Joseph's Estate Wines — Attraction in Niagara-on-the-Lake

I've been going to Joseph's Estate Wines ever since I discovered them in 2004. I love the quality of these wines. The fruit wines are truly exceptional and the caliber of the reds and whites are world class. While the staff vary in their level of enthusiasm I've always enjoyed the tastings. The value is incredible. We bought our wines for our wedding last year and the whites and reds were a true hit. Other wineries are bigger and have fancier things like tours and restaurants, but if they don't serve Joseph's wines, you'll wish they did. As I told the owner some years ago now, the difference between his wines and others is that other wines list the flavours of the wine but they don't mention things like kerosene, dirt, all those flavours we know and dislike in wines. His wines list the flavours and those are the flavours. Clean, clear, absolutely drinkable. (The red we got for our wedding breathed like a $40 bottle of fine French. People were smuggling it out and asking for more. Each bottle cost...

Recently had a stop at this winery while on a tour with a group of 6. We were ushered into a room that was clearly a portal back in time to a Legion Hall circa 1986 complete with round tables and puffy chairs. After being condescendingly called “Sweetie” and “honey” by the employee helping us the tasting started. The first wine was offered before our whole group had gotten to the table and we were told it was a white with pineapple that was 13.95. That was it. That was what we were told about the wine. After another white we moved onto red. Every other tasting I have ever been to (and that’s a few) uses a new glass for each wine. Not at Joseph’s. We had to use the same glass (not even offered an option) and asking for a new glass when switching to red was seen as offensive. The whole tasting might have been saved if the wine hadn’t been so terrible. But unfortunately the wine was as bad as the service. The only redeeming quality might have been a Meat Draw to go with the “Legion-esque” experience. Absolutely...

Horrible experience, we went on an amazing wine tour with Niagara Fun Tours and coming to this winery put a damper on an otherwise really great day. The staff was very dismissive and couldn't be bothered to serve us 1 sample, but had no issue giving 2nds to the other people on our tour. While we were standing their getting ignored, other people on the tour ended up offered us their extra samples, since the staff hadn't offered us any. The staff memeber said she didn't know we were part of the tour, even though we all walked in all together and only our bus was there. I didn't want to be over sensitive so I brushed it off but then the same staff member was treating other people of colour on our bus tour the same way, it was sad and uncomfortable to watch and experience. I wouldn't recommend coming here, and certain people should work in tourism positions if they don'tlike all...