Megalomaniac Winery | Buy Wines Online in Canada

Original in product, bold in flavours, and audacious in branding, Megalomaniac crafts wines of distinction—but with a touch of sass. Owned and operated by John Howard, Megalomaniac started out in 2007 as a single vintage and the Niagara based winery has rapidly grown into a 40,000 case operation. With 110-acres resting on top of the Niagara Escarpment, Megalomaniac provides outstanding views making the winery a must-see attraction for both locals and tourists.

Proudly Canadian

3930 Cherry Ave., Vineland, ON

905-562-5155 retail@megalomaniacwine.com

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The story behind Megalomaniac

Megalomaniac is the tongue-in-cheek project of John Howard, who started it in 2007 as a hilltop winery on the Twenty Mile Bench above Vineland. The full name, John Howard Cellars of Distinction, is part of the joke.

So are the wines. Bottles named Narcissist and Sonofabitch set the tone, wrapped in slick black-and-white labels that lean into the ego gag.

Big views, big personality

Under the humour is a serious hilltop estate. Megalomaniac grows Riesling, Pinot Noir, Chardonnay, and Bordeaux reds on the Twenty Mile Bench, with winemaker Sebastien Jacquey, a Burgundy native, guiding the cellar.

The setup is unusual, too. John Howard dug an 8,000-square-foot barrel cellar 22 feet under the vineyard, and for years the whole winery ran out of that cool underground space before the above-ground building went up.

Frequently asked questions

What is Megalomaniac known for?

Megalomaniac is known for its cheeky branding, with wines like Narcissist Riesling and Sonofabitch Pinot Noir, and for its hilltop Twenty Mile Bench estate. Behind the jokes are well-made Niagara wines and a dramatic underground cellar.

What is with the wine names?

The whole brand plays on ego and excess, so the wines carry names like Narcissist and Sonofabitch. Sonofabitch Pinot Noir nods to how notoriously hard Pinot is to grow. The humour is the hook, and the wine backs it up.

Where is Megalomaniac?

On a hilltop on the Twenty Mile Bench near Vineland, in the Niagara Escarpment. The high site gives long views over the region, and a barrel cellar sits 22 feet below the vines.