Colio Estate Wines is a vineyard and winery in Harrow, Ontario, Canada that opened in 1980. Located at 42 degrees north latitude, the Lake Erie North Shore VQA region is at a latitude similar to that of northern California or the Tuscany region of Italy. Colio Estate is south of Detroit, near the southern border of Michigan. It is also south of the latitude of New York'sFinger Lakeswine region. Their brands include CEV Signature Series-Limited Edition Wines, Colio Estate Vineyards Ultra Premium, Colio Estate VQA Varietals and Premium, Colio Varietals and Blends and Girls' Night Out. They produce icewines, sparkling wines and St. Tropez Non-Alcoholic Cocktail. Products are available at 14 Colio Estate Retail Boutiques located in Mississauga, Kanata, Windsor, Peterborough and Toronto and in LCBOs across Ontario.
Immigrated from Italy in 1980, Carlo Negri was Colio Estate Wines' first wine maker. His 30 year long career is credited with the flourishing wine/tourism of the Lake Erie North-Shore area. Carlo won the "Tony Aspler Cuvée Award of Excellence" in 2005, an honor awarded to those who have " done most to further the aims and aspirations of the Ontario Wine Industry". Carlo and the winery won two Gold Medals in 2002 for the CEV Merlot Reserve in the Red Wine Category and for CEV Carlo Negri Signature Meritage in the Limited EditionRed Wine category. They also won "Best in Category" honours the same year. After his passing in July, 2014, Colio Estate Wines set up a $10,000 scholarship. Partnering with both St. Clair College and Brock University, the scholarship offers $5,000 to students studying culinary arts and hospitality and another $5,000 to a student studying wine making. In 2003 the winery brought winemaker Tim Reillyon board and moved their vineyard manager Kevin Donohue to the winemaking team. They have seen an steady increase in awards for their white wine program. Tim took the head winemaking reins in August 2007 – 2012. The winery has since acquired in the Niagara-on-the-Lake region.
The Girls' Night Out product line includes nine wine beverages, specializing in chardonnay, sparkling wines, rosés and sangria. Their products are marketed to women as a reason to get together and celebrate friendship. Their label design, three cocktail dresses, won a Silver Medal for label design at the Ontario Wine Awards in 2009. Their products have received acclaim in magazines such as Food and Wine, Elle and Hello Canada.
Awards
Chardonnay - Silver Medal at the All-Canadian Wine Championships
Rosé - Silver Medal at the Wine and Food Show
Thornbury Beverage Co.
Thornbury Beverage Company is a cidery and brewery located in the Georgian Bay region. Established in 2006, the cidery operates on 7,500 acres of apple orchards. They produce Ontario craft ciders and beers. The company was bought by Colio Estate Winery in early 2016.
Awards
Thornbury Village Cidery has won 7 awards:
2016 Gold Medal best 'Common Cider', OFVC Cider competition, Thornbury Cider
2016 Silver Medal "Specialty Cider", OFVC Cider Competition, Thornbury Apple Cranberry Cider
2015 Gold Medal, Canadian Brewing Awards, Thornbury Cranberry Cider and Pickup Truck Pilsner
2015 Bronze Medal, Canadian Brewing Awards, Thornbury Premium Apple Cider
2013 Gold Medal, Great Lakes International Cider and Perry Competition
