Award-Winning Family-Owned Winery

In Niagara-On-The-Lake

Our Story

Over the past thirteen years since we opened Between The Lines, our process has been perfected through experimenting with various techniques and exploring inventive winemaking methods pioneered by our master winemaker Yannick Wertsch.

The result is a distinguished portfolio of wines that possess a precise flavour and appeal to new wine drinkers and the most seasoned palates.

It all happens here in the Big Red Barn on our stunning family-owned winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake. Our modern-rustic space houses our cellar and acts as both a tasting room and our clubhouse.

Stop by and see for yourself; come tour the grounds as we share all we know about winemaking with you.

Our Wines

When it comes to winemaking we are brave, daring, and bold. At Between The Lines, we put flavour and drinking experience at the core of everything we do.

Our main collections are sophisticated and fun to taste. The whites are pleasant on the palate while the reds are barrel-aged briefly to allow us to preserve their fruity undertones. Our wine is authentic yet modest, making it accessible to both the tasting rookie and the veteran oenophile.

Our Reserve Collection wines are our way of showing off. We conduct a careful process of selecting the best grapes and turning them into something extraordinary. Just when we think we’ve gotten it right, we pour a sample for our wine club to ensure we’re giving customers exactly what they want.

Our Milestones so far...

1998

The Wertsch Family arrives in Niagara from Germany and establishes themselves in Niagara-on-the-Lake. 

 

2005

Greg returns to Germany to study wine economics. 

 

Yannick heads to school to study winemaking. 

2009

Greg and Yannick bottle their first wines. 

2010

Between The Lines gets its name and opens to the public in November. 

2011

The team pursues the idea to can sparkling wine. 

2016

Origin Sparkling Wine launches. 

2023

Survived Covid!

Website rebuilt!

New wine club!

Meet The Brothers

The Wine Economist: Greg Wertsch

“We believe Niagara has its own story to tell.”

I knew I was destined for winemaking when I took a break from the family business to study microbiology. I learned there that my place was not in a windowless basement but rather outside on the farm, among the vines.

With 19 years’ of experience on our family winery, I formalized my winemaking education with a degree in International Wine Economics from Geisenheim University in Germany.

My brother Yannick and I opened the doors to Between The Lines in Canada’s best winemaking region in 2010.

We sought out Niagara-on-the-Lake because we knew it had global potential. With hard work and a passion for innovative winemaking, we built Between The Lines into a staple of the Niagara wine circuit.

Our vision for Between The Lines is to continue to build a winery rooted in the principles of innovation. We want to challenge the boundaries of Niagara winemaking and offer our guests and drinkers a dynamic experience.

Regardless of what is happening at the winery, the best part of my day is taking visitors on a tour of our property and walking them through a wine tasting. The looks on their faces when they taste that one wine they’ve been looking for makes this all worth it.

The Winemaker: Yannick Wertsch

“We’re always trying new techniques to deliver our best wines.”

From a young age, I have been fascinated with the winemaking process and the ability to experiment and create memorable tastes. I began making wine in high school and formalized my passion by studying winemaking and viticulture at Niagara College followed by LVWO at Weinsberg in Germany.

Growing up on our family vineyard in Niagara, I grew passionate about the idea to design, finance, and build my own winery with my brother Greg. We explored regions across the globe and chose Niagara-on-the-Lake for the potential we saw in its soil.

I absorbed Niagara viticulture and developed a winemaking process that celebrated the region and its grapes. I used the Niagara grape to combine the best of two worlds, old-world winemaking traditions and new world innovation and created something original to put our stamp on the region.

At Between The Lines, I apply what I’ve learned of various global winemaking styles to our processes. I’m always looking for new ways to innovate with our products, such as pairing new winemaking styles with regional varietals.

I’ve also introduced new vines to produce different wines as we did with our popular Lemberger Reserve. Throughout this adventure, quality and drinkability have remained the essence of what we do.

FAQ

Join us for our Classic Wine Tasting any time – no reservations needed!

All other tasting, tour or food experiences require a reservation. Reservations recommended to guarantee a spot on Saturdays, our busiest day of the week. 

Make a reservation HERE

Yes! We love pets and they’re welcome to come with you as long as they’re leashed at all times and on their best behaviour. 

Please note: we do not allow pets in our Production facility unless they are service dogs. 

You can call the winery retail store at (905)262-0289 or e-mail tours@betweenthelineswinery.com. 

Please note: we do not take reservations over the phone. To make a reservation click HERE. 

Due to government restrictions we are not able to ship our wines and products outside of Canada. We hope this may be possible in the future!

We are delighted that you are considering Between the Lines Winery as the location for your photos. A permit is necessary for those who wish to use Between the Lines Winery as a backdrop for posed or directed photography. For pricing and information please e-mail Events Coordinator: sophia@betweenthelineswinery.com. 

Come Experience The Big Red Barn