Pillitteri Winery Wins Food Exporter Award
Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Wine Style: Ice-wine
Average Price: $$
Overall Rating: 94 points
Toured winery: September 2011
Article Updated: November 12, 2018
By Sean Overpeck (CFE)
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Pillitteri Zomato rating:
Pillitteri Winery Owners:
Winemaker:
Aleksandar Kolundzic
Pillitteri Winery is nestled away just outside the historic city of Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario in the heart of Niagara Wine country where 25 wineries are located and are ranked as Canada’s #1 Food & Wine Destination by TripAdvisor. Pillitteri Estates Winery, the world’s largest producer of VQA (Vintners Quality Alliance) certified Icewine. The Vintners Quality Alliance - VQA is Ontario’s Wine Authority, and regulatory agency responsible for maintaining the integrity of local wine appellations and enforcing winemaking and labeling standards. VQA Ontario does not represent the wine industry in Ontario and is not a marketing agency.
Pillitteri Winery was founded in 1993 and currently exports its wines to 32 countries and produce 45,000 cases of Ice-wine each year, which makes up 45 percent of the winery’s production and 80 percent of its exports. They have received over 800 awards worldwide for their wines, and can now add the Ontario Food Exporter Award, which recognizes the winery’s efforts in Ontario’s agri-food industry and economy. In 2010, they came in second place for the same award, so this is a triumph for the winemaker. Ontario food and wine exports increased to $10.8 billion in 2012, a jump of more than $900 million compared to 2011, and Pillitteri helped with the achievement of that record-setting goal. Charlie Pillitteri, CEO of Pillitteri Winery who started his business in 1993 as a family owned and operated business situated on 130 acres of vineyards quoted, “It is an honour to be recognized with the Ontario Food Exporter Award, and I want to thank the Ontario government for its support of the province’s agri-food industry.”
"In order to support our exporting sales, we have focused specific departments to deal with different markets. From developing a new brand for a customer to sending a Pillitteri team member to a trade show in another country... there's always something exciting going on at the winery," says Lucy Pillitteri-Friesen, CMO.
Winemaker Aleksandar Kolundzic joined the Pillitteri team at the beginning of the 2010 harvest and has 20 years of experience and expertise in winemaking. Previously, he has worked with Vincor Canada as a VQA Winemaker and previous to that with Hillebrand Winery as a Lab and Cellar Technician. He received his Bachelor of Science at the University of Zagreb, Croatia and his Honors Bachelor of Science in Biotechnology at Brock University.
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| Pillitteri Winery / Kathleen Wynne presenting the award to Charlie Pillitteri |
I originally heard about Pillitteri wines when I booked a tour with Niagara Vintage Wine Tours to which Pillitteri was one of several wineries on the list to visit. I purchased several bottles, to include a bottle of 2008 Sparkling Cabernet Icewine, which won the Gold - First Overall in Competition at the Effervescents Du Monde, France 2009 (pictured below). The worst part was, I put it in my suitcases with my other wine purchases, and flew back to the United States. When I unpacked, I had a friendly note from the TSA (Transportation Safety Administration) saying that they had searched my bags, and two bottles of wine were missing, to include the Cabernet. The best part of the tour is the wine cellar itself, and make sure you ask about the concrete table and why the twenty-three chairs to the table are attached to the wall. You will hear a very interesting story. The city of Niagara-on-the-Lake also has many restaurants and other sights to see beyond the wineries.
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| Pillitteri Winery / Sparkling Cabernet Ice-wine |
Final notes, review basics, and observations:
*** NOTE TO THE READER ***
Most reviews are subjective, depending on the writer; but they should also be responsible, and respectfully written, upholding the truth, and accurately conveying the experience to the best of the writer's knowledge, even if it includes metaphors the restaurant may not like to read about.
To see more details of this rating list, read this article:
I refer to myself as an oenophile though, oenophilia is defined as “a disciplined devotion to wine, accompanying strict traditions of consumption and appreciation.” In a general sense, oenophilia also refers to the enjoyment of wine, often by a layman — which I am, and not qualified as a professional. I just enjoy drinking it, so my rating is based on enjoyment and the overall experience, not the science of an expert, and thus subjective, not objective. See the score factors outlined in the ‘about page’ to learn more.
Wine regulatory’s for the tastings in this article:
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.” - David Auerbach
Canada:
Ontario Province
Other Canadian wines, winery (Château’s), or food articles on Wine Dine and Play:
Canadian cuisine and wine vary widely depending on the regions of the nation. The three earliest cuisines of Canada have English, Scottish and French roots all reflecting on the seasons and the melting pot of immigrants and migrants. Bacon and maple syrup are two staples in their cookery.
HobNob Restaurant French and Canadian cuisine at The Charles Hotel, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario, Canada
Watermark Restaurant Elegant seasonal continental cuisine in the Hilton, Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary”
A Few New World Favorites:
Blackbird Vineyards Wine Tasting An ultra-premium terroir in Napa, California
De Trafford Winery Elevation 393 tasting in Stellenbosch, South Africa
FOCUS Wines A blend of Napa/Sonoma with a percentage donated to a children's foundation. Cape May, New Jersey
Napa - A Sip and Taste in Wine County A 3-day tour of wineries and fine dining restaurants
Yarra Yering Winemakers of the year by James Halliday famous battle named blocks in Gruyere, Yarra Valley
Some Old World Favorites:
Bordeaux - A Sip and Taste Wine tours and restaurants in Bordeaux, France
Château Mont-Redon A Châteauneuf-du-Pape producer in the Côtes du Rhône, France
Clos de Vougeot The vineyard of Cistercian monks at the Cîteaux Abbey in Burgundy, France
Jordan River Wines The Haddad Family Vineyards, and a 2000 year history of wine, Amman, Jordan
See the whole list by visiting “The Wine Dine and Play Article Glossary by country”
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Pillitteri Winery:
1696 Niagara Stone Road
Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON
L0S 1J0, Canada
Tasting Room Information:
Website:
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Tasting room:
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+1 905-468-3147
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Email:
Website contact:
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Tasting Room hours:
Canadian Eastern Standard Time
(GMT, Zulu, or UTC - 5:00)
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Monday - Sunday:
11:00 am - 5:00 pm
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Social Media
And
Accolades for Pillitteri Winery:
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The worlds best restaurants is a subjective list of who is writing it and changes on a regular basis. The Wine Dine and Play best experiences are based on my highest rated stared restaurants, meaning that the visit was an outstanding or extraordinary experience. From cafés, chains, mom + pops, hole in the walls, to fine dining including a few Michelin spots. Visit the Top 100 page to see the entire list.
A few to tease you with…
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Eclectic & innovative gastropub using molecular gastronomy
Tampa, Florida, USA
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Seasonally inspired continental European fare
Atlanta, Georgia, USA
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High-end bistro with modern New Zealand cuisine
Christchurch, New Zealand
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Other Pillitteri Winery Pictures:
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| Pillitteri Winery / Ontario Food Exporter Award |
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| Pillitteri Winery / Wine Cellar |
“In wine there is wisdom, in beer there is the strength, in the water there are bacteria.”
- David Auerbach
Who is John Galt?
TTFN
