Would you like to book a tour but are concerned that if you do and have to cancel will lose your money or pay a cancellation fee?
For the coming weeks we will be relaxing our cancellation policy, see below for more details;
Cancellations made right up to 72 Hours Prior to the Tour Start Time will be allowed to reschedule at anytime Free of Charge.!!
Any tours that are booked after May 1, 2020 are also eligible for a Full Refund with no cancellation fees, as we are working to guarantee your reservations.
Please feel free to contact us at any time if you have any other questions or concerns. We are hoping everything goes back to normal so we can truly enjoy the wonderful summer weather ahead!!
frequently asked questions...
What is included in every tour?
All Tour Prices include: All tour & tasting fees, charcuterie platters. Amazing food pairings, private structured tasting and private production tour (when available). A wine savvy industry professional tour guide, upgraded wines, including top Icewines, world's best award winning wines and round trip door to door transportation from your hotel, B&B or Private Residence.
Are you fully licensed, insured and bonded?
We sure are, we make sure all of our vehicles are registered with the Niagara Regional Police Department to do wine tours, carry full liability insurance of over $5,000,000 dollars and have only bonded tour guides.
What if we were told we would go to a specific stop?
We make promises all the time. People ask to visit a specific stop and we say we can go!! 98 percent of the time, we can. In the rare cases we can’t, we are sorry. Obviously you will still get a stop in for sure, we make sure you will have the right number of stops for your tour, and the right number of tastings, Usually this happens when a specific stop was full when we tried to reserve, or something else has come up at the location that prevents us from going. In this instance we reserve the right to substitute.
Which wineries will we visit?
There is no set schedule of wineries. Our tour guides like to customize their wine tours to take advantage of the best winery experiences available on that day, including special events or limited time programs that we'll go out of our way to take part in. They take a great deal of pride in the Niagara wine tours and winery itineraries they put together. With so many wonderful wineries in the area, there is no reason to put on a "one size fits all" wine tour. Niagara Wine Tour Guides wine and dinner tours and Niagara wine tours packages are the best thought out in the region.
May we pick the wineries?
If your group occupies the whole vehicle, we are happy to take you to the wineries of your choice, as long as those wineries permit us to visit that day. If you are sharing the bus with others, your tour driver will take responsibility for planning the best tour day possible for the entire group. We are careful to avoid taking people to places they may have already visited.
How do you determine which wineries would be best for our group?
• Rave reviews from previous tour groups
• We only visit small, intimate award winning wineries
• Excellent wines, moderately priced
• Warm & friendly service
• Wine preferences of on-board guests
How long will we spend at each winery?
No set time. Some winery experiences take longer than others. The average is about an hour at each winery.
Niagara Wine Tours tend to be very laid back and flexible.
Will you pick us up from our Hotel or Bed and Breakfast?
We sure will. Almost any location in Niagara Falls or Niagara on the Lake. We will pick you up and drop you off at the same location or an alternate location of your choice within our area. If we pick you up in Niagara on the Lake and you wish to be dropped off in the falls to go for a visit or lunch, no problem.
If we drive in to meet the tour, won't we be too tipsy to drive at the end
of the day?
We always advise people who drive in for the day to arrange alternate transportation for the return journey. Better yet, you might consider staying at a local Inn or B&B. Please contact us for suggestions.
Can we get to one of your pick-up locations by public transit?
We pick up lots of folks who come for the day via bus or train. We will do our best to meet you on time and return you so that you will make your departure on schedule.
What will you serve for the cheese and chocolate platters at the wineries?
The cheese platter has four savoury cheeses and a chocolate paired with five wines and consists of Brie, Asiago, Aged Cheddar, Blue cheese and a dark chocolate Brix Bite. Sometimes substitutions are necessary, however they are always delicious. Also on the platter is an assortment of crackers. The chocolate pairing is always a mystery.
Will you accommodate vegetarians and other dietary restrictions?
Yes! We are rather good at accommodating a variety of dietary needs, particularly dairy and gluten restrictions. Please give us advance notice. We'll let the restaurant know as they provide vegetarian options.
Any beverages, other than wine?
Yes, there is water available to fill your re-usable water container at each winery. Due to the restrictions of single use plastics, we can no longer provide individual waters to our guests.
Are there any taxes or fuel fees?
There are taxes, a 13% HST Tax has to be applied to all goods and services in Ontario, sorry about that. There are no fuel fees or surcharges! (HST Registration # 80822 6740 RT0001)
What about winery tasting fees?
There are no tasting fees at the wineries for our wine tour. Should you wish to purchase additional tastings, some fees may apply.
How about driver gratuity?
For any reservation of four or fewer guests, tipping is at your discretion. If you are pleased with the service and effort put forth by your Tour Guide, you are most welcome to offer him or her a gratuity. Your thoughtfulness will be greatly appreciated. For larger groups, we'll include a 15% gratuity.
With what sorts of people might I expect to share our wine tour?
