The story behind the Niagara College Teaching Winery
This is Canada's first commercial teaching winery, opened at Niagara College in the early 2000s. It exists so students in the college's winemaking and viticulture program can learn the trade by actually making and selling wine.
The vineyards sit on the Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, and the wines are real VQA bottlings you can buy, not classroom exercises.
Student-made, seriously good
Students do the hands-on work across the vineyard and the cellar, guided by professional winemakers, including graduates of the program who came back to teach. The wines split into a premium Dean's List tier and an easygoing Balance range.
The results speak for themselves. Student-made wines here have won real awards against commercial wineries, including Platinum at the National Wine Awards of Canada and gold at the Decanter World Wine Awards.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Niagara College Teaching Winery known for?
It is Canada's first commercial teaching winery, where students make the wine under professional winemakers. Its Dean's List and Balance wines have won serious awards, including Platinum at the National Wine Awards of Canada.
Do students really make the wine?
Yes. Students in the college's winemaking and viticulture program do the hands-on work in the vineyard and cellar, guided by professional winemakers. The wines are sold commercially and have beaten established wineries at national and international competitions.
Where is the Niagara College Teaching Winery?
On Niagara College's Niagara-on-the-Lake campus, at the base of the Niagara Escarpment. The college farms its own vineyards there, and the wines are made and sold on site.
