In 1965 Enrico Barisél purchased a parcel of land in Canelli, a commune of the province of Asti, in Northern Italy’s Piedmont region. Over the next 20 years, he committed to restoring the vines and winery to produce his first wines in 1985. The 8-hectare property is ideal for viticulture, with a hilly terrain, calcareous soil and excellent sun exposure. Today the winery is led by Enrico’s son Franco, who maintains the quality of his wines through yield management and grape sorting at harvest. No chemical fertilizers or insecticides are used in the vineyard.

Cascina Barisél produces a range of wines from Barbera, Moscato, Dolcetto and Favorita, in addition to traditional method sparkling wines from Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.

Divergence is a collection of small-batch, single-vineyard wines crafted by award-winning Ontario winemaker Jeff Moote. Jeff’s engineering background becomes evident with wines that reflect his precision and attention to detail. With quality at the heart of every decision, each bottle expresses the unique origin of its hand-harvested fruit. The portfolio could be considered classic but certainly not mainstream. The wines are engaging and layered with flavour and texture, highlighting the potential for excellence in Niagara.

The tradition of making wine in the Nizza family dates to 1957 when brothers Sandro and Alfredo first established the family winery in the hills of Santo Stefano Roero, Piedmont. In this dry continental climate, ideal for grape growing, the vineyards are planted with Arneis, Nebbiolo, Barbera and Birbèt on soils of sand, clay, limestone and humus. Today the domain is led by Sandro’s son Silvano, who combines tradition and innovation to realize his winemaking philosophy, “Quality is a choice.”

Osvaldo Barberis is an organic wine producer located in Dogliani, a high-quality appellation of Piedmont in Northern Italy. Osvaldo represents the third generation of his family to make estate-grown wine from their 11 ha of densely planted vines. Established in 1950, most of the property’s vineyards are dedicated to Dolchetto, the flagship variety of the region; however, Barberis also grows small parcels of Nebbiolo, Barbera, Pinot Nero and Nascetta. The fruit is grown without the use of chemical fertilizers or pesticides and is picked by hand during harvest. To achieve optimal expression in the glass,the Osvaldo Barberis wines are left unfiltered.

While the Staff family have been growing grapes in Niagara, Ontario, for 125 years, Sue-Ann was the first to become a winemaker. In 1996, she graduated with a degree in Oenology from Roseworthy College, University of Adelaide in South Australia. During her illustrious career, Sue-Ann has received over 450 awards, including being named the first female and the youngest Winemaker of the Year at the Ontario Wine Awards. She has also been selected two times as one of the world’s top four “Women in Wine” by the International Wine and Spirits Awards of London, England.

Located within the Twenty Mile Bench and Vinemount Ridge sub-appellations of the Niagara Peninsula, the Sue-Ann Staff vineyards grow a wide range of grape varieties, including Riesling, Cabernet Franc, Pinot Gris, Baco Noir and Vidal. Sue-Ann’s portfolio highlights the depth of her winemaking experience, offering a diverse range of wine styles, including red, white and rosé wine, sparkling wine, and icewine.

If you have a chance to visit the Jordan-based winery for a wine tasting or to attend one of Sue-Ann’s many much-loved events, be sure to say hi to Brix Bravo, Sue-Ann’s Bernese Mountain Dog, the property’s mascot and “Director of Barketing.”

Zoppi Cristina is an organic winery located in the heart of Monferrato in Northern Italy’s Piedmont region. The property’s 30 hectares of land, protected by surrounding woods and framed by walking paths, are divided equally among vines and hazelnut trees. Wildlife, from ladybugs to wild boar, is encouraged on the farm. The owners, Cristina and Ezio, take several measures, such as limiting production, reducing mechanical processing, lowering yields through pruning and the use of natural fertilizer to increase the quality of their wine. The Zoppi Cristina portfolio consists of Barbera d’Asti, Grignolino d’Asti, Ruché di Castagnole Monferrato and Monferrato Nebbiolo.