Magnotta Winery

About Magnotta Winery

Vision. Passion. Achievement. Magnotta Winery Corporation is Ontario’s third largest winery producing, retailing, distributing, and exporting wine, cider, beer and spirits. As part of a small group of emerging wineries behind the Ontario wine renaissance that began over three decades ago, Magnotta is proud to have helped play a role in bringing Ontario's distinctive wines to center stage across Canada and throughout the world. Since 1990, Magnotta has won more than 5,000 Canadian and international awards and accolades for quality and product excellence. Offering over 180 world-class wines in every category to satisfy any budget or occasion including one of the largest VQA portfolios in Canada, premium and specialty wines and world-famous Icewines sold directly to consumers at winery-direct prices through 14 independent stores across Ontario. In 2018, Magnotta turned the page on a new chapter and launched Venture Series: 100% Ontario wines that include a charitable component. With over 20 products, Venture Series becomes Canada's largest collection of philanthropic wines dedicated to funding Lyme Disease research in Canada.
Magnotta is a proud, family-owned winery and grape grower steeped in innovative winemaking and local history for over 30 years. The grapes grown on its 180 acres of vineyards in the heart of the Niagara Peninsula are used to create award-winning, 100% Ontario vintages. For additional grapes, Magnotta supports the agricultural growth of the province by partnering with local independent grape growers.

Representative Biography

Peter Rotar, Winemaker

Peter Rotar has been a professional enologist for over 35 years. He is a graduate of the Minis Viticulture and Vinification College in Romania. Peter furthered his studies at the Bucharest Oenology Institute in Bucharest, Romania and completed his degree in viticulture and enology at the Western University of Oenology in Timisoara, Romania. He worked for 15 years at one of the largest wineries in the Banat Province of western Romania. In 1996, Peter travelled to Canada and has been Head Enologist at Magnotta Winery for nearly 25 years. Peter also specializes in distillation, the production of spirits and the development of several spirit and brandy recipes.
Continuing education and communicating with other winemakers are important to Peter and his ongoing success with creating VQA wines. He actively participates in events organized by Brock University and VQA Ontario that focus on changes and improvements to Ontario’s wine industry. He acquires and disseminates knowledge he has acquired at lectures and seminars on viticulture and oenology and is part of a Brock University sparkling wine group that traveled to Italy’s Prosecco region to learn more about sparkling wines and traditional methods. With VQA Ontario, he has participated in tasting groups to redefine the characteristics of VQA wines.
Peter’s experiences and extensive travels over the years to different parts of world allow him to compare his VQA wines against wines from other countries, study other styles of wines and keep him open-minded to explore new possibilities.
“Our cool-climate region is what makes our wines distinctive, food friendly and memorable. Ontario grapes ripen slowly resulting in complex wines with higher acidity and more mineral flavours, making them the perfect wines to pair with all types of cuisine.”

Why We're Cool

Ontario wine country represents generations of winemakers and grape growers who are passionate about creating world-class, award-winning wines. And, at Magnotta, we’ve been true believers in the potential of Ontario as a wine region from the very beginning.

When it comes to winemaking, it’s no secret that Chardonnay is one of the world’s best white grape varietals because of its innate ability to adapt to and thrive in both cool and warm climates. Ontario’s cool climate viticulture is especially well suited to grow exceptional Chardonnays, both in an oaked and unoaked style. Cool climate Chardonnays are oftentimes lighter bodied with slightly more acidity, yet well-balanced with citrus flavours and mineral character. We pride ourselves on producing silky, light to medium-bodied Chardonnays that are superbly dry with a creamy, palate cleansing finish. Their Honeydew melon, Anjou pear and Golden Delicious apple flavour profile is accompanied by slight herb, butter and oak spice notes.

Magnotta’s Chardonnay grapes are predominantly grown in our Niagara Stone Road vineyards, situated in the heart of the prestigious and historic Niagara-on-the-Lake region. The terroir of this 25-acre vineyard brings out the very best of Ontario’s character. Our premium, handcrafted and award-winning G. Marquis collection of wines is made exclusively with grapes grown in our Niagara Stone Road vineyard. Bordered by Lake Ontario, the area is strongly influenced by the presence of the open lake water. The land warms quickly in the day and cools rapidly on clear nights but since the temperature of the lake changes slowly due to its great mass, the area is ideally situated for avoiding late spring frosts. On a clear, crisp night, the land surface becomes cooler than the lake surface. Air above the lake rises, drawing in cooler air from the land surface, creating an off-shore breeze. The air that now sits above the lake is warmed, rising and flowing back over the land, creating a circular heat-pump effect. The soil is sandy-loam, very loose and fertile, making this vineyard vigorous and productive. Although, spring development comes very early and is susceptible to spring frost, it ultimately makes for a longer developing season allowing for the full ripening of grapes. Bearing quality fruit since the early 1990s, the vineyard produces grapes with bolder flavours and softer tannins due to the richer soil composition and longer ripening season.