— Niagara-on-the-Lake · Est. 2000 · Teaching winery, brewery & distillery
Niagara College’s winery, brewery, and distillery in the heart of Ontario wine country. Every bottle is crafted by professional makers and student talent, together — one minute off the QEW.
VQA Wine
Platinum 2025
National Wine Awards of Canada
2022 Dean’s List Cabernet Franc
Gold 2026
Artisan Spirit Competition
Bees & Blooms (Floral Liqueur)
Silver 2024
US Open Beer Championship
Bitter
Bronze 2025
US Open Cider Championship
Cherry Cider
§ 01 / Orientation
§ 02 / Four disciplines, one campus
Wine
VQA
Sparkling, white, rosé, red, dessert, and icewine. Our Dean’s List and Balance collections represent the best of what student winemakers and our cellar team can achieve together.
Beer
Craft
Crisp lagers, hop-forward IPAs, and inventive small-batch releases brewed by students and brewmasters side by side. When they’re gone, they’re gone.
Spirits
Artisan
Vodkas, gins, absinthe, and student-led small batches. Every spirit is a collaboration between master distillers and the students learning their craft from the ground up.
Cider
Taylor Road
Crafted from local Niagara fruit. Taylor Road Cherry Cider and seasonal releases, fermented for freshness at the peak of ripeness.
§ 03 / The Maker Story
Every vintage, every batch, every barrel has a maker behind it. At NC Craft that means a professional with years of craft — and a student putting that knowledge into practice for the first time. The 2022 Dean’s List Cabernet Franc that just won Platinum at the National Wine Awards? Made by their winemaking instructor alongside the class of 2022.
“Coming back to Niagara College as Head Winemaker feels like a true homecoming. It’s an honour to lead the program that first sparked my passion and to now mentor the next generation of talent in the cellars where my own journey began.”
Allison Findlay
Head Winemaker, NC Craft Winery
Recurring | Weekly
Every Friday
4:00 – 8:00 PM
Tasting Room/Patio
Cold beer, good company, and live music. Drop in every Friday at the NC Craft Tasting Room.
§ 04 / Niagara Craft Beverage Club
Join 300+ members who get early access to new student releases, curated seasonal selections, and exclusive events — before anything goes to the public.
01
Up to 8 bottles and cans of wine, beer, spirits, and cider
Per Ship
02
First access to new releases before public sale
Member-Only
03
Invitations to private tastings and maker events
Events
04
15% off all in-store and online wine purchases
Shop
05
25% off all merchandise in store
Merch
The Club | No. 09
Spring 2026
Up to 8 items | Wine | Beer | Spirits | Cider
Per Shipment
$160
/qtr
Annual
4
shipments
FEB
Winter
MAY
Spring
AUG
Summer
NOV
Fall
Join 300+ Members!
§ 05 / Find Us
135 Taylor Road, Niagara-on-the-Lake — take QEW Exit 38B, south on Glendale, then left on Taylor Rd and the campus is on the left
| Sunday–Thursday | 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
| Friday | 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM |
| Saturday | 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM |
Friday evening and Saturday hours are extended — perfect for after-work tastings and weekend visits. Friday Night Pints runs every Friday evening.
§ 06 / Stay Updated
Be the first to hear about new releases, exclusive events, and special offers.
Exclusive offer
$5 off Commencement Brut
Copy your code, then shop the bottle.
✓ Code copied to clipboard!
Shop the bottle →Enter GRAD26 at checkout to save $5
David Dickson brings a wealth of experience and passion to Niagara College’s Artisan Distilling program, joining us from his role as Head Distiller at Dillon’s Small Batch Distillers in Beamsville.
With an academic background that includes an Honours Specialization in Biology and a Master of Environmental Sustainability from Western University, David combines science with craft. He’s also certified in Absinthe Distillation from Moonshine University — a renowned artisan distillery and education centre in Louisville, KY — and played a key role in creating Ontario’s first legal absinthe.
A proud Niagara native, David is known for crafting unique fruit-infused spirits that celebrate the region’s local flavours — a signature approach he’s excited to share with students in the College’s distilling program.
As Head Distiller, David oversees all production, leads practical distilling courses, and guides the next generation of craft distillers with expertise and enthusiasm.
Jon Downing is a true pioneer of modern craft brewing — and quite possibly the most experienced brewery start-up consultant in the world. With over 120 brewery launches under his belt (yes, really), Jon has spent the past 30 years helping brewers and breweries across the globe turn passion into professional success.
Originally from the UK, Jon trained at the United States Brewers Academy and holds a degree in Commerce from Birmingham University. His work combines deep technical knowledge with hands-on business savvy — from launching Ontario’s first brewpub to designing pilot breweries for global names like Diageo (Guinness) and experimental labs focused on beer recycling.
Jon’s brewing adventures have taken him everywhere from Japan and South Korea to Cyprus, the Caribbean, and across North America. His clients range from independent brewers to branches of the U.S. Army, Navy, and Air Force. The beers born from his projects have gone on to win medals at the World Beer Championships and the Great American Beer Festival — and his students continue to carry that winning tradition forward.
In the late 2000s, Jon approached Niagara College with a bold idea: create a hands-on brewing program to complement the College’s existing work in wine and culinary. After years of planning and development, the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Management program launched in 2010 — and it’s been turning out top-tier brewers ever since, with a near 100% employment rate.
Jon remains a fixture at the Teaching Brewery, where he mentors students, innovates with new styles, and stays plugged into the brewing world through organizations like the Master Brewers Associations of Canada and the U.S., the Institute of Brewing & Distilling, the American Society of Brewing Chemists, and The Association of Brewers.
Originally from Dryden, Ontario, Allison Findlay didn’t always picture herself in a wine cellar — her early passion was rooted in plant science and ecology. But a visit to Niagara’s wine country changed everything. After completing her Bachelor of Science at Lakehead University, she enrolled in Niagara College’s Winery & Viticulture Technician program and never looked back.
After graduating in 2014, Allison’s winemaking journey took her around the world — from harvests in Australia and Oregon to hands-on roles at wineries across Niagara. In 2016, she joined Flat Rock Cellars, where she climbed the ranks from cellar crew to Head Winemaker, producing award-winning wines, including a Best in Show at the 2022 Decanter World Wine Awards.
In 2022, Allison returned to where it all began — this time as the first female Head Winemaker at the Niagara College Teaching Winery. She brings with her not just global experience, but a deep love for Ontario wine and a dedication to mentoring the next generation of winemakers.
Allison follows in the footsteps of fellow NC grad and former winemaker Gavin Robertson, who helped shape the program for over a decade. Today, she carries that torch forward — continuing to produce exceptional wines and guide students with the same hands-on philosophy that launched her own career.
When she’s not in the cellar, you’ll find Allison crafting, solving crosswords, or chasing after her two dogs, Maeve and Lola. Her drink of choice? A cold glass of bubbly, great company, and (ideally) a couple dozen oysters.
The retail store and tasting room are closed today due to the severe weather.
We open tomorrow at 11:00 AM.
Sorry for any inconvenience.