Pillitteri Estates Winery — Restaurant in Niagara-on-the-Lake

We had a great start with Employee 1 who quite quickly realized that we needed help almost as soon as we walked in. After purchasing a few bottles, we realized that we wanted to exchange one of the bottles for a different one, which was $5.00 cheaper. This is where our experience took a 180 degree turn and became ugly.

Another employee, Employee 2, assisted with the exchange and refund of the $5.00. During the exchange process, Employee 2 was EXTREMELY RUDE AND CONDESCENDING when dealing with us, and when SHE made a mistake processing the refund, SHE BLAMED US and said we didn’t explain it properly.

It was a simple exchange of one bottle for another. Between the initial purchase and our decision to exchange, we hadn’t even left the counter. When we requested the exchange, the bottle we were returning was still on the counter. Baffling how she could have misunderstood the exchange.

Employee 2 also treated Employee 1 in a rude and condescending manner, then walked away in a huff. No apology. No acknowledgment of her bad behaviour. We were stunned to be treated this way and walked out without a word, at first. After a brief discussion, we decided that this should not be left unaddressed and went back to ask for her name, because any employee, and Employee 2 is a Team Lead, apparently, should know better than to treat customers and fellow staff so disrespectfully.

Employee 2’s behaviour was boorish and does not belong in any respectable establishment that deals face to face with customers. Surprised to learn that she’s even a Team Lead, unless this is reflective of the type of business that this winery espouses.

If Employee 1 had not been so lovely and pleasant to deal with, we would have returned all the bottles purchased and walked away. But her work ethic and stellar treatment from the moment we walked in deserves praise and recognition.

NB: Original review was removed, due to doxxing the staff involved. Revised review to...

We were out on our motorcycles and toured to this winery on June 15,2024. Went the pick up one of their market collection cab- merlots which we had tried at a restaurant in another area. The gentlemen at the front desk were beyond welcoming and helpful when we asked for the wine and explained they sell that particular line of wine at country markets. Good to know ! However while there Andrew assisted us and we did samplings of other red wines all of which were well rounded full bodied and a smooth finish. Honestly we have never had red wine at a winery that was delightful to our palate as usually red wine can have a bite or just be not good - however Pillitteri has shown that winery’s can produce amazing red wine and have now set the bar for any other winery we stop at. Andrew was exceptional with his knowledge of the wines and was a definite asset to Pillitteri as he marketed the red wine collection marvellously :) I will note the price point on the wines was impressive and had a full range to accommodate anyone’s budget so don’t hesitate to stop in for a tasting and buy a bottle or more. We did take a break and have their oven fired pizza at the restaurant which also serves wine and beer etc they get a second full sept of stars for the to die for pizza - taste, texture and a whole lot of delicious in the cheese Louise pizza and the meat pizza. While the winery was busy with many tours they accommodated anyone wanting samplings or food or just to purchase wine. This hidden gem is well worth stopping at and really should go on your...

Pillitteri was more than a half dozen wineries into our self planned tour of the region. Our experience was lacklustre from the start — a crowded waiting area, coupled with a disinterested looking front clerk was not a good start to the experience.

The tasting experience itself took place in one of their many tasting rooms (two parties to a room). While the covid shield was a good protective measure, the server took no time nor effort to describe the wines being served, and provided far more attention to the other group in the room (though even then, far from ample). The experience ended relatively quickly, which we were thankful for.

I’d highly recommend staying away from this one — there are countless other wineries in the region that provide a more intentional tasting experience with warm, inviting hospitality. For the time and money, it’s better to avoid Pillitteri entirely, instead of gambling in hopes of a server who will take you through a proper tasting.

Two stars for a complimentary glass of rosé. Of the dozen wineries visited, this one was by far the worst of the lot.

Edit: Upon reviewing some of the 1-2 star reviews, it appears that poorer experiences are isolated to one of the older servers (an older gentleman who appears to be xenophobic?). While I won’t be changing my review (as it accurately describes our experience), this is something visitors should...