers spectacular scenery and natural beauty. Your visit will begin at the Ball’s Falls Centre for Conservation.

Designed and built to have a limited impact on natural resources, this award winning LEED Gold certified facility features permanent and temporary galleries. Visitors will take pleasure in the interactive exhibits and displays focusing on nature, conservation, and culture in the context of the area’s history, the Niagara Escarpment, and the watershed. The centre is opened Monday to Friday 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and offers a variety of programs and special events throughout the year.

As you continue your adventure, you will discover that Ball’s Falls has been lovingly maintained to its early mid 19th century industrial hamlet atmosphere featuring the original Ball family home, an operating flour mill, a lime kiln, a church, black smith shop, carriage shed, and more.

Photographers and nature lovers alike will love the incredibly breathtaking view of the majestic Twenty Mile Creek as it plummets over both the upper and lower falls. The falls tumble delightfully over high cliffs and can be viewed at close proximity from above or below. The character of the falls changes dramatically with the seasons, ranging from a raging torrent in the spring to a thin veil in late summer. Wind up your visit with a hike or stroll along the Cataract Trail aside the banks of Twenty Mile Creek with easy access to the Bruce Trail.

Address: 3292 Sixth Ave, Lincoln, ON L0R 1S0

Npca.ca/parks/balls-falls