Icellars Estate Winery

About Icellars Estate Winery

Icellars Estate Winery is a family-owned boutique winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake, founded by the Icel family and opened its doors in 2016. We've dedicated ourselves to proving that Niagara can produce world-class Bordeaux-style wines—particularly age-worthy Cabernet Sauvignon. When we first planted, many thought we were foolish, but the wines have since spoken for themselves.

Our 47 acres of estate vineyard are meticulously tended by hand. We control every step of production under one roof: growing, harvesting, fermenting, aging, and bottling. As Canada's first Net Zero Energy winery, our commitment to sustainability runs as deep as our commitment to quality. When you visit, you're not a customer—you're a guest, greeted by the family who makes the wine.

Representative Biography

Mark Williamson, Winemaker

Mark is the Winemaker at Icellars Estate Winery. A graduate of Niagara College's Winemaking & Viticulture Technician Program (2018) and the University of Ottawa, he has spent nine vintages working across Ontario, including positions at Featherstone Winery, Southbrook Vineyards, Dark Horse Estate Winery, and Glen Elgin Vineyard Management.

Mark first joined Icellars briefly in 2018 and returned as Vineyard Manager in 2021, working closely with founder and Winemaker Adnan Icel until Adnan's passing in May 2025. In early 2024, Adnan passed the Winemaker title to Mark as he looked to step back from the that role. The winery continues to work with consultants Ann Sperling and Peter Gamble, who have guided the estate since its early days. A firm believer that the greatest wines are made in the vineyard, Mark brings a viticulturist's perspective to every wine he crafts.

"I love working with Chardonnay. I'm always after that electricity you get from great terroir. Having that energy present in Chardonnay when it's young tells me it will age beautifully and be fantastic to cellar for several years."

Why We're Cool

Chardonnay may represent a small part of our estate, but we approach it with the same uncompromising philosophy we bring to our reds. All vineyard work is done by hand—shoot thinning, cluster selection, leaf removal, hand-picking, and meticulous sorting. Whole clusters go directly to press.

We ferment and age our Chardonnay in 500L French oak puncheons, carrying the wine through full malolactic fermentation. The result balances the refreshing acidity of our cool climate with the richness and texture of Niagara-on-the-Lake terroir and barrel fermentation—a Chardonnay built for those who appreciate both restraint and depth.