You will encounter easy-going, social people who are interested in wine, even if they don't know much about it. We strive to make every tour fun, and informative. I can guarantee that the tour will be louder at the end than when it began.
Am I going to look like a rube if I don't know how to hold my wine glass?
You won't, we do a structured tasting at the very first winery. Don't be scared, it's that sip and swirl you've heard so much about. It's easy and fun and you will look like a pro in only a few minutes.
May I bring my child?
No. This is a wine tour for adults who will all be wine tasting, sometimes singing and dancing. Your child will be bored and it won't be fun for them either.
May I bring my dog?
Service animals are welcome on the tour. We restrict non-service animals because some of our guests are allergic to animals and most of the wineries have the same policy.
Is there room on the bus to store any wine that I buy?
Yes! We have yet to limit any wine purchased due to storage concerns. Buy as much wine as you like. (Then buy some more wine!)
How will I get my wine home?
The first option is to take it with you, especially if you are driving. If you are flying, you may ship wine from the wineries – most of the wineries we visit are able to ship to almost anywhere in Canada, the U.S. and in some cases overseas.
What is the minimum number of people you will pick up?
One person.
How many guests are normally on your tour?
It varies. Our tours don’t have a maximum capacity, for private tours. We can get buses and take large corporate groups. Our small regular tours use our 12 or 15 seat tour vans, so maximum 14 people , plus the Tour Guide, we usually try to have only five couples. We try to keep the front seat open in case anyone has motion issues, or they want to sit up front and chat. Anyone can ask for this seat by yelling 'shotgun.'
Will you cancel a tour in the event that too few people book it for that day?
No way, Baby! We never cancel a tour even if we have only one person booked.
Do we have to pay more if we go over time?
No absolutely not! We'd never charge extra for having more fun.
Do you offer full-day tours?
We have found in the past that most people prefer not to stop for lunch. It takes between an hour or two and some people get too sleepy. It makes the wineries at the end of the day rushed. You can also request a price quote for a full day Private Wine Tour.
What is your refund policy?
We offer a full refund on bookings cancelled at least 72 hours prior to the scheduled pick up time.
If you notify us between 72 hours and a minimum of 12 hours prior to your scheduled pick up time, we will allow you to reschedule to another tour, or to assign your reservation, or your right to reschedule, to another person. All rebooking requests are subject to tour availability, and we will do our best to accommodate your requested change.
What sort of vehicles do you use for the wine tours?
Our vehicles are small tour vans. Most of them have easy access step-up,and are clean and quiet, so guests can better get to know each other. We don't have any large 18, 24 or, heaven forbid, 58 seat vehicles. This way we keep the tours small, intimate and fun!
How do your vehicles differ from a traditional limousine?
Our tour vans are shorter in length, but taller in height than limousines. You will be able to walk on and off them, most have easy step access. They have large, tinted windows, so that you may see the views from any side of the vehicle.
What happens if we wanted to try a specific wine, beer or spirit and it’s not available?
This happens, People look up certain wineries and want to try something specific and it is sold out, or otherwise not available. We do our best. We can’t make our partners have more, or different varieties. We can always ask and they do their best as well. If it’s available, we usually get to try it!!
Will my credit card be charged when we reserve the tour?
Yes! This is the only way to guarantee your seats for the tour. There are many people who want to take our tours, when you have your reservation the seats are reserved for you only. If there is a reason you cannot attend, please let us know in advance and we will try to reschedule to the best of our ability, or refund your purchase, but we will be sad that you will be missing a great day out.
Can this tour really be as fun as it sounds?
Yes! Even we are amazed by how fun it is!
Why choose us?
Our staff are professionally trained experts, we love to taste wine, to pair wines and to have a lot of fun.
Our goal is to offer the best wine tour for the price anywhere in the region, well anywhere in the world for that matter. We start each tour with the feeling of anticipation, who will we meet? What will they be like? What type of experience will they enjoy? The answer is easy, they are just like you! Our guides have been conducting tours in the region for many years and all would say that you the customer, like to have fun and a great day out. Some may be more wine savvy than others, it really doesn't matter if you have been enjoying wine for years, or if this will be your first glass, there literally is something for everyone. e make it easy, and comfortable, the small group social setting is the best for being able to listen to your questions, be able to respond to you, and no, we don't know everything, we learn something new about the wine business everyday. That's the really cool thing, there is always something else to learn.
While we are out, we will be doing wine pairings with cheese, pretty standard stuff, and chocolate, mmmm yummy. But would you like to know why a chilled Riesling goes amazingly well with Brie? Or perhaps find a very select Pinot Noir that pairs perfectly with a peanut butter cup? Not everyone likes to break out the fois gras to have with a bottle of wine. One of our favourites is a nice Gewurtztraminer-Riesling paired with a very tasty cool ranch chip. We have all the best pairings, we have receipies for sangria and wines to enjoy on a hot sunny day and wines to enjoy when the snow flies. Let us take you out and enjoy your time spent in the region, we hope to see you very soon!!