Ontario's vineyards hug the Lake Ontario shoreline.

Harvest season conjures visions of workers busy in the fields reaping summer’s rewards under vibrant blue autumn skies. Then production begins and festivities soon follow—eating, drinking and celebrating until the first frosty breeze pushes us into the cold winter. It is carpe diem season.

If you ever hoped to be a part of the harvest, your time is now. Sitting directly across the border in southern Ontario is a wine region which has grown in leaps and bounds in the past decade, and can now be counted as a major player in the international scene. If you have previously discounted the northern vineyards as a place for sweet, cloying wine, head over to discover how much more is now offered. The region is blessed with the climate-moderating effect of Lake Ontario, and the geological fallout presents a landscape rich with slate, loam and clay. Both of these factors are perfect for influencing character in the grape. Many wineries have been experimenting with various varietals, but most are falling into a groove with what works best in this cool climate. Here you will not find juicy, jammy wines like those in California, but instead a more finessed and elegant Old World style, wonderful alongside fine cuisine and powerful in their own way. Some wineries are continuing their success with the Riesling grape, while others are doing wonders with Chardonnays, cabernet franc and pinot noir.

The wineries themselves are spectacular in scope, showing world-class architectural design and using the best technology. There are impressive multi-million dollar facilities alongside charming farmhouse wineries. Major money from government and private investors has been pouring in. It could be described as Canada’s Napa Valley, where the growth and quality are hand in hand.

When vineyard talent thrives, the retail and culinary scene flourishes as well. In towns such as Niagara-on-the-Lake and Jordan, artists show their work, renowned chefs man vineyard kitchens and retail stores sell food products from the surrounding area. Cherries, peaches and various fruit trees line small roads, acre upon acre. All in all, it creates a pastoral and picturesque scene. Many times throughout the year I head up to Christmas shop, take in a play, have a picnic on the gorge or enjoy a beautifully prepared meal. Now as autumn approaches the season is lined with fun events and great vineyards to explore.

Head across the Lewiston Bridge and follow the Niagara Parkway toward Niagara-on-the-Lake. The vineyards run all the way up the coast of Lake Ontario toward Toronto. The stretch between Niagara-on-the-Lake and Vineland is chock full of exciting wineries. Right before reaching town you will see Inniskillin Winery on the left. Here they concentrate on the riesling grape, producing award-winning ice wines. Inniskillin is one of the largest wineries in Canada and Ontario’s first estate winery, its name synomous with quality and recognized worldwide. The knowledgable staff will lead you through the unique process of making ice wine and allow you to sample at the ice wine bar.

Just down the street is the unassuming Marynisson Estates Winery. The oldest plantings of cabernet sauvignon are here, dating from 1978. John Marynisson arrived from Holland in the 1950s and by the 1970s was one of the first to plant vinifera vines in the area. They concentrate on the reds—cabernet, cabernet franc and merlot—but their Chardonnay has won various awards. The second generation is in charge now, and when you visit you, too, will feel like family.

Closer to town is the majestic, chateau-like Peller Estates. Andrew Peller, a Hungarian immigrant, started producing wine 40 years ago in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia. Through three generations this winery has grown exponentially, producing Chardonnay and Riesling as well as cabernet, cabernet franc and merlot. They conduct daily wine tasting events, including interesting wine and food pairings and monthly Barrel Cellar dinners. The winery’s regional cuisine restaurant, under the guidance of Chef Jason Parsons, Barrel Cellar, was recently rated “extraordinary” by Zagat readers.

Now the modern, state-of-the-art wineries. On Mississauga Road, both Jackson-Triggs and Stratus Winery are impressive architectural structures. Jackson-Triggs sports a modern glass design, which houses a wine retail shop, banquet facility and impressive tasting room. Enter through the three-story sliding glass entranceway and then out again to the vineyards and outdoor amphitheater, which hosts live music events. Jackson-Triggs produces a large variety of wine, so samplings satisfy most palates.

Winemaking at Stratus is led by J-L Groux, from the Loire Valley in France. J-L has been honored as “Ontario Winemaker of the Year.” His talents are focused in the progressive facility, which is environmentally sustainable and has a true gravity flow system. They produce limited quantity, exceptional quality wines. I was most impressed with their flagship Stratus Red, a blend of cabernet franc, cabernet sauvignon, gamay, malbec, merlot, petit verdot and syrah. Check out @stratus, a distinctive food and wine experience.

Two wineries bordering the lake are Konzelmann and Strewn. Konzelmann is a charming older winery producing lovely fresh, aromatic whites as well as enticing reds. A multigenerational winemaking family, Friedrich Konzelmann started producing in Germany in 1893. His great grandson worked at the German winery since the 1950s and then relocated to Canada and established Konzelmann Winery in 1984. It is still one of the friendliest experiences in the area. Strewn Winery offers a regional culinary center featuring a kitchen classroom and casual fine dining restaurant. Sample their premium VQA wines in their spacious tasting room, then sign up for a cooking class.

As you head north, there are many other places to explore, but two are not to be missed. Cave Spring Cellars was founded in 1986 by grape grower Leonard Pennachetti and wine maker Angelo Pavan. A family-owned winery, Cave Spring offers wonderful, first-rate wines from mature vinifera vines, capturing the essence of the Bench area. The winery, inn and restaurant are located in the heart of Jordan village. The Inn on the Twenty makes for an excellent getaway, complete with a memorable meal in the elegant restaurant.

Tawse Winery offers top-notch Burgundian modeled chardonnay and pinot noir. Hand-harvested and gravity-fed grapes are carefully handled, producing handcrafted wines of exceptional character. The tasting bar overlooks the unique six-level gravity open concept winemaking facility.

This is just an overview of the wineries in the Niagara Peninsula. There are many unique stops, making this area valuable and rich with possibilities. In the upcoming season, many events have been planned to make a fun-filled getaway. September 21-30 the Niagara Wine Festival offers hundreds of events through the towns, and wineries. The parade that kicks off the festival is the largest in Canada. Throughout September, Chateau des Charmes Winery will be hosting both the “Niagara Farm to Table” with Chef Frank Dodd and the Smooth Jazz Concert series with optional lunch with top Canadian chefs. At Rockaway Glen Winery “Uncorked and Unplugged” is a live entertainment series. Information for events, wine trail maps and winery Web sites can be found at www.winesofontario.org.